Expertise

Sociolinguistics, Spanish in the US, Linguistic Landscapes

Biography

I am an interdisciplinary scholar, and I like to think of myself as a cultural ambassador and advocate. I enjoy conducting research and writing about language, literature, and aspects related to Latin American cultures and identities.

Through my research, I explore the dynamic nature of the Spanish language in Philadelphia, and how multilingual signs in public spaces influence the environment and identity of the community in the city.

Curriculum Vitae | Website
Faculty Advisor: Augusto Lorenzino

Selected Publications

• Guarín, D. & Arias-Cortés, D. (2025). English as Symbolic Capital: Globalization and the Linguistic Landscape of Armenia, Quindío (Colombia). Languages, 10(3), 34. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10030034

• Guarín, D. (2024). Pronominal address in the linguistic landscape of Hispanic Philadelphia: Variation and accommodation of tú and usted in written signs. Language, Culture and Society, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1075/lcs.23004.gua   

• Guarín, D. (2024). From Bilingualism to Multilingualism: Mapping Language Dynamics in the Linguistic Landscape of Hispanic Philadelphia. Languages, 9(4), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9040123   

• Guarín, D. (2022). Mesetas, multiplicidades e interconexiones en Estrella Distante: Entre la complejidad y lo rizomático. La Palabra, 43(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.19053/01218530.n43.2022.13909   

• Guarín, D. (2022). El Uso de pronombres de tratamiento Tú, Usted y Vos en el departamento del Quindío (Colombia). Miradas, 17(2), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.22517/25393812.25158   
• Guarín, D. (2022). Colombian Literature in the Spanish as a Foreign Language’s Textbooks: (Re)Presentations, Uses and Perspectives. Visitas Al Patio, 16(2), 460–484. https://doi.org/10.32997/RVP-vol.16-num.2-2022-4084   

Media Mentions

• NPR's WHYY: "Nearly 20 years after Geno’s ‘Speak English’ fracas, the Italian Market has become a hub of linguistic diversity" (https://whyy.org/articles/linguistic-study-south-philadelphia-immigrants-italian-market-signs/)

• The Philadelphia Inquirer: "I analyzed 3,356 signs to see how language use is changing in three Latino neighborhoods in Philly" (https://www.inquirer.com/education/street-signs-language-latino-neighborhoods-philly-20240507.html)

Courses Taught

• SPAN 1001- Basic I
• SPAN 1002 - Basic II
• SPAN 1003 - Intermediate
• SPAN 1003 - Intermediate (Professional Focus)
• SPAN 1901 - Honors Basic I
• SPAN 0868 - Latin American Society in Literature & Films
• SPAN 0815 - Language in Society