FL 665 Final Research Project Rebeca R. Hill What is this phenomenon called Spanglish?

Introduction to the research project

The combination of English and Spanish among Hispanic speakers in the United States is typically called Spanglish. It is an ever-increasing trend here in the United States that has not been given a great deal of linguistic study as of yet. There have been many different ways of interpreting Spanglish. Some say it is a pidgin, a Creole language, an interlanguage or an anglicized Spanish dialect (Ardila, 2005). In looking at a study done by Alfredo Ardila at the Florida International University, I was able to incorporate my own interview and observations done within my own family members, mainly my brother who is bilingual. My brother is a Floridian, age 45, who lives in West Palm Beach. He is an engineer with a Masters Degree. He is a native born Cuban who came to this country at the age of two. For the purpose of this study, I will refer to him as Juan. I spent three days talking with my brother and asking him certain guided questions orally and had him translate some phrases/sentences based on the topics listed, which are found in the Data Collection portion of this paper. Ardiras study follows two trains of thought. The first is a centered around borrowing and code switching. He calls this superficial phenomena. The other is centered on the grammar and its correlation to the English language. He calls this deep phenomena. Brief literature review

Cecilia Montes-Alcal in a study of Code-switching in US-Latino Novels states

that there has been a misconception that the spoken phenomenon of code switching in its oral form has been seen as a stigma. This has been viewed as an inability to read and write well or to poor linguistic competence (Seeba, Mahootain, Jonsson, 2012). Because of this perception, the term Spanglish has been seen as something derogatory. However, in the written form, Spanglish has taken a different turn. This is due in part to the fact that language-mixed texts are found in institutionalized publications. [and] it is a reflection of a community norm which as found acceptance (Seeba, Mahootain, Jonsson, 68). Miss Montes-Alcal refers to the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Das, a Dominican-American writer and M.I.T. professor, who won this prestigious award for writing a novel called The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This work is important because the novel is written in a street lingo of Spanglish. The impact is also noticeable because while some prescriptive linguists, editors, and authorities in education would judge the interference of Spanish and English as a deficit, a postmodern and transcreative approach would validate it as a positively creative innovation in literature (Seeba, Mahootain, Jonsson, 68). Linguists, such as Pieter Muysken (2000), ask the question, how can a bilingual speaker combine elements from two languages when processing mixed sentences? (Bilingual Speech: xi) Lipski in a 1982 study states it is obvious that language switching in literature is not the result of confusion or inability to separate the languages, but rather stems from a conscious desire to juxtapose the two codes to achieve some particular literary effect (Seeba, Mahootain, Jonsson, 68). The concept of bilingual speech in literature is not a novice idea. It has been

around for quiet some time. Joshua Fishman published his work in 1965 and defined this study as, a cluster of social situations typically constrained by a common set of behavioral rules (Milroy, Muysken, 1995). In Mexican poetry, it has deep roots. Mateo Rosas de Oquendo and Sor Juana Ins de la Cruz were writing in both Spanish and in Nhuatl at the same time. The insurgence of the Spanish and English mix became more predominant during the Mexican-American War. However, it was not until the 1960s when the merging of these two languages became en vogue. the Civil rights Act in 1964 represented a crucial period for all minorities in the United States and, consequently, a turning point for Latino literature (Seeba, Mahootain, Jonsson, 69). Montes-Alcal feels that code switching in the natural course of speaking has had a number of socio-pragmatic functions, its use in literature may obey stylistic or aesthetic rules and it can also be used as a source of credibility and/or to communicate biculturalism, humor, criticism and ethnicity (Seeba, Mahootain, Jonsson, 69). I agree. Often times, when native speakers congregate, especially with the new generation of second language speakers (English being their first), you will hear a great deal of Spanglish being used as a way to break the ice and to communicate in a humorous way. Celso Alvarez-Cccamo in his study From Switching Code to Code-Switching Towards a reconceptualisation of communicative codes states that in looking at the studies and research done, one mans study stands out. Jakobsons fant and Halle study of 1952. There Jakobson refers to the phenomenon of switching code, based on Fanos work (1950) on information theory, and on Fries and Pikes (1949) on coexistent phonemic systems. Fries and Pike attempt to demonstrate, and argue abundantly, that two or more phonemic systems may coexist in speech of a monolingual. Evidence

