This book explores dominant ideologies about citizenship, nation, and language that frame the everyday lives of Spanish-speaking immigrant day laborers in Arizona. It examines the value of speaking English in this context and the dynamics of intercultural communication in fast-paced job negotiations.

1. The Social Context of Language Contact in the Informal Economy 2. Globalization, Immigrant Labor, and Language 3. 'If I knew the language, don't think I would be here': Shifting Understandings of the Linguistic Capital of English 4. Solidarity, Rapport, and Co-membership: Employers' Hiring Practices 5. Performing the Good Worker 6. Conceptualizing Intercultural Contact in the Borderlands

Elise DuBord is Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at the University of Northern Iowa, USA. Her research interests include intercultural language contact, critical race theory, language policy, and community-based learning.