Ilan Stavans: Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language

Drescher Center for Humanities presents, Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language by Ilan Stavans from Amherst College.
Ilan Stavans will explore the cultural and linguistic significance of this distinctly American language, comparing it to other languages of minority groups in America such as Yiddish and Black English. He will explain who speaks Spanglish, why it has so many varieties and what its existence says about the United States. He will also speculate on whether it will ever become a standard language.
5 October 4:00 p.m.
7th floor, Albin O. Kuhn Library, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Hispanic Heritage Month
Sponsors: Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics and Intercultural Communication, Language, Literacy and Culture Program, and Dresher Center for the Humanities

[@katafoocat1938]

Truly Mr Ilan is a marvelous Performer and Teacher of Spanglish. His case for Spanglish is very interesting and I intend to look into it. I think we all should who live in this great country of the United States of America. Mr Ilan is a very charming man with a passion for language. He is to be commended for his attempt to teach this very interesting Spanglish, a combination of both Spanish and English. Thank you Sir.

[@IvyANguyen]

Ottawa and Montréal, IIRC, are fully bilingual (French/English in that case) and have their own blend of French and English (Franglish?), with people code-switching all the time. I heard it when walking around Montréal. The real-time bilingualism is cool to see in action. Very nice talk, Ilan Stavans!

[@thumpaholden]

Thanks for posting this. What a cool topic!

[@doriscristobal9543]

it is really meaningful to study in deep about how the USA culture and language have influenced our Hispanic culture to the point to create a bridge-Spanglish-to be connected with this country.

[@CarmenMendozaescritora]

I'm very open-minded but I still have issues with Spanglish. HELP!!

[@elbenaso]

cool vid!

[@user-dg9nk2pc5x]

I agree, Spanglish should not be taking seriously.

[@Cuauhtlatoac]

I agree with you. I am in the opposite side, I live in Mexico and don't like that english becomes more prevalent. I learned English since a young age and speaking it well has given me good work opportunities, but I really disliked a company where I worked where they tried several times to make English mandatory between mexicans living in Mexico. Having a business doesn't give you the right to stumble on our mother language, no matter how much you 'embellish' the benefits of speaking english well

[@carmenburgos1616]

I agree with you 120 % … This is the most retarded thing ever

[@sicilyabroad]

Even Konon , a sicilian composer is trying to study the Siculish....

[@andrewc.parmeter3557]

Spanglish is a gimmick. Doesn’t work unless the person to whom you’re speaking has familiarity with both languages. If that’s the case they choose whichever language they are more proficient and speak in that tongue. Even in an hour long lecture he never speaks to the audience in Spanish or Spanglish which proves to be the counter argument to his entire speech.

[@sirjimbothefirst]

I do think it's cool that the Spanish language is becoming more prevalent, and I'm trying to learn it to improve communication, but I find it very obnoxious when some (definitely not all) but some Latinos, first complain about racism and then go around making comments about "gringos" they've never met and know nothing about. Racism is racism, even when the racist is part of an ethnic minority. If you have a generalized and uninformed hatred of all "gringos", then why the hell did you come here?