Dominican Americans in Washington Heights, New York: Language and Culture in a Transnational Community

Abstract

The immigrant experience in the USA has led to expectations of cultural and linguistic assimilation within two to three generations. However, the immigrant situation today is far different from what it has been traditionally. For many, the immigrant experience is a transnational one, with newcomers maintaining roots in the homeland while setting down new ones; in addition, ties to the homeland are not necessarily cut after the second generation is born on US soil. The Dominican American community of Washington Heights, New York is representative of this new immigrant paradigm. The current study records the experiences of five residents of this community, representatives of the first and second generations. It shows that place in the immigrant generation order does not predict cultural and linguistic orientation. The quality of subjects' experience in the USA and the Dominican Republic, their views of the homeland and Washington Heights, and the views of the larger society toward Dominican Americans and their neighbourhood influence such orientation. The study also suggests that US-born Dominicans may have language needs that are not being met by formal educational institutions.

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