"The Spanish Speaking World" explores a wide range of sociolinguistic issues relating to the Spanish language and its role in societies around the world.
Clare Mar-Molinero begins with a discussion of the position of Spanish as a world language, giving an historical account of its development and dominance. She continues with an examination of social and regional variation in Spanish, and investigates dialects, language attitudes, and style and register, particularly in the media. She also questions the relationship between gender and language. The book ends with a focus on current issues, particularly those arising from language policies and legislation, especially in the education system. Written for readers with a practical knowledge of Spanish, the book is informative and practical, encouraging readers to think for themselves.

Acknowledgements. Introduction Part One: The Position of Spanish in the World 1. The origins of Spanish: the historical context of a dominant language 2. Spanish in Latin-America 3. The other languages of Spain Part Two: Exploring Linguistic Variation 4. Regional and social variations in Spanish 5. Language attitudes 6. Register in Spanish 7. Getting the message across: Spanish in the media 8. Language and gender Part Three: Current Issues: Language as National Identity Marker 9. Language policies in post-Franco Spain 10. Language planning 11. Language and education 12. The vitality of Spanish today Further reading. Index of terms. Bibliography.