Notes on the Myths, Dialects, and History of Spanish in the United States

The article aims to correct the myth that Spanish in the United States is purely a function of immigration in the 20th and 21st centuries. It presents historical evidence that Spanish has been spoken in the United States as long or longer than English, predating English by over 400 years, and has coexisted with English in various forms.

The geographic distribution of Spanish-speaking communities in the Southwest reflects Spanish's early influence through successful Spanish exploration and settlement in the region. By the mid-19^{th} century, as many as 100{,}000 Spanish speakers lived in the Southwest, establishing enduring communities and unique regional varieties of Spanish that remain in use today.

Many English-speaking Americans hold the misconception that Spanish language use in the United States presents a threat to the use of English. The article refutes this by stating that Spanish and English have coexisted for nearly 400 years with no inherent threat to English dominance. It suggests that the question of a “threat” should be reframed as how Spanish interacts with English in a bilingual context, not as a replacement.

The ‘founder effect’ in the context of U.S. Spanish refers to linguistic features traceable to the particular groups that settled various regions. The Iberian Peninsula’s linguistic diversity was carried into the New World, with different groups settling in different regions. An example is Colorado Spanish, which retains older, monophthongal vowels and words that may have evolved from /f/ to /h/ in historical stages (e.g., “hijo”), reflecting intermediary stages of the /h/ to /f/ evolution from its early settlers.

The article addresses the concern that Spanish poses a threat to the dominance of English by asserting that Spanish and English have a long history of coexistence, nearly 400 years, without English dominance being jeopardized. It highlights that immigrant languages are usually lost by the third generation, yet Spanish endures due to its deep historical roots and multifaceted presence. The article reframes the interaction as one of coexistence in a bilingual context rather than competition, suggesting that language policy and attitudes should reflect this reality.