Carmen Garcia, a native of Lima, Peru, received her Ph.D. from Georgetown University in linguistics. She is professor of Spanish Pragmatics and Applied Linguistics, director of the Undergraduate Spanish Language Program, and director of the Spanish Linguistics Program at Arizona State University. Professor Garcia is author or co-author of several college-level Spanish textbooks. She also has published numerous articles in national and international journals on Spanish pragmatics and intracultural and cross-cultural communication. In addition, she is co-editor of Research on Politeness in the Spanish Speaking World and a special issue in Oralia on Small Talk in Spanish. She is a frequent speaker and presenter at national and international meetings and conferences, and a member of many national and international linguistics organizations. Professor Garcia also serves as associate editor of Studies in Hispanics and Lusophone Linguistics.