Beyond Difference: interlingualism and the use of Spanglish in Bird of Paradise- How I Became a Latina (2013) by Raquel Cepeda and How the García Girls Lost their Accent (1991) by Julia Álvarez
Beyond Difference: interlingualism and the use of Spanglish in Bird of Paradise- How I Became a Latina (2013) by Raquel Cepeda and How the García Girls Lost their Accent (1991) by Julia Álvarez

Summary/Abstract: In this article I analyze interlingualism in the books Bird of Paradise- How I Became a Latina (2013) by Raquel Cepeda and How the García Girls Lost their Accent (1991) by Julia Álvarez. I argue that interlingualism is a form of interculturalism and that it is present and vibrant in these two books. The type of interlingualism that is present is Spanglish and in particular code-switching. Spanglish is employed to a certain extent in Bird of Paradise and widely used in How the García Girls Lost their Accent. In both books, however, it assumes a very significant role for the protagonists. It reflects their hybrid identity and the creation of a sense of community among bilingual speakers. I start by describing the meaning of interculturalism and compare it with multiculturalism to provide a clear definition and I proceed with an analysis of the language employed in these two texts.

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