The polysemy and linguistics of gentrificación

Abstract

The phenomenon of gentrification has received little attention in Colombia; therefore, different terms have been used to designate it. This paper reviews the origin of the term gentrification and tries to explain its meaning and the context in which it was developed. Also, the paper analyzes the relevance of its use in translations in Spanish that aim to give a particular meaning to the phenomenon. It is argued that the term “gentrificación”, which has been used by some scholars, is the best term in Spanish to express the phenomenon to be studied. In addition to an ideological connotation, the term conceptualizes a process that is not homogeneous, neither among cities nor inside them, where public and private interests are present. It approaches not only a change in territory, but also a change in perception and behavior that emerges around the theme and that is usually exclusionary, differentiating and consumption-centered.