This book examines the way in which a group of key Spanish and Latin American intellectuals of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries discussed the concept of the Spanish language. The contributors analyse the ways in which these discussions related to the construction of national identities and the idea of a Hispanic culture. Among the many historical processes that have characterized the life of Spain and Latin American nations in the past two hundred years, two are particularly relevant for this book: Spain's modernization, and the post-colonial construction of the Hispanic community. This book deals with one phenomenon closely associated with them: the discussion of language matters in various spheres of public life Key points include: * The political character of the debate over what Spanish is, what it represents, and who has the authority to settle linguistic disputes. * The specific form these discussions have taken in the context of the lives of Hispanic nations during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. * The role of institutions such as the Spanish Royal Academy and the Insituto Cervantes. * The role of leading intellectuals such as Andre Bello, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Juan Valera, Rufino Jose Cuervo, Miguel de Unamuno, Ramon Menedez Pidal, Jose Ortega y Gasset and Jose Maria Arguedas. This book will be essential reading for sociolinguists, scholars of the Spanish language, historians of the Hispanic culture, and all those with an interest in the relationship between language and culture.