ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of Spanish as a globalized language in Milan through the parameters of postmodern sociolinguistics, in which new orders of indexicality emerge in the unprecedented diversification of forms of communication in the global era. As one of the most important effects of globalization, immigration has led to de-nationalization and deterritorialization dynamics in urban spaces. The chapter considers the extent to which Latinos in Milan reproduce or overcome traditional language ideologies through their local and globalized language practices. It analyzes Spanish in-motion practices in Milan by focusing on how Latino immigrants deploy their communicative resources. The varieties of Spanish spoken in Milan must be interpreted considering the local environment and the socially dominant language, which bears great structural similarity to Spanish. Milan is the main industrial, commercial, and financial center of Italy and one of Europe’s most important global cities.
