ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents an analysis of the forces that brought the construct of latinidad, and the Spanish language as an essential feature of it, into the U. S. cultural landscape during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It explores connections between Spanish-speakers and social justice and the ways in which language functions in the life of Latino communities. The book summarizes current research in heritage Spanish phonetics and phonology, including Voice Onset Times of the consonants as well as very recent work on rhotics. It explores the relatively scant published work on the pragmatic systems of U. S.-raised Spanish speakers, including the discourse marker use of Chicano children in southern California and of Puerto Rican adults in New York, Miami, and Chicago.
