r and class differences), but those are not the focus of this analysis.
Barker was not only concerned with looking at speech patterns, he was interested in explaining their origin and maintenance. For example, he noticed that there were differences between individuals in the same family, that there were four main types of communicators, and that each of them was distinguished by both language usage and social experience. He concluded that differences in linguistic behavior were congruent with the individual's system of interpersonal relations.
In order to explain that difference, Barker theorized that linguistic difference accorded with differences in cultural orientation. In other words, the individual most oriented toward Mexico was most likely to continue to speak Spanish, to speak English with an accent, and to prefer Spanish to English and relationships with other Mexicans or Mexican-Americans (Barker, 1947). There also appears to be a generational component, although that is not Bark
...