Perceptions of Spanish Language and Culture in American Advertisements

This presentation analyzes the way in which Middlebury College students, who have had various exposures to Spanish language and culture, interpret the representation of Latin American culture in American advertisements. Many... [ view full abstract ]

This presentation analyzes the way in which Middlebury College students, who have had various exposures to Spanish language and culture, interpret the representation of Latin American culture in American advertisements. Many of the studied advertisements included stereotypical representations of Spanish culture. While all participants knew that Americans were the intended audience, we found that both native and highly proficient Spanish speakers perceived the announcements as ineffective or problematic, while non-Spanish speakers interpreted them as funny or more authentic. 

This confirms the idea that Mock Spanish, the insertion of common Spanish words to enhance English discourse, reflects aspects of a culture to achieve a false aesthetic, without the need to understand the language. In Middlebury, conversations of false cultural representations are common, so often times students without exposure to Spanish language and culture were aware of the appropriation of culture. Consequently, many factors contribute to the capacity to recognize problems with stereotypical cultural representation.