Ven, Vení, Venga

Abstract

The present investigation contributes to our understanding of the evolving linguistic communities in the Southeastern U.S. by examining the factors that drive speakers’ choice of second person singular pronouns (e.g., tú, vos, usted). Results indicate that context and origin are the most influential factors: Argentines maintain their use of vos in familiar contexts, while Central Americans increase their use of tú and usted over time. However, although Argentines maintain a higher use of vos than Central Americans overall, they show evidence of accommodation to both tú and usted in contexts where they interact with speakers of other Spanish varieties. Qualitative analyses revealed an avoidance of voseo despite its strong ties to identity, indicating a complex interplay between pronoun choice.