This paper investigates the unique accent and expressions of the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores, within the broader sociocultural and educational contexts of pluricentric Portuguese in Southeastern New England. Drawing on insights from Arsénio Chaves Puim's O Povo de Santa Maria: Seu Falar e Suas Vivências, as well as phrases passed down through my own family, the study explores the linguistic confrontation between the non-dominant mariense variety of Portuguese and the hegemonic European standard, as well as American English. The research is framed within pluricentric language theory, which highlights the existence of multiple centers of linguistic authority, and draws on linguistic marginalization and dehegemonization frameworks to examine how non-dominant varieties are considered by dominant standards. The study’s primary objectives are to research mariense Portuguese within the immigrant communities of Cambridge and Somerville, Massachusetts, assess how this non-dominant variety interacts with standardized European Portuguese and English, and explore the cultural significance of mariense for the diaspora. Additionally, it seeks to analyze the effects of gentrification and the dwindling immigration from Santa Maria since the mid-1980s on the preservation of this variety. The research methodology includes interviews with Santa Maria immigrants and their descendants, and oral history collection focusing on the linguistic features and sociocultural context of the mariense variety. Preliminary findings suggest that, while younger generations are more exposed to standardized European or Brazilian Portuguese in educational settings—if they are exposed to Portuguese at all—the mariense variety retains deep cultural and emotional significance for older members of the community. This variety is closely tied to cultural practices such as music, gastronomy, and festivals, evoking vivid memories of life on Santa Maria and other speakers now deceased. The study also reveals that rapid gentrification in Cambridge and Somerville has disrupted the traditional community structures that once facilitated the transmission of this non-dominant variety across generations. As families are displaced and younger members shift toward dominant languages, Mariense Portuguese faces extinction in this region. However, despite these challenges, the language remains a potent symbol of identity for those still connected to the island’s traditions. In conclusion, the research argues that while the Mariense variety may no longer be passed down in its traditional form, it remains a critical part of the cultural fabric of the Santa Maria diaspora. The study calls for renewed efforts to recognize and conserve perspectives and views of non-dominant varieties of Azorean Portuguese in the diaspora, like mariense, not only as linguistic artifacts but as essential elements of cultural identity in a rapidly globalizing and linguistically homogenizing world. These findings underscore the importance of possible community-driven initiatives aimed at preserving such varieties, even in the face of dominant linguistic hegemony and cultural assimilation.

Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD)

Santa Maria Island,Azorean diaspora,Language identity,Non-dominant varieties,Portuguese Pluricentricity