San Antonio was founded by the Spanish over 300 years ago, and Spanish has been spoken in the streets ever since, even after independence from Mexico and joining the United States. But new data shows that use of Spanish is on the decline in the city.
The U.S. Census Bureau shows that population growth in the San Antonio metro area could be diluting the native population which is comfortable speaking Spanish.
Also, it’s been observed that household Spanish declines in the homes of immigrant families—typically by the third generation.
The San Antonio Express-News reports, citing the U.S. Census, the percentage of Spanish speakers in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan area is gradually falling, though in cities of comparable size and population, Spanish fluency is on the rise.
Guests:
Express-News reporters Liz Teitz and Ricardo Delgado wrote the story “Unspoken fears: S.A.’s decline in Spanish speakers stirs community concerns”
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This interview will air on Monday, January 8, 2024.
