New dialect known as ‘Miami English’
appearing in Florida, linguists say —
here’s what it sounds like
New York Post,
by
David Landsel
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
2/3/2024 2:38:27 AM
The fusion of Latin and Anglo-American cultures in South Florida in the latter half of the 20th century has created a new dialect, linguists say.
Known as Miami English, the increasingly popular parlance has its roots back in the 1950s, when Cubans began moving to the region en masse.
One of the country’s most bilingual cities today — and beyond that, home to many different Spanish dialects — research has shown that Miamians are finding a new way to engage with English, not unlike immigrant groups in other parts of the United States throughout modern history.
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
rfr46 2/3/2024 5:15:04 AM (No. 1649825)
Just look at how much good ebonics did for black people. This new Miami English should do a great job of further fracturing American society.
France understands the unifying effect of the French language for its residents. The USA could learn a lesson. Stop things like "press 2 for Spanish."
35 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
5 handicap 2/3/2024 6:44:28 AM (No. 1649869)
Please let us not celebrate ignorance and sloppiness. One Country, one language!
28 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Rather Read 2/3/2024 7:09:55 AM (No. 1649885)
This isn't anything new. My aunt and uncle used to live in south Louisiana where the French influence was still strong. The people there still pepper their words with French.
11 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
plomke 2/3/2024 7:30:01 AM (No. 1649893)
Press uno for Spanglish...
12 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Bur Oak 2/3/2024 7:45:21 AM (No. 1649902)
A person no longer needs to travel outside the borders to visit another country. Just visit Minneapolis, Miami, or Dearborn.
21 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
spacer 2/3/2024 8:17:47 AM (No. 1649919)
Miami is a crap hole.
7 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
EJKrausJr 2/3/2024 8:36:11 AM (No. 1649934)
English is our language. Learn it or forever be lost.
11 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
chumley 2/3/2024 9:05:49 AM (No. 1649956)
There were places in the desert southwest 20 years ago where you would get fired for not speaking Mexican. Mrs C even had to take special classes for it in nursing school.
I refused to speak it, or adopt any aspect of their dirty little culture. I felt mighty free when I moved away from that hole.
10 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
cThree 2/3/2024 9:32:41 AM (No. 1649981)
This is a very disappointing piece for the NYPost. I don't trust the principal source here, Philip M. Carter; I think we're dressing up a familiar process with trendy argot; and I think a key example offered in this report is wrong.
The last first: From the report, Miami English isn’t to be confused with Spanglish — it’s English, crammed with English phrases lifted directly from the literal Spanish, something known as a calque.... And calques are nothing new to the language, Carter points out — in a previous article for the Conversation, he spotlights a more famous example: Dandelion, which is lifted from the french [sic] term dent de lion, or lion’s tooth.
If a "calque" is a literal translation of a phrase, I consider it more like "all the day" or "wash the hands," not a word imitating non-English sounds, like Buffalo for beau fleurs, Yankee from Jan Kees (John Cheese), or one of my favorites, the town of Teaticket in Massachusetts, whose name comes from the native Wampanoag word tataket, which has nothing to do with tea or tickets.
I don't argue about the discovery of "Miami English"—that's what academics such as Mr. Parker do—but to say it "isn't to be confused with Spanglish" is a bit precious, considering Spanglish is very loosely defined and covers a range of vernacular habits, including Miami English. The two certainly can be confused, which I infer is Mr. Parker's objection. That's fine and proper.
I strongly suspect Mr. Parker also finds the term Spanglish condescending and offensive. I infer this from his use of the neologism "Latinx," ironically, which term many Latinos find condescending and disrespectful, as well as his distracting use of an androgynous couple (Alex got married with José) to illustrate another calque. And I see that among his undergraduate minors is "Women’s and Gender Studies" at NC State, and he lists "Graduate Certificate in Feminist Studies, Program in Women’s Studies" at Duke, where he got his doctorate. I infer from these things he has a strong ideological slant underpinning his work.
I don't know if the term Miami English is meant to isolate this idiomatic English to Miami (whose name comes from the name of the original Native American tribe who lived there, the Mayaimi). I doubt it. I think of this as a familiar and inevitable process, one that has broadened modern English to one of the largest languages in the world.
13 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
DVC 2/3/2024 10:35:37 AM (No. 1650019)
Pidgin English, in various forms has been around in the uneducated parts of the world for a very long time.
3 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Geoman 2/3/2024 11:25:31 AM (No. 1650064)
San Antonio says, "hellolah," as Spanglish has been spoken there for many decades, and continues to evolve.
1 person likes this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Birddog 2/3/2024 12:11:01 PM (No. 1650095)
"Dr. Carter's current research projects interrogate the dialectic between national narratives about immigration and the circumstanced individual."
Not even THAT is conventional "English".
All just choir preaching about bellybutton lint to other "academics" , Govt Agency staffers, media minions and myrmidons.
(Myrmidon in English means a hired ruffian, henchman or a loyal follower, especially one who executes orders without question, protest, or pity.. Minion is more commonly used nowadays for the subservient, unconditionally-loyal, henchman)
3 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
chefrandy 2/4/2024 11:31:47 AM (No. 1650633)
Next stop Florida chapter of the NEA so they can demand millions of dollars for edumacating the young ones in another means of communication designed solely for the convenience of non-assimilation to the inevitable detriment of the society at large.
1 person likes this.
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