The uniquely human capacity of using arbitrary signs to transfer concept and experience over great distances in time and place is what we call language. We use language with a purpose, and we use whatever features are at our disposal to achieve our ends, regardless of the fact that some speakers think that certain features should be held together…

Discusses verbal performances of East Austin (Texas) Chicano children; how their attitudes about language influence their choice of English-Spanish codes, the verbal code favored being Spanish-English code-switching; their ability to maintain code separation; and how their two major cultural heritages are fully exploited to create a resolutely…