A Pew Research Center report, which explores the relationship of Latinos in the United States to the Spanish language and their cultural identity, was recently published and raised important questions for the community. The research reveals several interesting nuances about how Latinos in the U.S. perceive Spanish/Castilian and its importance to Latino identity.

First, the survey highlights that many young Latinos who do not speak Spanish or speak little Spanish are not alone in this situation. About 54 percent of Latinos who have limited proficiency in Spanish report feeling bad about it. In addition, 40% of Latino adults say they often hear jokes made by other Latinos/Hispanics about those who do not speak or speak Spanish not so well.

However, the report also points to an interesting tension. While most Latinos consider it important for future generations of Latinos to speak Spanish (about 85 percent), nearly 80 percent of them believe it is not necessary to speak Spanish to be considered Latino. This suggests that language is not seen as an absolute requirement for Latino identity in the United States.

The survey also highlights differences in attitudes toward Spanish among different groups of Latinos. For example, third- or higher-generation Latinos are less likely to speak Spanish fluently compared to first- or second-generation Latinos. In addition, Latinos from different backgrounds, such as from Central America, South America, Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Rican, have different perspectives on the importance of speaking Spanish in future generations.

Regarding political ideology, the survey reveals a partisan divide in attitudes towards Spanish, with a higher percentage of Latino Democrats considering it important for future generations to speak Spanish compared to Latino Republicans.

The Pew Research Center report offers a detailed look at the complex attitudes of Latinos in the United States towards Spanish and the Latino identity. With the emphasis on the diversity of opinions within this community and how demographic changes are shaping these perspectives, it is suggested to access the full text indicated in the link above. The present text was also contributed by an NBC News article.

“For this report, Pew Research Center surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3,029 U.S. Latino adults, in English and Spanish, from Aug. 1 to 14, 2022. Findings among the sample often differ by nativity, immigrant generation, age, educational attainment and language use”.