"How did Spanglish come about?" is the question I have been asking myself for a while now. The first thing I noticed when hearing young people speak this new hybrid language is that it's spoken amongst native Spanish speakers, including those who were born in Latin America and immigrated to the United States (first generation), as well as those whose parents immigrated here and grew up with Spanish as their primary language (second generation).
It has become so popular, that even Facebook includes Spanglish as a language option. It is a new way of speaking that mixes English and Spanish -- a way to maintain ties with one's heritage while being part of the mainstream culture. What is interesting is that I have only heard Spanglish spoken in the United States but not in Mexico. The United States has had a history of blending cultures, and it has often been described as a melting pot, or a salad bowl.
There is no doubt that Spanglish is prevalent in Hispanic communities all over the United States, and there are different forms of it, if we consider the variances in Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Rican cultures. Spanglish is usually spoken when a young group (usually in their 20s) of Latin American descent come together in a social setting -- it becomes a new way to converse that is not possible with non-Spanish speakers. Ultimately, whether or not you speak Spanglish comes down to how you grew up, because not every bilingual Hispanic -- whether first or fifth generation -- speaks this hybrid language. Also, it does not make you any less Hispanic or more American if you choose not to to speak Spanglish.
My parents were born in Mexico, although my mom spent most of her childhood in Chicago. When I was growing up, my parents spoke to me in Spanish, and I would either respond in English or Spanish, but I'd never mix the two. I was raised with both languages, and when I speak to my Dad and Grandpa it's in Spanish, but when I am with my siblings we speak English. With my mom, it changes quite frequently, particularly because she's a Court Interpreter and knows both languages perfectly.
I speak Spanish at home to practice and because I enjoy the language, but with my Hispanic and non-Hispanic friends, English is the way I go. I never spoke in Spanglish to my parents, unless there was a word I couldn't think of in Spanish -- it wasn't something I did on purpose. I prefer to speak one or the other, but lately I have been noticing once in a while I will say "Hey chica," "Guapa," or little sayings amongst close friends (even ones from non-Hispanic backgrounds). I guess it just depends on who you're with and where you're at.
Monica Ramos, student at the University of California San Diego who grew up with Spanglish, says, "I think it happens when two cultures join together. In my case, my parents are Mexican and I was born here. When speaking Spanish at home and going to an English-speaking school, a mixture of languages happens with my friends who are Hispanic...we end up speaking Spanglish." Not only are two cultures merging, but it is a new form of "colloquialism or slang," adds Ramos.
According to Jamie Lytle, student at the University of California Riverside, from a non-Hispanic background, "I think it is everyone's choice and it's okay to do it with friends, as long as it is not with an elder." So, is Spanglish really a language? Can it vary depending on the circumstances? It is whatever you make it out to be, and although the controversy over whether Spanglish should be accepted or not will remain, it's almost inevitable that it will come out when you have a young group of English-Spanish bilinguals in the room.
There is no doubt that Spanglish is prevalent in Hispanic communities all over the United States, and there are different forms of it, if we consider the variances in Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Rican cultures. Spanglish is usually spoken when a young group (usually in their 20s) of Latin American descent come together in a social setting -- it becomes a new way to converse that is not possible with non-Spanish speakers. Ultimately, whether or not you speak Spanglish comes down to how you grew up, because not every bilingual Hispanic -- whether first or fifth generation -- speaks this hybrid language. Also, it does not make you any less Hispanic or more American if you choose not to to speak Spanglish.
My parents were born in Mexico, although my mom spent most of her childhood in Chicago. When I was growing up, my parents spoke to me in Spanish, and I would either respond in English or Spanish, but I'd never mix the two. I was raised with both languages, and when I speak to my Dad and Grandpa it's in Spanish, but when I am with my siblings we speak English. With my mom, it changes quite frequently, particularly because she's a Court Interpreter and knows both languages perfectly.
I speak Spanish at home to practice and because I enjoy the language, but with my Hispanic and non-Hispanic friends, English is the way I go. I never spoke in Spanglish to my parents, unless there was a word I couldn't think of in Spanish -- it wasn't something I did on purpose. I prefer to speak one or the other, but lately I have been noticing once in a while I will say "Hey chica," "Guapa," or little sayings amongst close friends (even ones from non-Hispanic backgrounds). I guess it just depends on who you're with and where you're at.
Monica Ramos, student at the University of California San Diego who grew up with Spanglish, says, "I think it happens when two cultures join together. In my case, my parents are Mexican and I was born here. When speaking Spanish at home and going to an English-speaking school, a mixture of languages happens with my friends who are Hispanic...we end up speaking Spanglish." Not only are two cultures merging, but it is a new form of "colloquialism or slang," adds Ramos.
According to Jamie Lytle, student at the University of California Riverside, from a non-Hispanic background, "I think it is everyone's choice and it's okay to do it with friends, as long as it is not with an elder." So, is Spanglish really a language? Can it vary depending on the circumstances? It is whatever you make it out to be, and although the controversy over whether Spanglish should be accepted or not will remain, it's almost inevitable that it will come out when you have a young group of English-Spanish bilinguals in the room.
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