I see it as a secret language

I’ve had problems understanding those who call Spanish a secret language. Why hide the language? Are you afraid of it being used against you? If you speak the language, speak it proudly. Do your best not to lose it and pass it on to others.

For many who were born in this country of Latino descent, it is a struggle to learn and maintain the language even if you have the willingness and desire to do so. Many have many obstacles to do so: too busy, too hard, etc. And then you have the people who don’t want or care to learn it.

I love being bilingual but I don’t try to judge those latinos who aren’t. I don’t know the circumstances of their life and why they didn’t pick it up. Besides who the hell am I to judge? I ain’t no Cervantes in Spanish.

Why do I love knowing Spanish? Feeling impacted by a Jose Alfredo Jimenez ranchera, understanding my grandmother’s banter when she comes to visit or establishing that instant connection with a latino no matter where in the world we find ourselves.

I’ve been known to on occasion whip out the big S to help a fellow brother or sister in need. I’ll speak Spanish too if appropriate ;]

G

Knowing Spanish can so get you laid.

Needing to know Spanish can also get you laid. Works well either way!

@ella and Otis.
agreed.

It backfires all the time, though. My sisters and I look pretty white, and when I shaved my head last year there were two old ladies at a store who said right out loud “Mira pelona!” So it was very satisfying to yell right back “Mira viejas!” and they went off mumbling about how I was all sinvirguenza…

Spanish was my first language and I haven’t lost it and I never will …It’s the only way to comunicate with my parents and older family members.
When I go to mexico people are so surprised at how well I speak it and I am proud of that.
It gives me a greater oportunity in life…
and it’s fun to talk shit about people when they dont understand!!

I remember some pinche gabo ruco got all butt hurt because a sandwich shop attendant greeted him in Spanish. He started nagging about how in America the only language spoken should be English, how he fought for this country… BLA BLA BLA! The unamused chicanita then said “Next”. She became my hero and I’ve tipped her well ever since. The funny thing is that the old man was driving an RV going to Baja.

I’m all for being bilingual, but, let’s be honest, Spanglish is a disgrace. It’s often associated with the … (hmm, what’s a nice little pc phrase?) … less fortunate—yes, less fortunate members of the Hispanic community. It’s all very sad. I guess that’s just the way it is. If poor Latino immigrants are not well educated, then how can one expect their children to learn proper Spanish or succeed in the States? Seriously, every time I hear some random Hispanic person butcher the Spanish language, it makes me physically ill. It’s even more bizarre to see these Latino kids who are proud of their heritage, yet they’re just as ignorant as White people about the Spanish language, as well as Hispanic culture(s) and history. These are the real most embarrassing Latinos!

I wish more people would be like La Roncha. She has earned my respect.

On the subject of spanglish…it seems quite ignorant and reactive to think of people who use spanglish to communicate as, well, ignorant. Language at every point in history has been used to denote a given communal identity. However, language is fluid and it changes to adapt to better describe, understand and reflect a person’s environment. We assign meaning with language and cannot think critically without words. Try it.
In essence, the words change because the new words fit the new environment better. This is, of course, not a deliberate process on the part of the speaker but it is simply a natural progression. In other words, guana bust a nut, do you become physically ill because of the words spoken or is that just an thin veil for how you really feel about poor people in general?
Also, when will you be teaching a class on the spanish language, or, as you call it “Hispanic” culture(s) and history?

more on guana bust a nut and his nutty opinion here:

http://brownstate.typepad.com/ken_burns_hates_mexicans/2007/12/the-village-voi.html

G-bust thanks for the respect but I dont think Spanglish is only used by less fortunate or a disgrace.
It shows people blending their cultures. I see spanglish more like a form of slang…and it’s fun.
I know I bust out with it once in a while just like you like bustin a nut. :D

Spanglish is like TexMex. Not at all authentic to Latin America, but uniquely American and delicious!

spanglish can prolly get you laid quicker than either english or spanish can.
i’m just sayin…

i grew up in el paso, so i kinda know what that woman was going through, but in reverse. i was often called coconut but the ironic thing was that the ones who called me this, the cholos, couldn’t speak a word of spanish other than cabron, chingon and guey. i spoke better english and spanish than them. hell, my spanglish was better than theirs.

i’m like la roncha , a first generation texican american that spoke spanish from the get go. i taught myself english thanks to sesame street and match game (which explains way too much…). i think it was my mother’s stubborn demeanor to not learn english and have us speak to our abuelita that made us retain spanish.

and the kicker? i speak more spanish now than ever. and not just with my non-latino friends, either. hell, i spoke more spanish on my trip to amsterdam this summer than french.

I especially love to speak Spanish to other customers or my sisters at the nail shop!! Revenge feels kinda good sometimes.

It’s thanks to being fully bilingual that I keep landing jobs in progressively higher levels of my field.

I’ve yet to hear any argument that convincingly argues that knowing more than one language is a liability in any real way.

SpangLISH is disgusting. I, on occasion will mix my english and spanish only because i get frustrated w/ my lack of Spanish vocabulary and throw in the English word instead of getting stuck in remembering what the spanish word was for it. I hate myself for it cuz its so foul but whatever i try harder the next time.

Spanish on the other hand is a beautiful language and something i’m very thankful of knowing. Thank goodness my parentals only spoke spanish at home and forced us to only speak spanish at home. I spoke English at school and watched english TV but, at home, it was all proper Colombian Castellian Spanish. I heart it.

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