This article seeks to chart Jane H. Hill’s claims in her paper “Language, Race, and White Public Space.” White public space is made up of ideas and acts that institutionalize and produce bigotry. This research would demonstrate how the use of a language blend depicts and promotes bigotry. Term fusion is an outstanding example of white public space. Mock Spanish is a common method of hybrid communication. This paper examines the different aspects in which white public space portrays racism. This analysis will provide an outline of Hills’ claims, and ample evidence will be quoted to support each assertion. Five ethnographic conclusions will be addressed and explained using Mock Spanish as an example.
Jane Hill begins by pointing out that though all languages should be considered equal, in practice this is not the case. Other languages such as Spanish have a relegated status. For instance, Puerto Ricans often experience this kind of racism. The difference between Spanish and English is usually shocking. A good example is among bilingual people. Such people often fear to be fluent in both languages because they will be perceived as being “more white” especially when that fluency is in English. Moreover, they are not confident of speaking Spanish in public spheres since they are afraid of being seen as dangerous and impolite. In contrast, those who speak English in public only worry about trivial issues such as accent. Doing so is instrumental in promoting racism because it assumes that English speaking whites are linguistic orderly while the Spanish are linguistic disorderly and dangerous on the basis of the language rather than character.
Jane Hill further asserts that using neutral words from another language in a negative manner is a form of demeaning other people, and therefore racists. For instance, the word macho in its pure sense means male. However, when used in the English context, it means someone who is overly masculine. Other words from Spanish are also used in a derogative manner. For instance, a Tucson clinic had its X-ray department restrooms labeled casa de pee pee. While white speakers often practice doing so, it is quite rare to find Spanish speakers doing the same.
Moreover, she argues that using mock Spanish elevates the status of white people despite the fact that using it demeans the state of Spanish speaking people. The elevation is achieved through direct indexicality, which is the use of non-referential meanings both known and understood by speakers. Most people who use mock Spanish often claim that it is a result of interacting with other Spanish people. Moreover, they are assumed to have a sense of humor or being funny. It usually makes them desirable. However, it is ironic that they are ignorant of the fact that the use of the Mock Spanish words is sometimes offensive.
When White people use this language, they at times use indirect indexicality, which is a direct contrast to direct indexicality. This happens when the use of words is never acknowledged. Jill for instance says that most White people using forms of Mock Spanish do not consider it an offense or racist (p.4). In these contexts, the use of Spanish by the Whites always portrays prejudices towards the historically Spanish speaking people. For instance, generalizations such as “Chicanos and Latinos are stupid, sexually loose and politically corrupt usually paint them in negative light. One great problem is that some Whites usually deny using this form of prejudice. Worse still, some they often try to justify their ignominious generalizations about Hispanics. For instance, statements such as “Mexicans just do not know how to work” (p.4) are degrading. What is shocking is the fact that few people often acknowledge the consequences and implications of these statements.
At times Mock Spanish promotes hate speech. As a result of the conflicts between the Americans and the Mexicans, which are due to immigration disputes, people against immigrants often use derogative messages targeting particular groups. For instance, demonstrators in California held posters written Adios Jose. Sometimes, it is not only aimed at immigrants, but it is used to address Spanish speakers as well. The coincidence with racist jokes makes it even difficult to identify whether they are aimed at a group or whether they are just jokes.
The use of Mock Spanish achieves White elevation in two distinct ways. First, direct indexicality makes the users have desirable qualities. Then, through indirect indexicality the negative implications of using offensive words are avoided. This promotes the racist notion that “whiteness” is the norm. Jane Hill reasons that most historically Spanish speaking people have a different understanding when the use of Mock Spanish is concerned. When Whites use Mock Spanish, they often make a lot of grammatical errors. Furthermore, rude words are also used and may portray Spanish speaking people as rude people. The racial undertones are usually conspicuous and those who communicate in Spanish are usually aware of them. At first, they may pass off as making an effort, but, gradually, it becomes clear that there is something negative. For example, in an interview, Jane Hill reports that a Chicano girl noticed that her teachers only use Spanish when they want to say something negative.
Though mock languages often depict and promote racism, they can be used to uphold anti-racism. When they are used to acknowledge and negate the problem of racism, they may prove to be successful. For example, young White and Black friends always use this method to mitigate the harmful effects of racialism. Black friends would sometimes call their White counterparts “nigger” in a humorous way. In this way they are more enlightened on the effects of using negative words in Mock Languages situations. As a result, they will reduce the effects of racial stereotypes.
In conclusion, using Mock Spanish highlights racial bigotry in a number of ways. First, when Whites and Spanish speak their language, they are not considered equals. Then, Whites use direct indexicality and in the process, they appear congenial despite offending Spanish people. Moreover, at times they use indirect indexicality to distance themselves from the harmful implications of their utterances. The use of Mock Spanish also highlights its use in Hate Speech and finally, it is used to promote the notion of White elevation. Although using it may result in a number of negative effects, when the main objective is to acknowledge and mitigate the negative effects of racism, Mock Spanish and other mock languages can have some positive effects.
Works Cited
Hill, Jane H. “Language, Race, and White Public Space.” American Anthropologist, vol. 100, no. 3, 1998, pp. 680–689. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/682046.
