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1 CE
Pre Hispanic Period
The varied and unknown amounts of native languages that existed before Hispanic colonization -
2
Spanish Dominated Country
After the Spanish conquered, they forced a majority Spanish speaking country. -
3
Seemingly irreversable
But almost 200 years of
intensive hispanization has rooted Spanish so deeply in native Mexican societies that in
general we can say that there is almost no Indian in contemporary Mexico who does not speak
Spanish. Therefore the declaration of Mexico as a multicultural and especially multilingual
nation/state looks like empty gesture in a situation when the process of hispanization seems
to be irreversible. -
4
Spanish and native languages in post-revolutionary Mexico
Post-revolution, Mexico changed its approach to indigenous integration, shifting from exclusion to inclusion through investments in infrastructure and bilingual education. Proficient teachers made the majority of natives bilingual, aligning them with Mexican culture. Despite celebrating the pre-Hispanic past, authorities aimed for the integration of indigenous identity, resulting in bilingual generations gradually transitioning to Spanish monolinguals. -
5
Spanish and native languages in the 19th century
Liberal governments in independent Mexico sought to assimilate indigenous communities into a unified nation, but their efforts, including imposing Spanish as the only official language and abolishing communal land ownership, resulted in unintended consequences. The monolingual education system isolated native communities, preserving their languages and cultures. However, this also led to economic and social marginalization, reinforcing negative stereotypes about indigenous people. -
6
Spanish and native languages in contemporary Mexico
Mexico embraced multiculturalism since the late 1970s, declaring itself a multicultural and multilingual nation in 1992 with the 2003 General Law of Language Rights of Indian Nations. Despite efforts, widespread bilingual education has led most Mexican Indians to speak Spanish, challenging the revitalization of indigenous languages. Initiatives by disconnected native intellectuals may not align with the priorities of rural indigenous individuals in a predominantly Spanish-speaking environment. -
7
The change
Beginning of 1990 when the constitution
declared Mexico to be a multicultural and multilingual nation. But almost 200 years of
intensive hispanization. -
8
The influence of globalization on the language situation in Mexico
Globalization, driven by NAFTA, impacted Mexico economically and influenced labor migration to English-speaking urban areas. This led to increased Spanish dominance over native languages, as Indian parents preferred English education for practical reasons. Despite the association of English with globalization, Spanish maintained a stronger position in Mexico due to historical roots, reinforcing its dominance in the linguistic landscape. In this competition, Spanish emerged as the clear victor.