Spanish Literature Commons^™

Officialization And Linguistic Acculturation Of Spanish In The United States Catholic Church, Antonio Medina-Rivera

World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Faculty Publications

The present investigation brings to light some of the changes associated with the use of English and Spanish in the US Catholic Church. The first part is an examination of the process of officialization from a historical perspective, acknowledging the impact of some groups or associations in the use of vernacular la!_lguages within the Church. The second part examines the role of acculturation during this process of officialization; and the final section analyzes the use of inclusive language in the Church, as an attempt to have a more gender-balanced institution. These three elements serve to provide a more complete perspective …