presented is the existence of phonemes alien to what would seem to be the speakers system, for example Mazatec phonemes in loanwords into Spanish (Auer, 1998). Cccamo states that it was difficult in the beginning to even suggest that bilingualism had a code. He mentions that work that Haugen (1950b) did on Problems of bilingualism which analyzed linguistic pressure, substitution, importation, phonemic redistribution, reborrowing, loanwords, loanblends, loanshifts, and creation but does not mention switching codes (Auer, 32). Bilingual speech has been a topic of interest to many people. Anthropologists, social and cultural historians, linguists and pupils of literature study this field in order to understand different aspects of a culture and its people. One of the problems that arise is that Spanglish is not seen as a separate language. However, a person must have enough knowledge of both languages in order to toggle in between both Spanish and English to correctly convey meaning. For me, personally, I feel that you need to be bilingual in order to understand both languages. Having said that, I had to look at what defines bilingual speech. J.N. Adams (2003) states that, Weinreich was content with a definition which does not even occupy two lines: the practice of alternately using two languages will be called BILINGUALISM, and the persons involved, BILINGUAL. This would perhaps better serve as a description of code switching. Since then, the matter has been seen as more problematic. Hamers and Blanc (1989: 6-30), in a discussion of the difficulties inherent in such definitions, quote that of the Webster Dictionary (1961) for the word bilingual, as follows: having or using two languages especially as spoken with the fluency characteristic of a native speaker; a person using two languages especially habitually and with control like that of a native speaker.

There is an established view that bilingualism apparent when a speaker has equal and fluent competence in two languages (Adams, 2003). This observation was also found in early linguistic literature. Bloomfields assertion (1933; 55-6) that in cases where.perfect foreign-language learning is not accompanied by loss of the native language, it results in bilingualism, native-like control of two languages (Adams, 2003). Adams goes on to say that there are speakers that are bilinguals that fit into this category but there are those who also find themselves with command of one language more than another and these speakers also need to be considered as well.

Chaika (2008) states that Spanish here in the U.S. has seen an evolutionary change. Spanish was spoken in the Southwest when the Anglos conquered it. Since, for years, many Mexican Americans were barred from all but the most menial jobs, both factors for retaining their ethnic language were present: lack of a chance to get ahead and fear of the loss of solidarity if they gave up Spanish. These are the factors that lead to retention of nonstandard dialects as well (Chaika: 348 -9). Chaika also points out that in many languages such as Yiddish or Italian, many words have been anglicized to defer to the English speakers. Many groups of immigrants when they came to this country began the process of assimilation. For example, Janet Sawyer (1964) found that, even that long ago, Southwest Spanish speakers avoided using Spanish terms whenever they could, even terms that Anglos typically use like corral, lariat, frijoles, and chaps. If they had to utter a Spanish word, even their own name, they would anglicize it (Chaika: 349). This was due to the fact that they felt they would be ridiculed for not knowing how to speak English properly and they wanted to fit in. However, with Spanish speakers in

the United States, there has been a great deal progress. Because of this reason, Spanish is not seen as a language that will be lost because of the influence of English. Until recently, Spanish has been retained for two reasons: the real alienation of a large proportion of Hispanics by their inability to enter the mainstream, and the solidarity provided by maintenance of social networks. The former situation is slowly changing so more Spanish speakers are achieving upward mobility. Still, there are positive reasons for Spanish to be retained where other languages werent (Chaika: 350). The number of Hispanics speakers in the U.S. has grown to be the second highest according to the Census Beurow. Also, Spanish is the second highest language that is spoken in the world. The first is English.

Description of the research project

I have used a study done by Alfredo Ardila from the Florida International University and conversations that I had with my brother while he was here visiting me. I will integrate pieces of the conversations that I had with my brother and the study that Ardila has done. In Florida, the Miami-Dade community and surrounding counties has a diverse speaking community. The majority are Hispanics were both English and Spanish are spoken. In many cases, after a period of time, Spanish speakers begin interjecting some English into their conversation. For example, Ardila (2005) gives the following example: (1) Cmo le gusto la pelcula (Spanglish [SG]) Cmo le pareci la pelcula [S] How did you like the movie? (Ardila: 61). As you can see, the English word to like is used in Spanish. However, it is used grammatically incorrect. It does convey the

