Language Attitudes Toward Spanish and English Varieties: A Chicano Perspective

This study investigated how Chicano adolescentsfrom two bilingual speech communities in Austin, Texas, view their own varieties of Spanish and English as well as the varieties used by their African American and Anglo peers. Issues surrounding language maintenance of Spanish, language shift toward English, Spanish-accented English, and ethnic and social identity were discussed by these adolescents through the use of an interview instrument and conversational data. These revelations display a wide array of linguistic attitudes that serve as a linguistic gauge for the function and use of such varieties within these communities and among these speakers.