Language in Public: The Place and Status of Spanish in the US Public Sphere

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to bring to light some facts about the place and status of the Spanish language in the public sphere of the United States, that is, at the level of the government and of governmentally established institutions. Contrary to popular belief, the United States does not have an 'official language'. In this brief essay, I will make cross-natural comparisons and pose questions about role/place of language within the U.S.