meaning loosely but not technically. When speaking to my brother who lives in West Palm Beach, Florida, he said the following: La computadora no trabaja. [SG] La computadora no funciona. [S] The computer does not work. The English to work was substituted and used in Spanish. However, it is grammatically incorrect. A person works [trabajar] but a thing functions [funcionar]. Even though it is also incorrect in English, it is more accepted to say that a thing does not work. However, in Spanish it is incorrect. But, in todays Spanglish, such an expression is heard often because it makes the connection to the English language easily. Ardila also mentions that the use of English is constantly changing the way that Spanish is used in this country. The product of this merger is Spanglish. Here, you will find a mixture of both English and Spanish being used, which can have an anglicized Spanish dialect that sometimes may be difficult to understand by standard monolingual Spanish speakers. Some Spanish speakers attempt to keep talking a standard Spanish. Some other simply accept a progressive shift from Spanish to Spanglish (Ardila: 61). This has been the case for my brother when he communicates with other Hispanic speakers. However, I have to preclude the statement to say that it depends with whom he is speaking as to whether he uses English, Spanish or Spanglish. If he is at work and he is speaking with a native English speaker, then, he uses English only. If he is speaking with an adult native Spanish speaker he has just been introduced to, he says he will only speak Spanish. However, with his friends and family who speak both languages, he will use Spanglish. I asked him, Why do you speak Spanglish? I suppose because it is humorous and a good way to laugh with your friends. Also, there are many cognates that

exist in both languages and you can easily toggle in between both English and Spanish. For example, you say the computer in English and in Spanish, la computadora. I just asked my friend Jorge, Hey, bro, hows that computadora doing? Ardila agrees that in most Hispanic communities, Spanglish is spoken. Living in the Miami Hispanic community (and surely in other Spanish-speaking communities in the United States) requires at least some knowledge of Spanglish: (6) To go to the doctor, you need un referido. (SG) una nota de remission (S) a referral. (7) Houses have yardas. (SG0 patios. (S) yards. (8) The kids create gangas. (SG) pandillas. (S) gangs.

Data collection methods used Code Switching and Code-Mixing Ardila states that the marvel of code switching is a relatively well described linguistic phenomenon in bilinguals (e.g., Angermyer, 2002; Gafarange & torras, 2002; Toribio, 2001). Code-switching means that at a certain point, the speaker changes the

language, and continues talking in another language. The switch is produced when beginning a new sentence, and usually a new topic (Ardila: 70). This is definitely true when my brother Juan speaks to me. For example, he says, Tienes que comprar eso. But I have to go. (SG) Tienes que comprar eso. Pero tengo que irme. (S) You have to buy that. But I have to go. Ardila also mentions that there can also be code switching between the same sentence. In interviewing Juan, he says to me, Yo quiero verla but she has to come early porque me voy temprano maana. There have been studies that have focused on this type of code switching in Spanish. One of them was Gumpertz (1976) were it was suggested that there are some

phrases that are used to attract attention, for example: (17) Look, mira lo que te voy a dar. (SG) Mira, mira lo que te voy a dar. (S) Look, look what I am going to give you (Ardila: 70) Ardila also talks about different types of categories in Spanglish that he refers to as The Deep Phenomena in Spanglish (71). Here he breaks down these categories and gives examples of each. I have used his categories and given some of his examples along with those I have from my brother Juan.

Data analysis The first category is words that are hybrid. In this category are words that are put together like Legos. They have different parts from both languages. I asked Juan if he liked to camp. Juan, my brother, used the word campear. It looks like this:

campear (SG) acampar (S) to camp This again is close to the English and it does not sound awkward. I believe that sound is also important in Spanglish because it is still coming from a language that is all about the sound of a word. I believe if a word did not sound well, it would not be used in Spanglish either. The second category is anglization. Here the word is close in phonological make up but the Spanish word is distorted so that it resembles the English word more closely. I asked Juan what his favorite sport was. Juan used this word to describe his favorite basketball team when he was describing a game he was going to see in the fall. basketbol (SG) bsquetbol (S) basketball The third category is that of literal translations. This is when a sentence or even a word is translated from English to Spanish but it does not have the same Spanish meaning. For example, I asked my brother, How do you say to park the car? My brother Juan used parquear el carro to mean he is going to park the car. parquear el carro (SG) estacionar el auto/carro (S) park the car/auto

The fourth category is that of Borrowing using the English phonological form. I

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asked my brother, How do you say the utility company? He responded: la compaia de utility (SG) la empresa de servicios pblicos (S) the utility company The fifth category is that of Borrowing using the Spanish phonological reading. For example, my mother, who is in her early 70s and lives in W.P.B. also, says the following: lonche (SG) almorzar (S) lunch The sixth category is that of Literal translations of words using a partial meaning. I asked my brother to translate, I am going to the principals office. He said: Voy a la oficina del principal. (SG) Voy a la oficina del director. (S) I am going to the principals office. The word principal in English means a person who is in a leading role or position. However, that is not the same definition in Spanish. Ardila has also Substitutuions by phonological similarity and semantic closeness. The following is a very common word among Hispanics because I have heard it many times being used even among my own family. (31) librera (SG) biblioteca (S) library (Ardila: 74)

