Losing the Mother Tongue in the USA: Implications for Adult Latinxs in the 21st Century

In this unique and timely book Losing the Mother Tongue in the USA: Implications for Adult Latinx in the 21st Century, Thorsos, Martinez and Gabriel highlight Latinx scholars and colleagues as they explore the value of 21st century bilingualism in the United States of America (USA). Using critical counternarratives and testimonios to highlight their individual, and sometimes collective, experiences as each Indigenous Latinx author examines the profound and diverse reasons they experience a loss of their Spanish mother tongue. Through individual testimonios, each author addresses the main objectives of the book: (a) to share Latinx motives and purposes needed to assimilate or acculturate in the USA, (b) to reflect on the navigation necessary to be successful within a whitestream education system and job market, and (c) to provide a cautionary story to parents, educators, and all Americans about the dangers of Spanish language loss. At a time when Latinxs continue to be the fastest growing population in the USA at all levels of education, this volume opens up critical dialogue that fills a void in the academic literature, especially as it relates to language, identity, and culture. Losing the Mother Tongue in the USA is an important book for this time and era for much needed insight into how multicultural education can be decolonized, theorized, and practiced from the perspective of cultural insiders; thereby honoring the unique voice and experiences of Latinxs. With the USA being built on the backs of Latinx labor, this book is long overdue in acknowledging Latinx intellectualism and expertise. The book has implications for ethnic studies, faculty and staff in higher education, and teacher education, intended for use by both undergraduate and graduate students, multicultural education scholars, administrators, policy makers, and internal and external stakeholders in higher education. The chapters in this book may also provide valuable contributions to the literature on Spanish language loss for master and doctoral students, and further serve as an excellent reference for professoriate interested in the language dispositions and contexts of bilingualism, multilingualism, multiculturalism, nationalism, and globalism.