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Article published In: Linguistic Landscape
Vol. 11:4 (2025) ► pp.408–435

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Spanglish in Filadelfia

Patterns of representation in the Linguistic Landscape

ORCiD logo with link | California State University, East Bay
Published online: 4 July 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ll.24058.dia
Abstract
This study examines the semiotic realizations of Spanglish in relation to social, political, and cultural formations, analyzing the legitimation process in which a sign maker may (or may not) capitalize on symbolic production. Data gathered between 2021 and 2024 from South Philadelphia’s Linguistic Landscape reveals a biased vindication of Spanglish through both institutionalized and non-institutionalized productions within the local linguistic market. These displays provide evidence of shifting symbolic capital, allowing privileged sectors to profit from the Spanglish signifier. Cultural ‘otherness’ appears to be negotiated by legitimizing agents and mechanisms enacted through popular culture, such as local marketing strategies and/or institutional communication aimed at Spanish/English-speaking populations. This suggests a process of objectifying Spanglish as a reification of ‘Latinness.’ These glocal processes interact with macrostructures found in academic debates and public opinion, positioning Spanglish as a commodity accessible only to the privileged within mainstream culture.
Resumen
Este estudio examina las realizaciones semióticas del Spanglish en relación con formaciones sociales, políticas y culturales, analizando el proceso de legitimación mediante el cual un productor de signos puede (o no) capitalizar la producción simbólica. Los datos recopilados entre 2021 y 2024 del paisaje lingüístico del sur de Filadelfia revelan una reivindicación sesgada del Spanglish a través de producciones institucionalizadas y no institucionalizadas dentro del mercado lingüístico local. Estas manifestaciones evidencian un cambio en el capital simbólico, que permite a sectores privilegiados beneficiarse del significante Spanglish. La ‘otredad’ cultural parece negociarse mediante agentes y mecanismos de legitimación que se manifiestan en la cultura popular, tales como estrategias de mercadotecnia local y/o comunicación institucional dirigida a poblaciones hispanohablantes y angloparlantes. Esto sugiere un proceso de objetivación del Spanglish como una cosificación de la ‘Latinidad’. Estos procesos glocales interactúan con macroestructuras presentes en debates académicos y en la opinión pública, posicionando al Spanglish como una mercancía accesible únicamente para los sectores privilegiados dentro de la cultura dominante.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1The Spanglish phenomena
  • 2.Theoretical background
    • 2.1The immanent dichotomy
    • 2.2To Spanglish or not to Spanglish? Ahí está el detalle
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1El corpus y su locus
  • 4.Findings and discussion
    • 4.1Exoticization, appropriation, and symbolic capital
  • 5.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
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