Since the 1970s the sociolinguistics of women's language use has focused on monolingual American and British English-speaking women (e.g., Cameron &. Coates 1989; Kramarae 1981; Lakoff 1975; Spender 1980; Thorne, Kramarae, &. Henley 1983). The few studies on the linguistic behavior of Chicanas,1 African American women, and Native American women (Castro 1982; Foster, this volume; Galindo 1992; Galindo &. Gonzales Velasquez 1992; Gonzales Velasquez 1992; Medicine 1987; Nichols 1983; Yanez 1990) support the notion that women's use of language reflects their socioeco­ nomic status, experiences, social networks, strategies, and linguistic options. Because Chicanas belong to a minority group that historically has been relegated to a lower social and economic status, it is erroneous to assume that all women are homogeneous, that women of color share the same life experiences as white, middle-class women, or that their language use will be identical when in fact it is quite distinct (d. Foster, this volume). Some Chicanas may be middle class and belong to monolingual English­ speaking or bilingual communities, whereas others may be working class and live in monolingual Spanish or bilingual speech communities (Galindo &. Gonzales Velasquez 1992; Yanez 1990). Given the heterogeneity and diversity exemplified within the Chicana community, the study of language

use is complex and intertwined with a myriad of social variables. Thus, Chicanas sometimes use Spanish, sometimes English, and sometimes they codeswitch (that is, they alternate between Spanish and English words, phrases, and sentences).2