The Latin Heritage of American Speech

October 18, 2011 by John Coggin

Migrant worker in Blackwater, Virginia. Photo by Laura Elizabeth Poh

Recently released 2010 Census data indicates that Latin-American immigration to the United States continues to surge since 2001, the year that Latinos became the largest minority in the country.  About half of recent births in the U.S. are minorities; more than a quarter of infants are Hispanic.  Hispanics account for more than half of all infants in California, Texas, and New Mexico. They are the largest source of births in Nevada and Arizona.  Demographer William Frey at The Brookings Institution has declared that America has reached its “demographic tipping point.”

The signs of rising Latin-American influence are everywhere. On television, Soledad O’Brien delivers the news. On film, TV, and radio, Jennifer Lopez sells a Latin-spiced vibe. Latin grocery stores are opening in historic town squares and supermarkets are adding Latin favorites like plantains and tamarind soda.

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