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The seventh category is Borrowing changing the number and/or gender. I asked my brother to translate the following sentence: I need the gas for the tank. Here is his response: Necesito la gas para el tanque. (SG) Necesito el gas para el tanque. (S) I need the gas for the tank. The gender was changed from masculine to feminine. The eight category is changing the Spanish preposition for the English preposition. I asked my brother, How would you say To wait for my dad? His response was very similar to that of Ardilas study. I based the question on something similar Ardila had under this category. He asked to wait for my wife (Ardila: 74). esperar por mi padre (SG) esperar a mi padre (S) to wait for my dad This is not unusual among many Hispanic speakers because they do not remember the grammar rule of the personal a. Many speakers of Spanish are 2nd generation and know how to use the language but not the grammar that is associated with it. Generally what happens is that they have to learn the grammar in the classroom. On the streets however, it is a different story. The ninth category is Changing the Spanish noun-adjective order. I asked my brother, How would you say, Hes a good student? His response follows: l es un bueno estudiante. (SG) l es un estudiante bueno. (S)

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Hes a good student. The order was changed according to the English structure and did not follow the grammar structure of Spanish. My brother did not have formal grammar Spanish classes in the U.S. He came to this country at the age of two and learned how to speak the language by using it in conversation at home, school and the community were we grew up. Many of the things I take for granted because I teach the grammar, he does not know simply because he has not been in an instructional setting. Ardila incorporates the following category. Lexican English borrowing using a Spanish morphology. The word in English is pin. This is a word that has been borrowed to Spanish. (35) pincito (SG) alfilercito (S) little pin (Ardila: 75) Another category that I found interesting in Ardilas study was that of Using a preposition in a position that is unacceptable in Spanish. The example he uses is the placing of a preposition incorrectly. (36) para comenzar con (SG) para comenzar (S) to begin with There are also some problems with the grammatical structures that exist in Spanish but not in English. Conversely, there are some grammatical structures in English that are overused in Spanglish. (Ardila: 75). For example: (37) Ese avin esta supuesto a llegar a las 3 PM. (SG)

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Ese avin se supone que llega a las 3 [de la tarde]. (S) That plane is supposed to arrive at 3 PM. One point of interest is that aside from the mix of the grammar and the lexical in both English and Spanish, Spanglish tends to swing towards the way that English speakers speak. Discussion Ardila mentions a superfical phenomena with respect to some Spanglish characteristics. Here he speaks of how people toggle in between both English and Spanish and how certain words are borrowed from one language to another. Ardila states that there are no sets of rules that govern how or which words are borrowed. However, observations have been made and it appears that nouns are the words that are in the majority. That does not mean that verbs or adjectives are not used. They are not used frequently. Ardila mentions several main beliefs that work together: 1. In Spanish, there I no word corresponding exactly to the borrowed word (e.g., driveway). 2. The borrowed word presents some cultural salience in the new U.S. cultural context but not in the native one (e.g., suit as an appeal or legal case). 3. The borrowed word has a very exact referent, like a proper name (e.g., income tax, mall). 4. In Spanish, there are several potentially correct words, but none has the exact meaning (e.g., the word ratio corresponds in Spanish to

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relacin, proporcin, or razn). 5. There are Spanish regional variations with regards to that particular word (e.g., tag is placa, chapa, or tablilla; balloon is bomba or globo; carpet corresponds in Spanish to both tapete and alfrombra). In different Spanish-speaking areas, one of those words may be preferred. Some mild variation with regards to the exact meaning may exist. So, tapete may denote a smaller carpet, alfrombra may imply that it is woven, and so on. To avoid having to select between several alternative Spanish words, the English word is selected as kind of superordinate. 6. The borrowed word is compatible with Spanish phonology (i.e., it is quite unlikely that one would borrow a word whose phonology is extremely difficult for Spanish speakers, such as girl). 7. When the English word is phonologically simpler than the corresponding Spanish word, the English word may be borrowed (e.g., the English word pin is simpler than the Spanish word alfiler). 8. Very high frequency and, in consequence, overlearned words are not usually borrowed from the second language (e.g., words such as casa, [house], mano [hand], etc. are never borrowed). 9. Technical words are often borrowed into other languages, becoming international words (e.g., software). 10. When a word is frequently used in everyday life in English (e.g., lunch, brake), it may be borrowed. 11. When a word has been learned in English first, the meaning is more

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directly accessible in English than in Spanish. This may be particularly true with some professional and academic terms (e.g., randomized) (Ardila: 69). The word that is usually borrowed is modified to the Spanish phonology. Not only phonologically it is adapted but, it is also morphologically. Due to the effect of the meaning of the English words, some words in Spanish have also changed in meaning. This represents a type of transposition. You see this type of borrowing when words are lexically and phonologically close, although having different meanings (Ardila: 69). What typically happens is that the Spanish meaning is lost to give way to the English one. For example: (10) pretendpretender (English=to intend, to claim or profess; Spanish=to want to be, or to get something) (Ardila: 69).

