Una aproximación a la importancia de la elección lingüística en la configuración de la identidad hispánica en los Estados Unidos

In today's globalised world, advances in international travel and communication have led to higher rates of migration and intercultural contact. Therefore, communication between different groups sharing a space is of paramount importance. This article offers an insight into the link between culture and language in society, with a focus on multilingual groups, and, more specifically, Spanish-English bilingual groups who find themselves subject to generalisations and marginalisation by wider society. Theoretical investigation casts light on the inextricable link between language and identity, showing that Spanish-English bilingual groups use bilingualism, and in particular code-switching, as a means of differentiation from the dominant group. They also implement these same strategies to distinguish themselves from Spanish-speaking communities that they consider to be unlike themselves as a response to wider society's generalisation of all Spanish-speaking groups, usually under the term `latino'. Identities are fluid, and in many cases contain elements of different cultures. It is therefore important to take into account the different components, not just language, but also gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic situation, and how these vary between groups.