About this Episode
In the first episode of our new interview series on language inequality, we spoke with Laura Villa Galán, sociolinguist at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Her work focuses on how language hierarchies are shaped by history, power and politics—not by linguistic merit.
Laura studies how standard forms of Spanish gained prestige, while regional and global varieties were marginalized. She highlights that what is often labelled “bad Spanish” is in fact just less socially recognized, not less valid. This stigmatization affects speakers across Spain and Latin America, particularly those from the south or from formerly colonized regions.
She also examines how these patterns play out in education, where non-standard speakers are often taught to feel their language use is wrong. Her research promotes linguistic awareness and empowerment for these communities.
Laura discussed past and current “language battles,” from 19th-century spelling reforms to today’s debates around inclusive language and dialect visibility. Social media, she notes, is giving new voice to marginalized varieties.
In her view, tackling language inequality means helping people understand that language norms are shaped by social hierarchies. It’s about breaking down the belief that certain ways of speaking are inherently better—and fostering true inclusion.
This new interview series is part of Radio ARA’s contribution to the international research project Redes_Ling. Together with researchers and community organisations from Spain, Denmark, Colombia, Argentina and Mexico, Radio ARA is exploring how language inequality impacts people worldwide and how to reduce this injustice. Stay tuned for more information on the topic.