As with my own brother, I definitely see how his Spanglish aligns with what Ardila speaks of. His use of the word utility takes one a different and new meaning in Spanish. The correct word in Spanish looses its meaning. It is also true that the words he used are words that have an easy sound in Spanish. I mentioned earlier in this paper that words that are difficult or harsh would not be borrowed because Spanish is such a phonetically oriented language. It is true that my brother also did not deviate from this pattern.

Conclusion There are many unanswered questions when it comes to the future of Spanglish

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here in the United States. Some think that perhaps it will be like a fad and fade away. Others believe it will grow and one day be accepted as another language. Yet others feel it will just be another dialect that is spoken in this country and Puerto Rico. There are others, such as Ardila, who feel that the future of Spanglish depends on two important issues: (a) [the] number of Spanish-speaking immigrants to the United States, and (b) U.S. policies concerning bilingualism (78). As it stands to date, there does not appear that there is any change with regards to the influx of Hispanics to this country. The truth is that people who speak Spanglish are those who have a knowledge of both languages already; for example, second generation Cubans. It takes time to learn a language and then be able toggle in between both of them. It is also important to remember that Hispanics in this country have family and relatives in other Hispanic speaking countries around the world. The form of communication will not be Spanglish but Spanish. Another point to consider is that there are many dialects in Spanglish. It is not cohesive. There are common threads but each group of Hispanics speak it with different dialects. The truth is that Spanglish is just another form of communication. Ardila points this out that in Miami, it is common to hear that what is important is to understand and to be understood, and not the way language is spoken (78). Miami and the surrounding areas are a melting pot when it comes to languages. It can be tricky communicating regardless of the language a person is using. Also, as we look to Mexico and our relations with regards to immigration, the trend seems to be disconcerting. There are states such as Arizona and Alabama that are

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taking the law into their own hands with regards to immigration and the Federal government has not really made a strong stand either way. There is also a strong pull to have the national language established in this country as English only. I feel that this would indeed throw up a road block or two with regards to Spanglish being adopted as a new language here in the states. Unfortunately, the trend we are seeing in the education field is that languages in general have taken a turn for the worse. Many universities are seeing cut backs in their programs due to funding. Programs in the schools nationwide have seen huge cutbacks. However, it makes one wonder whether these are truly essential or are these a means for an agenda that the general public has no knowledge of. Language is a powerful tool and it is essential in governing a people. When a government feels threatened, it will ensure that the language of business stays the same. Here in this country with the population of Hispanics growing, it has become apparent that this segment of the population is a force to contend with. It is a volatile issue and one that bears keeping an eye on in the coming election. As far as Spanglish goes, it is a relatively new phenomenon. It will probably continue to grow. We may see more words being accepted into the norm for Spanish, such as the word mall. However, it will probably remain just a dialect that is spoken and not a language, in my opinion.

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Works Cited Adams, J. N. (2003). Bilingualism and the Latin language. New York: Cambr d!e "# $ers %& 'ress. A(er, '. (1998). Code-switching in conversation: language, interaction and identity.

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)o#do#: *o(%+ed!e. C,a ka, -. (2008). Language: the social mirror (4%, ed.). .os%o#, /ass.: 0e #+e. / +ro&, )., 1 /(&ske#, '. (1995). One speaker, two languages: cross-disciplinary perspectives on code-switching. Cambr d!e 2-#!+a#d: Cambr d!e "# $ers %& 'ress. /(&ske#, '. (2000). Bilingual speech: a typology of code-mixing. Cambr d!e, "3: Cambr d!e "# $ers %& 'ress. 4ebba, /. (2012). Language mixing and code-switching in writing: approaches to mixed-language written discourse. New York: *o(%+ed!e. 45a#!+ s,: A# A#!+ 6 7ed 45a# s, 8 a+e6% . (#.d.). Hispanic ournal of Behavioral !ciences. *e%r e$ed J(+& 31, 2012, 9rom ,%%5:::,;b.sa!e5(b.6om:6o#%e#%:27:1:60.abs%ra6%

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