About This Show

Languages rarely exist in isolation, and almost always find themselves in a pecking order of power. In a country like the U.S., Spanish is seen as secondary to English, though it is the official language of over 20 countries and the lingua franca for numerous communities, from indigenous peoples to newly arrived immigrants. And yet, the existence of a dominant language can also be a deterrent to linguistic diversity. This panel explores some of the places where Spanish abuts other languages and how power relationships ebb and flow. How does translation affect these relationships? Can it restore a place of equality between a majority language and a minoritized language? And does it erase difference in the process? With Alicia Kopf, Judith Santopietro, Trifonia Melibea Obono, Rubén Ríos-Avila. Moderated by Mary Ann Newman.