Final answer:
Gloria Anzaldúa suggests that people who speak Chicano Spanish/English are 'culturally crucified' meaning they are oppressed and marginalized because of their language and culture. This marginalization is part of a larger issue where languages are used by dominant groups to enforce societal hierarchies. The celebration and respectful use of marginalized languages can counteract this oppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Gloria Anzaldúa states that people who speak Chicano Spanish/English are “culturally crucified”, she means option (c) they are oppressed and marginalized due to their language and culture. This expression conveys the idea that speakers of Chicano Spanish/English often face societal discrimination and are punished by dominant cultural groups for maintaining their linguistic heritage. This marginalization is part of a broader historical pattern where dominant groups have used language to enforce power dynamics, often dismissing nonstandard vernaculars and compelling individuals to abandon their linguistic and cultural identities.
In discussions about language and power, it’s noteworthy that speakers of dominant languages can actively participate in the process of celebrating and revitalizing marginalized languages. It is not inherently insulting or racist for speakers of a dominant language to use phrases from another language; it greatly depends on context and intention. Respectful language use that avoids perpetuating negative stereotypes can bridge communication gaps and promote positive recognition of linguistic communities, whereas mocking or derogatory use can reinforce harmful biases and stereotypes.
The language choices of bilingual individuals and communities, such as code-switching or holding onto nonstandard vernaculars, can serve as a form of resistance against linguistic marginalization. Bilingual education and language activism are means through which marginalized groups can assert their cultural identity and challenge dominant linguistic norms, contextualized in the struggle against societal forces that seek to segregate and devalue diverse cultural expressions.