A mixed-method approach to heritage language maintenance in Los Angeles: investigating language dominance, acculturation, and generation at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

This dissertation employs a mixed-methodological approach of surveys, interviews, and a critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine language maintenance of Spanish at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in Los Angeles County. Specifically, I compare degree of language dominance of English and Spanish and degree of acculturation between second- and third-generation heritage speakers of Spanish. Additionally, I employ a grounded theory (GT) approach to analyze semi-structured interviews, as well as a CDA of institutional statements of selected campus organizations to examine whether these statements align with participants’ experiences at the HSI. Participants were undergraduate Mexican Americans enrolled at the HSI, referred to in this work as California University. Of the total participants, 69 belonged to the second generation (G2) and 19 to the third generation (G3). All participants completed the Bilingual Language Profile (BLP; Birdsong et al., 2012), and the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II (ARSMA-II; Cuellar et al., 1995). Additionally, eight participants completed one-on-one semi-structured interviews, which were coded using a systematic GT approach that led to four interrelated core categories. Lastly, selected texts from the websites of programs and organizations that participants discussed during their interviews were examined using a CDA approach (Janks, 1997) that entailed text analysis, processing analysis, and social analysis. Quantitative findings show statistically significant differences of both language dominance and acculturation between G2 and G3, with G3 speakers being more dominant in English, yet also more oriented toward the Mexican culture. Further, analyses of the interview and institutional statements suggest that use of Spanish among speakers is limited to the language classroom. While the HSI caters to the linguistic and cultural needs of heritage speakers by offering Spanish courses and cultural events and organizations, English remains the primary language of communication, instruction, and overall campus life. Despite later-generation speakers having a higher dominance in English, they continue to be interested in preserving their culture and familial background, and they often take measurable steps to maintain the language by enrolling in Spanish classes and pursuing certificates in Spanish. The available cultural resources and opportunities at the HSI, such as Spanish classes and groups for Latine students, help foster positive ethnolinguistic identities in heritage speakers and a sense of belonging in the campus community and may support heritage students to re-engage with their heritage culture and reclaim Spanish. This study contributes to ongoing work on the dynamics between language and acculturation processes in diasporic groups by contextualizing language use and maintenance of Spanish within the HSI. Further, by combining measures of language dominance and acculturation, this work provides a more nuanced understanding of language maintenance of Spanish, and of how Mexican American heritage speakers engage with their educational environment.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Spanish

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Castro Cantu, Sara E.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Callesano, Salvatore
• Bowles ,. Melissa
• Dávila, Liv
• Bax, Anna

• Spanish
• Sociolinguistics
• Heritage Languages
• Language Maintenance
• Hispanic-serving Institutions

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Sara Castro Cantu

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129908

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129908