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"A [book] rich in detail and analysis, which anyone wanting to understand the language debate in Puerto Rico will find essential."--Arlene Davila, Syracuse University

This is the first book in English to analyze the controversial language policies passed by the Puerto Rican government in the 1990s. It is also the first to explore the connections between language and cultural identity and politics on the Caribbean island.
Shortly after the U.S. invasion of Puerto Rico in 1898, both English and Spanish became official languages of the territory. In 1991, the Puerto Rican government abolished bilingualism, claiming that "Spanish only" was necessary to protect the culture from North American influences. A few years later bilingualism was restored and English was promoted in public schools, with supporters asserting that the dual languages symbolized the island's commitment to live in harmony with the United States.

While the islanders' sense of ethnic pride was growing, economic dependency enticed them to maintain close ties to the United States. This book shows that officials in both San Juan and Washington, along with English-first groups, used the language laws as weapons in the battle over U.S.-Puerto Rican relations and the volatile debate over statehood. It will be of interest to linguists, political scientists, students of contemporary cultural politics, and political activists in discussions of nationalism in multilingual communities.

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CHOICE Review

Barreto (Northeastern Univ.) has made a significant contribution to the continuing contentious debate on the status of Puerto Rico (commonwealth, statehood, independence). This volume offers a perceptive discussion of a basic postulate: "Cultural identity and language policy in Puerto Rico are inextricably tied to the debate over the island's fate." Language policy rarely arises in discussions about the prospects for independence and occasionally arises in discussions of Puerto Rico's current status as a semiautonomous American commonwealth. The language issue, however, is most volatile in discussions of the possibility of statehood. Barreto poses the central issue for Puerto Ricans regarding the option of statehood: "How Puerto Ricans [will] view themselves and also how American society assesses the compatibility of a culturally distinct state in its otherwise 'anglophone union.'" In addition to archival resources, the author includes interviews with prominent Puerto Rican political leaders in and out of government to provide a historical and contemporary basis for understanding the language issue on the island. The inclusion of important documents on the history of language policy on the island provides basic resources. See also Bonnie Urciuoli, Exposing Prejudice: Puerto Rican Experiences of Language, Race, and Class (CH, Nov'96). Recommended for graduate students, faculty, and professionals. F. Cordasco emeritus, Montclair State University

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Amílcar Antonio Barreto is professor of cultures, societies, and global studies at Northeastern University. He is the author of several books, including Nationalism and Its Logical Foundations , and is coeditor of American Identity in the Age of Obama.