ABSTRACT
California is the most linguistically diverse state in the United States, and its most populated urban space, the Los Angeles Metro area (L.A.), is a natural sociolinguistic lab. This chapter describes the bilingual and bicultural nature of Los Angeles. It begins with a historical overview of the presence of Spanish and its contact with English in California. The chapter focuses on the distinct vernacular Spanish of L.A. and the contact between this and other varieties of Spanish that make L.A. their home. Regarding the linguistic phenomena that develop in language contact situations, Chicano Spanish displays several well-known traits. Central American Spanish differs from Chicana/o Spanish in various ways: phonologically, syntactically, and lexically. Chicana/o Spanish, with its distinct Mexican base and features of contact with English, dominates the non-English spaces of L.A. The chapter concludes with a look into the future, considering the current sociopolitical climate and its impact on non-English-speaking residents through restrictive language policies.
