Spanish reigns as the most dominant non-English language in the United States. The language of la raza is widely taught throughout the nation to children who will need it in their futures, and learnt by business men who recognize that it's advantageous to their careers. Spanish terms and phrases are drawn freely across banners in at sport venues, on billboards, in restaurants, and written on perishable items in the grocery store. The immigration of Latinos drove the prevalence of the Spanish language; but Latino immigrants in collaboration with the incline of Spanish that's spoken in the United States, will result in the growth of Spanish speakers to 40 million by 2020.

While that number may seem high for the 53 million-strong regenerative race, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that there will be a decline in Spanish-speaking Latinos, decreasing from 75 percent to 66 percent by 2020. Hispanics who are third-generation, or further assimilated into the American culture, are likely not to speak Spanish at home, if at all. Pew Research Center indicated that American Latinos find less value in speaking Spanish than their immigrant counterparts. Latino Americans become monolingual English speakers; absorbed into "the mainstream," and "they cultivate identities that are rooted in speaking English," unknowingly denouncing the heritage of their parents.

"Language is just as much about value, culture, identity, context, emotion, behavior and usage. Children learn in their school setting that the only language that really matters in this society is English," explained Florida International University's assistant professor of linguistics, Phillip M. Carter. "They, therefore, cultivate identities that are rooted in English speaking."

Carter argued that schools don't have proper bilingual immersion programs for immigrant students, pressuring them to speak English. Students are even placed in remedial classrooms when unable to convincingly speak English. Many young Hispanic Americans hide Spanish speaking abilities, feeling ashamed and fearing discrimination. This is fortified by politicians who have a tendency to link Spanish to "the ghetto" in an attempt to assassinate and dismantle the Spanish language, according to Carter. This is apparently the case in North Carolina, where the Latino population increased 394 percent from 76,726 in 1990 to 378,963 in 2000.

"In North Carolina right now, Spanish is a 'new' language where immigrant children experience shame for speaking Spanish, and many children pretend not to speak or even understand the language," said Carter. "This is not in the third generation, but in what we call generation 1.5, the young children who come with their parents from abroad."

However, in other communities, Spanish is encouraged and bilingual and bi-literate dual language immersion schools are available. The retention of language and customs are seen as important to those who believe that children growing up multicultural will become multifaceted, and proud of personal heritage. Growing up without language, could mean that young American-Latinos will lose ties with their ancestors, and they will have no knowledge of where they originate from.

The share of Hispanics that speak Spanish fell to 78 percent in the 2000s, and the numbers continue to descend. While at the same time non-Latinos have seen the benefits of the Spanish language, and continue to seize opportunities to learn it. Non-Latinos will potentially govern the language if Latinos lose interest in it.