The Spanish Language in California: Roots, Resilience, Evolution, and its Impact on Identity and Bilingualism

Student: Pedrina Garcia de Phillips

Faculty Mentor: Robert Train

Modern Languages & Literatures

College of Education, Counseling, and Ethnic Studies

Spanish in California serves as a vital linguistic tool that facilitates individuals (Spanish speakers) and communities (bilinguals) in navigating their identities between Spanish and English, empowering them to resist the norms and restrictions of the dominant English language that target Spanish as a tool to create nativist linguistic political divisions among its inhabitants. Importantly, Spanish is a linguistic resource that treasures California's historical linguistic identity and contributes to the academic and social success of this population. This research highlights the importance of Spanish not as a foreign language, but as a language deeply rooted in the region. It focuses on its historical significance and current relevance. It examines the benefits of bilingualism and how Spanish challenges perceptions of linguistic minority status in California.