Spanish Predominant Language in Miami?The Associated Press reported that in many parts of Miami, Florida, “Spanish has become the predominant language, replacing English in everyday conversation. Latin Americans could feel at home on the streets without having to pronounce a word of English.” The report noted that Spanish is used “even at the post office and government offices.” This situation “so pleasing to Latin American immigrants” has caused English speakers to feel “marginalized” and prompted many of them to leave. In the 1950s, 80 percent of the Miami-Dade Country residents were non-Hispanic whites. Today the total is around 18 percent. Juan Clark, a sociology professor at Miami-Dade College, observed that “[Anglos] resent that fact that [an American] has to learn Spanish in order to work. If one doesn’t speak Spanish, it’s a disadvantage.” According to the Census Bureau, 58 percent of Dade County residents speak Spanish as their first language, compared with only 27 percent who speak English as their first language. Immigrants are 61 percent of the city of Miami’s population, the highest percentage of all large U.S. cities.
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