SPANGLISHSPANGLISH

An Example of BilingualismAn Example of Bilingualism

Hablo un mix de los dos languagésHablo un mix de los dos languagés

                                                            

A short A short SpanglishSpanglish conversation: conversation:

•Anita: Anita: "Hola, good morning, como estás?""Hola, good morning, como estás?"

•Mark: Mark: "Good, y tú?" "Good, y tú?"

•Anita: Anita: "Todo bien. Pero tuve problemas "Todo bien. Pero tuve problemas parqueando mi carro this parqueando mi carro this

morning." morning."

•Mark: Mark: "Sí, I know. Siempre hay problemas "Sí, I know. Siempre hay problemas parqueando in la area at this parqueando in la area at this

time". time".

SpanglishSpanglish

What’s going on…What’s going on…

•Code-switchingCode-switching - moving from one language to another in normal conversation (it is very important to honor you abuelitas (grandparents)"

•BorrowingBorrowing - the adaptation of an English word into a Spanish form ("Quiero parquear el coche")

•Direct translationDirect translation - translation of an expression directly into Spanish using English syntax ("Te llamo para atrás" for "I’ll call you back")

•Phonetic translationPhonetic translation - the children’s cold remedy 'Vick’s VaporRub' affectionately becomes "bibaporú"

Where….Where….

• VarietiesVarieties– Tex-mex (or Chicano):Tex-mex (or Chicano):

Mexican-based in Texas– Cubonics:Cubonics: Cuban-based in

Florida– Newyorican:Newyorican: Puerto Rico-

based in New York

A sampling of Spanglish A sampling of Spanglish

A Selection of Spanglishaeróbica (ay-RO-bi-ka) -- dynamic female.

averaje (a-ve-RAH-je) -- average. boila (BOY-lah) -- heating appliance, boiler. carpeta (kar-PE-tah) -- carpet. chopin (TCHO-peen) -- 1.Shopping center mall. 2. n., going shopping. deiof (dey-OF) -- day off. frizer (FREE-zer) -- refrigerator. grocear (gro-SEAR) -- to acquire groceries.

jonrón (khon-RON) -- home run. lonche (LONCHE) -- 1. midday meal. 2. food served to guests at event.marqueta (mar-ke-tah) -- supermarket. pari (PA-ree) -- a party. ruki (ROOH-kee) -- novice.

From Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language (Rayo, an imprint of HarperCollins)  

Spanishization – Phonological adaptationSpanishization – Phonological adaptation

• Final C droppingFinal C dropping– Fast food fas foo [fas fu]

• C softeningC softening– [phen] [pen]– [kuba] []

• Final nasal substitutionFinal nasal substitution ([m] [n])– Steam [stim] [estin]

• Initial schwa insertionInitial schwa insertion in [s]C – Speak espeak

• (Complete) labialization(Complete) labialization of [v] – Venezuela [benezuela]

• DefricativizationDefricativization of [š]– Shopping chopping

WHY???WHY???

Spanishization – Morphological adaptationSpanishization – Morphological adaptation

• Spanish Verbalizer in English verbsSpanish Verbalizer in English verbs – Hang out hangear (-ar & -ear are Spanish

verbalizers)– Lunch lonchar

• Spanish nominalizers in English verbsSpanish nominalizers in English verbs– Leaklikeo (or liqueo) –eo/-ero:Spanish

nominalizers– Park parkeo– Holdup(pers) joldoperos

• Spanish inflection for English wordsSpanish inflection for English words– Latin(girl or boy)Latina/Latino (-a/-o mark gender)

• (It could also be considered a pure borrowing)

Englishization – Is also possibleEnglishization – Is also possible

• ‘embarkated embarkated ’ (a Spanish word ‘embarcarembarcar’ or ‘let

someone down’, is inflected with English morphology)

Reasons for this type of bilingualismReasons for this type of bilingualism

• Cultural identityCultural identity• NaturalnessNaturalness• Language gapsLanguage gaps

– English is concise and efficientEnglish is concise and efficient– Spanish has sabrosura, flavorSpanish has sabrosura, flavor

(Clark, p. 486)

• Informality (humor & creativity)Informality (humor & creativity)• Social statusSocial status

Assimilation or Acculturation?Assimilation or Acculturation?

Silvana PaternostroSilvana Paternostro: Let’s take that argument a little bit further. If they don’t learn [English], they also will not follow the rules of what being an American means?

Ilan Stavans*Ilan Stavans*: Right. English is the great equalizer. Through language comes education, through language comes political participation, language becomes the way of being and of dreaming, and all that, and then the “I love you, America.” And that is not happening.

*author of Spanglish: The Making of A New American Language

AccommodatingAccommodating

AcculturationAcculturation – cultural modification of an individual, group, or people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture; also : a merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact

Not AssimilationNot Assimilation – to absorb into the culture or mores of a population or group