Article published In:
Spanish in ContextVol. 17:1 (2020) ► pp.131–152
Spanish in the 2016 U.S. presidential election
Semiotic processes of political discourse
This study analyzes discourse in and about Spanish by presidential hopefuls and their prospective running mates
leading up to the 2016 United States presidential election. I utilize Irvine and Gal’s
(2000) framework of semiotic processes to reveal how Democratic and Republican politicians implement iconization,
fractal recursivity, and erasure in order to appeal to their respective bases. Further, I demonstrate how discourse in and about
Spanish may be considered marked to one party and unmarked to another. Analysis is based on a 70-item corpus consisting of
broadcasted and printed media, as well as content promulgated over social media during this election cycle. In analyzing key
discursive moments that focus on “language”, I address national ideologies as well as latinidad and its
appropriation. As such, this study contributes to an understanding of the role of Spanish and the Latino electorate within the
United States.
Keywords: Spanish in the United States, presidential campaign discourse, semiotic processes, ideology, markedness, iconization, fractal recursivity, erasure
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Theoretical framework
- 3.Corpus
- 4.The iconization of abuela and hombre
- 5.Fractal recursivity and being (s)elected or rejected for speaking Spanish
- 6.Erasure of latinidad
- 7.Conclusion
- Notes
-
References
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