A case study of Spanish language use in a Texas border colonia
Date
2014-09-29
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This case study reveals a Spanish language marginalization in a South Texas
community of mostly Latinos, who are the fastest growing group in the U.S. (Colombi &
Roca, 2003); furthermore, approximately 77% of English language learners (ELLs) have
Spanish as their heritage language (Hopstock & Stephenson, 2003). Nevertheless, ELLs do
not receive much academic literacy support in their first language in many schools (Zehler
et al., 2003). Thus, out-of- school social practices play an important role on maintaining a
native language (e.g., Burrows-Goodwill, 2009; Reyes, 2006). However, researchers have
not explored this phenomenon in Texas border colonias, or unincorporated areas where city
services are non-existent (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2005) and
where almost half of residents live below the poverty line (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000).
This case study examined Spanish language use in the Texas border colonia of El
Palmar (pseudonym). I utilized U.S. Census data, linguistic landscape analysis of the
neighborhood, participant observations, language use surveys, language logs, and
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interviews to determine the extent that bilingualism and biliteracy have developed in El
Palmar and the factors leading to language maintenance or shift in this colonia. I used the
framework of New Literacy Studies traditions (Barton, 2007; Barton & Hamilton, 1998;
Gee, 2008; Heath, 1983; Street, 2001) to identify literacy practices involving adults and
children in El Palmar, as well as the funds of knowledge concept (González, Moll, &
Amanti, 2005; Smith, 2002) to understand and acknowledge the cultural and literacy
resources recent immigrants use in new language environments. I also incorporated
Fishman‟s (2001) ideas of language shift to analyze the Spanish language maintenance or
loss in the colonia. Biliteracy of the community was analyzed by applying the linguistic
landscape concept developed by Landry and Bourhis (1997).
The analysis of multiple data sources revealed that Spanish continues to be the most
spoken language, but bilingualism has grown in El Palmar because more residents, particularly youth, have learned English. On the other hand, biliteracy has not developed.
Even though El Palmar youth are fluent speakers of English and Spanish, they have not
developed literacy in Spanish. The factors that help the maintenance or loss of Spanish in
the colonia were also identified. This study also made a language compartmentalization
evident in El Palmar, where Spanish is seen as the language to communicate and express
feelings, and English as the language of power to succeed. The role of children and adults
as language brokers (e.g., Orellana, 2009) in between these two language worlds was also
analyzed. This study demonstrates the need for an awareness among El Palmar residents to
value Spanish, not only as a sentimental language (Kelman, 1971), but as a language that
will help them to succeed in high-power spheres, such as education and business (Fishman,
2001). Another implication is for a better communication among parents, schools, and
community members to affirm colonia residents‟ linguistic resources and biliteracy.
PDF; 229 pgs.
PDF; 229 pgs.