Spanglish
Spanglish is a hybrid language that blends elements of English and Spanish, emerging largely due to the significant increase in Spanish-speaking populations in the United States. The term was first coined by Puerto Rican writer Salvador Tió in the 1940s, though the practice of mixing languages has roots dating back to the mid-19th century, particularly following events like the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Spanish-American War. Spanglish incorporates adapted or mistranslated words and phrases, making it accessible even to those who may not be fluent in either language. For example, terms like "la laptopa" for "laptop" and "Estás ready?" for "Are you ready?" exemplify this linguistic blending.
The use of Spanglish varies geographically, with distinct forms emerging based on the cultural backgrounds of speakers; for instance, Cuban Americans in Miami may use "Cubonics," while Puerto Ricans in New York may refer to their version as "Nuyorican." These variations can differ in patterns and sentence structures, reflecting the diverse experiences of Spanish speakers across the U.S. The language serves as a cultural bridge, illustrating the dynamic interplay between different linguistic communities in a multicultural society.
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Spanglish
While English is the most common language of the United States and is spoken by nearly 80 percent of the population, emigration from Hispanic, or Latino, countries has increased the number of Spanish-speaking people in the country. Nearly 13 percent of people in the United States spoke Spanish as of 2015, making the language the second-most spoken in the country.
Because of this influx over the years, a hybrid language called Spanglish, which blends both English and Spanish language and culture, developed. While Puerto Rican writer Salvador Tió coined the term Spanglish in the 1940s, the language has existed prior to this time. Some people consider Spanglish a pidgin language, or one that has formed between speakers who do not share a common language.
History
Spanish and English are Indo-European languages; however, they are members of different language families. English is a Germanic language that formed from the languages spoken by the Germanic tribes. Spanish is a Romance language. Each language was affected by other languages and cultures over time.
The use of Spanglish in the United States can be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. The signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 sold a large portion of Mexican territory to the United States. Mexican people living in these areas (modern-day Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and other parts of the southwest United States) spoke their native tongue at home but were forced to use English in public. This marked the beginning of the fusion of the languages. The hybrid language was further strengthened with the Spanish-American War of 1898. Migration of Spanish-speaking people to the United States during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries helped to develop the language and expand its reach to many parts of the country.
Styles and Variations
Spanglish uses a mix of adapted or mistranslated English and Spanish words. English verbs are typically given Spanish endings. The language is often easy for people to understand even if they are not fluent in one language or the other. For example, la laptopa is the Spanglish word for "laptop"; el parking is the term used for "parking spot"; and Estás ready? means "Are you ready?"
Several varieties of Spanglish are spoken in the United States. These differ according to geography and the origin of Spanish-speakers. For example, Cuban Americans in Miami speak a different form of Spanglish than Mexican Americans in New Mexico, Latinos in California, and Puerto Ricans in New York, but the forms are similar. In addition, the closer people live to the Mexican border, the more Spanish is typically used; the farther away, the more English is used.
Some styles of Spanglish have different names. Cuban Americans in Miami speak Cubonics, while Puerto Ricans in New York speak Nuyorican. The different styles of Spanglish may contain different patterns, sentence structures, and even terms that can further vary with the age of speakers.
Bibliography
"American Varieties: Spanglish." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Web. 22 Nov. 2015. http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/spanglish/book/
Longo, Donovan. "Top 15 Spanglish Words You Love and Hate as a Latino." Latin Times. IBT Media. 11 April 2014. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. http://www.latintimes.com/top-15-spanglish-words-you-love-and-hate-latino-165194
"Meet Spanglish, the Language of America's Future." Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/spanglish‗n‗4157226.html
Wilson, Tracy V. "How Spanglish Works." HowStuffWorks. InfoSpace LLC. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. http://people.howstuffworks.com/spanglish1.htm