Spanish in Context - Volume 23, Issue 1, 2026

Human languages are hypothesized to be adapted to the functions they fulfill. Specifically, their structure has been claimed to be optimized for efficient communication and easy learning. Nonetheless, languages also exhibit many “extravagant” features, with no clear role in information transfer or language acquisition. Building on typological research on this topic, in this paper we present evidence that varieties of Spanish (colloquial mostly) feature the type of “decorative” morphology found in some world languages. We provide a detailed characterization of such morphology and further hypothesize some potential functions for it. We conclude by advocating for a sociopragmatics approach to intralinguistic variation that also considers the findings by language typology, but likewise for a typological approach to language diversity that pays attention to the findings by variationist sociolinguistics. Ultimately, our study argues for a unitary view of linguistic variation and for considering functions like aesthetics or play when explaining the design features of language.

The present investigation examines Spanish-speaking Latinos’ experiences speaking Spanish in public spaces in the Upstate of South Carolina through a racio­linguistic perspective. Forty-one Spanish-speaking Latinos participated in semi-structured, quasi-sociolinguistic interviews, responding to questions about the nature of their encounters when speaking Spanish in public and, if roles were reversed, how they would react if non-native speakers (NNSs) engaged in Spanish with them. Multi-grounded theory methodology was applied to the analysis of the qualitative data. While participants recounted a range of experiences, they mostly cited negative reactions toward their use of Spanish. Participants were subjected to discriminatory remarks, received “weird looks” — or the literal white gaze, — and commonly used race-related terms when sharing their stories of speaking Spanish in public, corroborating the co-naturalization of race and language. Nevertheless, participants expressed overall positive reactions if NNSs were to speak the language with them, but only if NNSs’ intentions were sincere.

In everyday interaction, interlocutors normally want to be socially seen in the best possible light and polite behavior will often involve elevating the status of the addressee(s) through expressions of respect, deference and social closeness/distance. In Mexican Spanish this can be seen through the use of the tú/usted address forms, the use of formal titles and formal/informal grammatical and lexical structures. Focusing on T/V address forms, we reject simplified and streamlined explanations and explore the use of interpersonal and transactional power as a major determinant of address forms. To understand this, we examine the correlation between relational power and address forms as expressed through hierarchical norms, co-constructed relationships and oppositional behavior. In examining the Mexican context, we examine how young middle-class interactants assess, re-evaluate and often restructure conventional practices by comparing and contrasting politeness beliefs, values and attitudes and use other adult groups as a point of comparison.

This study investigates how native Spanish speakers of eight different dialects (Argentinian, Chilean, Colombian, Ecuadorean, Mexican, Peninsular, Peruvian and Venezuelan) communicate in non-native English (E2) in online contexts. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP), the study identifies residual features of these dialects in online language exchange forums. A qualitative interpretation of the findings reveals variations in E2 request speech acts across the dialects. The results suggest that culturally bound linguistic features influence E2 communication, with differences observed in how speakers from different dialects open, develop, and close interactions. Lexical choices, particularly verbs in request head acts, also differentiate the dialects. The study enhances understanding of L2 English pragmatics, sociolinguistic variation, and NDID by applying NLP to a large dataset of E2 data from native Spanish speakers.

Previous research has noted the prevalence of the definite article (DA) preceding personal names (PN) in certain Spanish-speaking communities, particularly in Chilean Spanish, often with derogatory connotations towards women. This study uses a variationist analysis of spontaneous conversation from Mapuche speakers in two regions (N = 509). Results show a preference for DA+PN in the Metropolitan Region in comparison to the Araucanía Region. Different from previous studies, results suggest that names associated with feminine referents tend to favor DA+PN only in the Araucanía Region. Additionally, DA+PN choice in this region is sensitive to community membership. Contrary to derogatory implications, DA+PN usage appears to express discourse topicality, with syntactic subjects showing a greater propensity for DA presence, especially when the referent is subsequently mentioned in subject role. These results suggest that the Mapuche cultural view on names, which emphasizes establishing shared common ground, may influence how DA+PN is recontextualized in Chilean Spanish.