3rd Edition of ‘Language and Identity’ Conference to Focus on Spanish Speakers, Tradition, and Culture in the U.S.

The third edition of the conference ‘Language and Identity’ is just around the corner and this time it will focus on speakers, tradition and culture, said Richard Bueno Hudson, director of the Cervantes Institute in New York, in an interview.

The project that started in the last phase of the pandemic COVID-19 has addressed several aspects of the Spanish language in the United States, but the most important thing is that it has opened communication between Spanish speakers and even Anglos who loves Spanish, Bueno Hudson appears.

“As the manager of all things, the generator of this conference, [el objetivo] It was a small thing to try to bring the people of this city, the residents of this city with respect to Hispanics,” he said in an interview.

He said that Spanish in the US is “special” because English is not the official language of the country, but Spanish is official in New Mexico and Puerto Rico.

“In every Spanish-speaking country, and we consider the United States to be a Spanish-speaking country […], but this country is very special, because English is not officially, at the federal level, the official language, but it is at a practical level in all states; but Spanish is two, New Mexico and Puerto Rico,” he said.

However, the living Spanish speakers are surrounded by English speakers, which represents a special challenge for the survival of Spanish.

“[Los hispanohablantes] They live surrounded by English speakers with, let’s say, society, with ideology, ethics, morality, dominant religion, which is not so easy for the survival and growth or vitality of Spain, as it would be. to be in other countries such as It can be Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador or Spain,” he explained.

The conference “Language and Identity” tries to open dialogue about these aspects and contribute to the survival of Spanish.

“It was important to hear their voices.” [de quienes hablan español] and their ways of thinking; I think it is one of the achievements [es] that’s the beginning [de los congresos] has become a second and has become a third and is getting hit […]because people feel they are known, they want to come and express their opinion on the issues we are talking about,” said the doctor of psychology, who studies language and identity.

He noted that New York is an example of how different cultures contribute to the spread of Spanish, taking into account the concerns of its speakers, regardless of their ancestry. they are, that is, whether they are Colombian, Spanish, Mexican or Puerto Rican.

The conference ‘Language and Identity’ will be held on 10 and 11 May at the Cervantes Institute in New York.Credit: Impremedia

And what will Congress be about?

The conference will be at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute in New York on May 10 and 11, where literature, politics, history, even music and the challenges related to the Spanish language will be addressed.

“Other topics are coming to light that are much more relevant, for example, issues that are not so relevant or taboo in other parts of the world, such as gender language, bilingual, non-binary names, etc. ” Well Hudson said. “Experts come from several countries, they even intervene telematically from Peru, from Spain, from other places, to see and from Italy, to see how the matter is being dealt with this is what is so important here.”

Politically correct expressions will be another issue to be addressed in the conference.

“It’s also a very hot topic how to say what we want to say without offending or crossing the lines of what is acceptable to some people,” he said. we change the language a little to what, to build trust [evitemos] knock on other communities who may be offended by the way we speak.”

Music will be an integral part of the program, focusing on culture and different generations, which will also allow us to talk about immigration, said the expert.

The cultural program is extensive and includes an exhibition of books in Spanish in the US, as well as the exhibition “American Latinos”, a tour from 1935 to 1945.

The details:
To find out about the conference program and how to attend, it is recommended:
– Visit the Instituto Cervantes website: click here.
– Proceed to the Cervantes Institute headquarters: 211 E 49th St. 10017 New York, NY (+1) 212.308.7720.