SAN ANTONIO – When it comes to language, many generations have lost Spanish because it was not passed on.
On Wednesday’s KSAT News Now, we discussed the topic and asked the question: Do you have to speak Spanish to be considered Latino, Hispanic or Mexican-American? What if you speak what is referred to as Tex-Mex or Spanglish? Is that valid and can it be accepted?
Alicia Barrera spoke with Dr. Maribel Larraga, professor of humanities and social sciences at Our Lady of the Lake University. Larraga said the loss of Spanish between generations was generally a way of parents protecting their children from punishment or ridicule.
Watch the video above for the full conversation with Dr. Larraga, who also defined code-switching, and how language and identity are intertwined.
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Wednesday’s full edition of KSAT News Now is below: