The use of Spanglish

[dcareamama]

Hi all,
The other day, as I was sitting down with my three year old watching his allowed TV time of Dragon Tales, Dora, and Clifford, I noticed how these programs are incorporating more and more Spanish. I think it is a good thing. However, a fellow mom disagrees and considers that this trend is only perpetuating the use of more Spanglish. We discussed this and I do not agree the programs are using Spanglish. My understanding is that Spanglish occurs when you give a Spanish twist to an English word. Classic example: to park a car - parquear el carro. My friend adamantly states that Spanglish is when you start a sentence in Spanish and finish it in English, or vice versa, or when you combine both languages in the same sentance. Take for example, the PBS program of Maya and Miguel. Maya may say: "Tengo que ir a la tienda, the store, Miguel". Is that Spanglish? I hear, for example, people say "tengo que ir al mall" or "tengo que ir a downtown". Are these examples of Spanglish?

The other day I had a Latino landscaper at my house and he proceeded to ask me if I wanted to do anything in my backyard. He asked me: "quiere que le trimee las rosas en su yarda". Oh, the horrors! At first, I was taken aback, but then I just chuckled inside and responded, "si, por favor, hagale un recorte a las rosas del patio". Then of course there is the recent floor installer who asked: "quiere remover la carpeta"?

So, after all this, my question is, what do you consider to be Spanglish? What do you think about the mixture of the languages in a sentence, as per the example I provided in the Maya and Miguel program?

Thanks!
N.

 

[AnnaC]

Hi Natasha,
you are absolutely right Spanglish is taking an English word and making it sound Spanish ( or the other way around) as in your example "quiere que le trimee las rosas en su yarda".

Too funny I can see Lesley falling off her chair when she reads that one.

The only show I've watched with the grandkids is "Dora". I've never heard any Spanglish used there. I think it's a great way to teach children another language by sneaking in a few Spanish words in a sentence.

 

[trina]

I have obviously been using the word "Spanlish" in the incorrect form. I always thought Spanglish was when you start a sentence in Spanish and finish it in English, or vice versa. I speak both forms of the Spanglish mentioned above at times, and I know, it's terrible. It's usually because I don't know a technical word and don't have access to a dictionary. I need to get onto the advanced classes to correct this.

Good to see you around, Natasha. Don't be a stranger!

 

[AnnaC]

Here's a link to look at the meaning of Spanglish

 

[Marianopolita]

A big problem-

Well, I think your question "what do you consider to be Spanglish?" lends itself to personal interpretation when in fact Spanglish has been adequately defined by modern day linguists. Spanglish is a mixture of English and Spanish as per some of your examples above and words like 'yarda', 'remover' (sometimes used in the wrong context) and 'carpeta' are anglicismos espa?olizados that have penetrated into the spoken language predominantly in the USA. Why? This happens when two languages coexist and are spoken by a significant percentage of the population. The occurrence of language mixing is inevitable to a certain extent however, I believe that it can and should be avoided due to fact that in most cases the creation of words (anglicismos) don't make any sense.

The purists, grammarians, unilingual speakers of Spanish and strong bilingual speakers object to the usage. I personally am totally against it as it poses a threat to both languages in question and it also indicates the speakers level of education in Spanish. I have said this many times before in previous threads. I don't understand the inclination to mix the two languages and if one does not know a word in Spanish why use a creation from English. This is a hot topic right now in the linguistic sphere and I am following it closely everyday. There are an infinite number of resources and articles that are examining the impact that this language mixing and anglicisms have on Spanish and how English will be spoken in twenty years especially by those who are bilingual.

Keep in mind language mixing is not a new phenomenon but what is occurring in the USA with Spanglish (and rapidly in conjunction with the increase in the Spanish speaking population) has the Real Academia under the gun to curb the penetration and acceptance of Spanish words derived from English. Other language mixing in the world has the same issues and their governing bodies have the same concerns about keeping their respective language pure.

For example:
Spanglish= a mixture of Spanish and English (Spanish words created from English words)

EDITED: I will verify if the mixture of Spanish and English spoken in the same phrase is considered "Spanglish".

Franglais= a mixture of French and English (French words created from English words). This occurs predominantly in Quebec. Talk to me about this mix!

Portugnol= a mixture of Portuguese and Spanish (Portuguese words created from Spanish words) Predominantly in Portugal and Brazil.

I am not in favor of Spanglish especially when words like the abovementioned are used instead of Spanish words that do exist. Una carpeta does not mean 'carpet'. This is not a question of language evolution, this is a question of the meaning of words being changed and as a result don't make sense or don't even exist.

Last week in the Miami paper el Nuevo Herald I read an article that was the worst I had read as far as I can recall in that paper. One phrase that stood out was 'affordable housing' translated as 'viviendas costeables'. Incredible!


-LDG.

 

[macocael]

I thought carpeta was the proper word to use for "folder" while many people down here insist on using "folder." There is no need for such borrowing, so I consider it wrong, though usage will be the ultimate arbiter.

 

[mkohn]

I understand carpeta as folder.
The first word I learned for folder was expediente.
mkohn

 

[dcareamama]

Yes, exactly. My examples were used to show just how big of a problem this has become. While the use of Spanglish has never been acceptable to me, I wanted to pose this question because I have been thinking more about the use of both languages simultaneously. In addition, as my toddler becomes a pre-schooler and his speech continues to develop, I am particularly interested in this topic.

So, the core of my preocupation is this: is alternating languages as when Maya and Miguel speak, essentially Spanglish? While my child does not watch this program (it is geared towards the 6-11 year old group), I have seen a few episodes. Below is a direct quote from the program's website.

"Why do the characters on Maya & Miguel speak English and Spanish?
Maya and Miguel, both bilingual, very often alternate between English and Spanish when they speak. This is called "code-switching," and is common among both bilingual individuals, like Maya and Miguel, as well as English language learners like their cousin Tito. One of the goals of Maya & Miguel is to encourage a positive attitude toward knowing and learning more than one language. Maya & Miguel shows the way in which languages other than English can be a natural part of people's everyday communication."

If code-switching is part of the definition of Spanglish, does that mean that teachers and linguists have become more lenient about the use of Spanglish to promote a positive attitude towards learning and knowing more than one language?

N.

 

[dcareamama]

Thanks! Husband ended up having to have surgery on his knee. He's coming along. I am also teaching a AP level Spanish class for a teacher who is a friend of mine while she also recuperates from surgery. I miss my kiddos, but it will be only a few weeks

N.

 

[Stodgord]

My two year old loves those cartoons. We speak spanish to her at home but somehow, by watching the bilingual cartoons she picked up "please" well actually she says "pea" and "me too" from Dora. I doubt she knows the different between the two languages, as I have never heard her say "por favor" or "yo tambien or a mi tambien" in Spanish.

 

[macocael]

My child lives in a bilingual home and goes to a bilingual school (well, nominally bilingual). She watches movies in Spanish and English, she has a ton of educational videos (sesame street and the like), she now counts and reels off the alphabet in both languages. But I have never seen her mingle Spanish and English, say, in one sentence: she will speak in either language (mostly Spanish, but I am told this is normal) and complete her thought in the language she began with. She will "code switch" depending on the people who address her or the situation,but never in midsentence. Well, she is only 3, so maybe that comes later. But she doesnt mingle words and she doesnt corrupt them either, both of which are signs of what I would call "Spanglish." For example, because she is fascinated by the computer, and the word for folder in Computer spanish is "carpeta," she uses the spanish, not the English word.

I wouldnt worry about sending mixed signals to a child, the brain is supremely adapted to language acquisition, particularly in the early years.

 

[juancarlos]

I can tell she's a very smart little girl!

 

[Marianopolita]

Response. Long post but please read it in full-

When it comes to researching language terminology for comprehension of terms it is important to use a language dictionary and /or a specialized reference that deals with specialized linguistic terminology. In my experience other sources tend to be too general, summarize or only give part of the information needed. Before responding to your post let’s establish the understanding of Spanglish and code switching. Here are the following definitions from up to date texts:

Spanglish:

Variedad ling??stica en la que se mezclan elementos (especialmente, l?xicos y morfol?gicos) de las lenguas espa?ola e inglesa que hablan algunos hispanos de los Estados Unidos.

a) L?xico= vocabulario

b) Morfolog?a= El estudio de las palabras como categor?as gramaticales: partes de la oraci?n (nombre, adjetivo, verbo...) y se analizan las distintas formas: accidentes gramaticales o variaciones que ?stas pueden presentar; as? en el sustantivo, el g?nero y el n?mero, el modo, tiempo, aspecto etc.


Code switching:

A rapid alternation from one moment to another between using different language varieties. (Language varieties are defined as: dialects, sociolects and distinct languages). Code switching is used, by ordinary speakers and writers, for two main reasons: first, to fit the style of speech to the changing social circumstances of speech situation; second, to impose a certain definition on the speech situation by the choice of a style of speech.

Since linguistic terminology is not always easy to understand I will simplify the definition above.

Code switching:

Switching between one language, dialect or sociolect to another in the middle of a language.


Using these linguistic definitions it complements my explanation of Spanglish in my first post. Spanglish is not defined as 'switching from language to another'. Spanglish is the mixture of vocabulary (English and Spanish) and morphology, the grammatical structure of English with Spanish, which characteristically leads to non-grammatical forms in Spanish i.e. sentence structure that is not characteristic of Spanish, anglicisms,etc.


Examples of Spanglish:

1) anglicismos- b?isment, rufo, carpeta, yarda, gol (cuando uno quiere decir 'meta') etc. These are lexical examples as per the definition.

2) grammar usage- It’s cold= es fr?o. Es fr?o no se dice en espa?ol. La manera correcta es 'hace fr?o'.

This is an example of a literal translation from English to Spanish resulting in an incorrect grammatical form in Spanish but heard in the spoken language in the USA as a result of Spanglish.

3) grammar usage- below is an example and explanation of erroneous usage explained in the Miami Herald on September 27, 2005 as a result of Spanglish:


Septiembre 27, 2005

Coincidimos con el Sr. Jos? H. Bailez respecto a que es hasta cierto punto l?gico y excusable que en nuestra ciudad, Miami, se cometan ciertos errores producto de la constante traducci?n al espa?ol de expresiones en ingl?s.

Ello se debe fundamentalmente a que, en esencia, lo m?s importante es la comunicaci?n entre personas cuya lengua principal no es siempre la misma.

Por otro lado, tambi?n opinamos que a quienes hablamos espa?ol como lengua madre nos toca se?alar con tino esos errores para beneficio de todos.

As? pues, siguiendo este precepto, nos hacemos eco de nuestro amigo, quien nos indica un error que encontramos con frecuencia en letreros que advierten sobre posibles riesgos o peligros, al 'calcarse' la expresi?n inglesa use caution.

No es propia de nuestra lengua la expresi?n 'use cautela'.

Su equivalente es en realidad 'tenga cuidado'.

_____________________________________

Examples of Code switching:

1) Using two languages at the same time when speaking. This can occur between two speakers or on an individual level (mental thoughts). Code switching is the alternation of complete sentences in one language to another.

'I have to go the store. Voy por pan, arroz, y leche. I did not know it’s raining. Hace fr?o. I will wait until later'.

'Hola, Juan, c?mo est?s- What are you doing today?-

Juan contesta:

'I don’t know, es posible que vaya al centro but maybe later on'.


My comments & summary:

Spanglish and code switching are two separate concepts but ironically being imposed upon each other simultaneously due to the linguistic dynamic in the USA. If you break down the speech patterns of those who speak in this manner it is a systematic combination of both (not in Dora and other educational shows because they don’t use anglicisms and erroneous grammar as far as I know) but in popular or colloquial speech this occurs. One will hear erroneous vocabulary (yarda, rufo etc.) combined with switching between two languages when speaking.

In my opinion code switching should NOT be used for bilingual instruction. Code switching is used among individuals who are already bilingual as a means of communication. Bilingualism is acquired traditionally in two ways: exposure to both languages simultaneously and formal bilingual instruction.

Code switching in the formative years of a child’s overall language learning is not beneficial as it promotes code switching and nothing else. The child does not acquire full command of either language. As well, if parents code switch when speaking with their children the likelihood of the child doing the same is very high. Parents can speak to their children either in Spanish or English but completely in one language or the other. I am always amazed when parents say to me: 'Juan no habla espa?ol', 'Juan no quiere hablar espa?ol'. My response is always: 'Juan will speak what you speak'. 'If you did not speak to him in Spanish, how will he learn to speak Spanish'.

I hope my explanation was clear and helpful.


-LDG.

If code-switching is part of the definition of Spanglish, does that mean that teachers and linguists have become more lenient about the use of Spanglish to promote a positive attitude towards learning and knowing more than one language?

N.

 

[Chirimoya]

My son used to say '?que es eso para?' (literal translation of 'what is that for?') and sometimes still says 'con-sin' for without - literally 'with (with)out'. 'Quiero cereal con-sin leche'.

He doesn't code switch as such but will sometimes use a Spanish noun in an English sentence and vice-versa. 'Is there any juice in the nevera?' I try and promote sticking to one language at a time, and help by translating the word he's looking for.

It's easier here where people around us speak one or the other and those who speak both don't mix them, but when we go to Gibraltar where most people speak Spanglish - complete with speech patterns with all the examples Lesley gave and many more- it's bound to be confusing.

 

[Jon S.]

I'm fine with using it (Spanglish) amongst my cousins and in a private setting with friends but when it comes to education and in an office setting, English only.

 

[dcareamama]

Leslie,
Thank you for taking the time to answer my post. As always, your reply was extremely helpful.

N.

 

[Marianopolita]

Para los hispanohablantes que lidian con anglicismos -

Here is an interesting article that I just read in the Orlando Sentinel published on April 8, 2006 about this subject matter 'spanglish and anglicismos'. It echoes much of what I have said in this thread and others.


D?galo en espa?ol


-LDG.

 

[johne]

so when happens when you use 3 languages?

The other night I was in a meeting using my best Spanglish when one of the ladies starting laughing at my choice of words. She said I just love your choice of words when you use Spanglish with Italian words. English is my first language and my Spanish only comes from the Italian I knew and my studying Spanish for the past 2 years.Since I live in NY I hear a lot of Spanglish and sometimes when I hear it from someone I know speaks Spanish I think its corect.

So--what would you call this what I use? Spanglichitaliano???
Yours in humoro, Juan. (aka JOHN)

 

[AnnaC]

Giovanni, I tend to do that as well when I can't think of Spanish word. Not sure what you would call it but I like your new word Spanglichitaliano.

 

[yoma]

This is an interesting thread and I think this "codeswitching" is a lot more prevalent where I am from. The problem is my family would speak to me and my siblings in neither English or Spanish so we learned both and use both in the same sentence. Although some Spanglish words like rufo instead of techo, carro, etc are so prevalent that everyone now says them. I don't know how everyone started saying rufo and why not house-o? I guess it just happens. Its a problem though because I've taken some Spanish literature classes in college and the whites who learned Spanish in school are way better at grammar than Latinos because a lot of us don't know our grammar correctly.