The impact of English on Spanish daily life and some pedagogical implications

Abstract

In applied linguistics, it is far from doubt the prominent role of English as a global language. However, not many studies (Rodríguez 2002; Reichelt 2006) have provided a deep account of the current role of English in Spain. This paper sheds light on the unprecedented prominence of English in almost every single area of Spaniards’ daily life. It aims to show the impact of English in various settings such as the Spanish linguistic landscape by analysing shop signs in English; the media, including television, radio, and music; interpersonal communications, which includes the workplace, and the academic setting. The Spanish education system has been given special attention, as this study examines all the educational levels and it discusses, from a pedagogical point of view, the Spaniards’ level of proficiency.