From ``Spanish-only'' cheap labor to stratified bilingualism: language, markets and institutions on the US-Mexico border

Abstract

Recent sociolinguistic research adds new economic sectors, such as the service economy, to the list of key forces that shape unequal, dynamic and complex diglossia (e.g., Spanish in the United States). However, little detailed work has been done on the linguistic characteristics of specific labor sectors in the wider contexts of "debordering" and "rebordering". In this article we develop in depth the market mechanisms and institutional constraints that shape the valuation and social expansion of Spanish in El Paso, Texas. The study finds that in sectors with low skills and low linguistic intensity, linguistic management policies are effectively "Spanish-only". However, as skills increase and there is a greater need for regulated communication in the occupational role, more constraints are observed on how Spanish functions in work use and professional careers.

Social Disparities in Children’s Respiratory Health in El Paso, Texas

“…The protective health effects of lower acculturation might be due to strong familial, social and economic ties which exist amongst immigrant groups or an avoidance of American health behavioral norms (e.g., abstinence from smoking and/or maintenance of healthier diets) [ 45 ]. It is important to note that, in contrast to many US localities, El Paso’s location along the Mexican border situates residents in a region where many health care services are offered in Spanish by Spanish-speaking professionals or by assistants and technicians serving as informal interpreters [ 46 ].…”

Raciolinguistic ideology and Spanish-English bilingualism on the US labor market: An analysis of online job advertisements

“…As I have already mentioned, US employers’ demand for Spanish-English bilingualism is substantial (New American Economy 2017). The need for workers who can provide services to clients or who can communicate with coworkers in both languages is especially clear in areas that have large Spanish-speaking populations such as in parts of New Mexico (Villa & Villa 2005), California (Porras, Ee, & Gándara 2014), and Texas (Alarcón & Heyman 2013, 2014). For example, Villa & Villa surveyed 146 employers in southern New Mexico and found that the majority (52.06%) preferred that employees be bilingual and a smaller number (9.66%) required Spanish-English bilingualism.…”

“…An orientation to Spanish as local language clearly undergirds the demand for Spanish-English bilingualism seen in studies by Villa & Villa (2005) and Alarcón & Heyman (2013, 2014). For example, Alarcón & Heyman (2014) describe how employers in the janitorial, call center, and healthcare industries in El Paso, Texas seek out Spanish-speaking employees that can communicate with US Latinxs. In the healthcare and call center industries, Spanish is used mostly for communication with clients, while, in the janitorial sector, it is used for communication among coworkers.…”

Intra-Ethnic Disparities in Respiratory Health Problems Among Hispanic Residents Impacted by a Flood

“…This Englishlanguage finding may appear to be counterintuitive, considering that English-language proficiency could provide Hispanic immigrants or other Spanish-speaking individuals with greater access to information about disaster recovery and healthcare resources (51). Notably, El Paso's location along the US-Mexico border situates residents in a region where many healthcare services are offered in Spanish by Spanish-speaking professionals or by assistants and technicians serving as informal interpreters (52). It may be that less English proficiency was associated with decreased risk for respiratory health problems due to the protective effects of lower levels of acculturation and the high levels of Hispanic cultural competency (specifically, Spanish-language proficiency) exhibited by the region's healthcare providers.…”