HCIAS Wednesday Colloquium – Dialogues Across World Regions Romanian Return Migration from Spain: Language, Transnational Ties, and Uprooting

In his talk, Dr Álvarez discusses the demolinguistic dynamics of Spanish among Romanian migrants who have returned from Spain, exploring how return affects their linguistic repertoires. Since the 2008 economic crisis, more than 1.3 million European migrants have returned from Spain to their countries of origin, with Romanians representing one of the most significant groups. The study draws on recent empirical research that identifies clear patterns of language attrition, influenced by factors such as age at the time of return, frequency of Spanish use, and cultural identification with Spain. It also distinguishes between different sociolinguistic profiles among returnees, ranging from a strong Romanian identity to a clear Hispanic or hybrid identity.