ABSTRACT
The Spanish-speaking population in the UK has grown significantly since the 1970s, with Colombian migrants playing a major role in this growth. Yet, at an official rate of approximately 0.2%, the proportion of Spanish-speakers in relation to the total population in the UK is significantly smaller compared to the US and even to Canada. Marquez Reiter and Martin Rojo compared the social status of Latin Americans in London and Madrid by drawing on Bourdieu's notion of capital. The studies have mainly examined the Latin American experience in the UK in terms of their social status and to some extent have related this to issues of language and language varieties. Through ethnographic work in a Latin American heritage language school in London, she studied how adult members conceptualized language proficiency and choice, and how they related these elements to issues of identity in their families. The need to study heritage/minority language issues is multifaceted.
