The politics of language in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Should Spanish be Puerto Rico’s sole official language, or should English be a co-official language? Answers to this question are inseparable from matters of cultural pride, nationalism, and political motivations. The island’s government was declared officially bilingual soon after the Spanish-American War. Attempts to overturn the 1902 official languages law failed until 1991 when Governor Rafael Hernández-Colón signed a bill declaring Spanish the sole official language. This updated book explores the complex machinations involved in promoting competing language policies in Puerto Rico since those first salvos in the language wars were launched three decades ago. Far from an isolated controversy, the clash over official languages in this US territory is inseparable from the larger debate over the island’s status and congressional views on the nexus between the English language and American national identity. Were it to become a separate country or remain a Commonwealth, federal policymakers could afford to ignore the island’s language deliberations. Statehood is a completely different matter. Members of Congress have disparate views on whether the American federation is capable or willing to accept a new state dominated by Spanish speakers. Political operatives in San Juan and Washington continue to exploit the island’s language policy issue as a weapon promoting or sabotaging congressional support for statehood. Far from an isolated issue, the Puerto Rico language controversy has been conscripted into the larger battle over American identity. Such debates cast doubts on the country’s willingness to embrace diversity and its commitment to the sacrosanct Civic Creed.

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