0.2: Why Study Spanish?
There are many reasons to learn another language. In this module, you will recognize the the prevalence of Spanish in your community, state, and country, the benefits of language learning, and the increasing demand for Spanish skills in the workplace.
Spanish in United States
Click on the link to view the Hispanic population of the United States in 2022 by state. What is the population where you live? Does this fact surprise you?
Duffin, Erin. “Hispanic population of the United States in 2021, by state.” 14 Nov. 2022. Statista, www.statista.com/statistics/259850/hispanic-population-of-the-us-by-state/ . Accessed 4 May 2023.
Now look at the projected forecast of the Hispanic population of the United States. Does the forecast surprise you?
Duffin, Erin. “Forecast of the Hispanic population of the United States from 2016 to 2060.” 5 Oct. 2022. Statista, www.statista.com/statistics/251238/hispanic-population-of-the-us/ . Accessed 4 May 2023.
Spanish in Kansas
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- Kansas is 12.3% Hispanic/Latino.
- Kansas is the 18th most Hispanic/Latino state in the United States.
- The 10 Cities In Kansas With The Largest Hispanic Population For 2023:
City - Percentage (%) of Population that is Hispanic
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- Liberal - 65.08%
- Dodge City - 64.58%
- Garden City - 53.09%
- Ulysses - 52.24%
- Kansas City - 31.19%
- Emporia - 27.72%
- Great Bend - 23.59%
- Arkansas City - 19.26%
- Newton - 18.8%
- Wichita - 17.63%
Kolmar, Chris. "The 10 Kansas Cities With The Largest Latino Population For 2023." HomeSnacks , 5 Oct. 2023, www.homesnacks.com/ most-hispanic-cities-in-kansas/ . Accessed 23 Dec. 2023.
Spanish at Butler Community College
Did you know that nearly 20% of Butler's student population identifies as Hispanic/Latino?
In the spring of 2023, the Foreign Language Department at Butler Community College conducted a survey of the Hispanic faculty, staff, and students in our very own Butler community. We compiled their stories and insights into a project called ¨Voces de Butler¨ (Butler Voices). When asked why the Spanish language was important to them, we received the following words and phrases to show the impact their native language has in their lives:
- conexiones - connections
- herramientas - tools
- países hispanohablantes - Hispanic countries
- lengua materna - native language
- aprender - to learn
- ayudar - to help
- viajar - to travel
- hablar - to talk
- amistades - friendships
- aventura - adventure
- relaciones - relationships
- conseguir trabajo - getting a job
- abrir la mente - opening your mind
- evitar prejuicios - avoiding prejudices
- cultura - culture