Why I Speak Spanglish

I could speak English.

I could speak Spanish.

But I choose to speak Spanglish.

There are times when I’ll commit to speaking a single language - these are plentiful - but Spanglish is the language of my family where Spanish and English have merged, where no single language could possibly convey the meaning I wish to express.

And so I speak Spanglish.

Hablo con mi madrastra en español, pero con my dad en inglés porque es la manera que puedo comunicarme más naturalmente. Sure. podría solamente español con ella, pero why would I when I can choose the words I want in English and Spanish knowing that both will be understood. I choose to choose - no - to allow myself to flow through whichever linguistic channel feels most appropriate in the moment.

I choose Spanglish.

But Spanglish isn’t a real language, why would you encourage this atrocity?

It’s not a language. It’s two languages combined, and that’s what makes it so beautiful. It’s the unison of two cultures that’s evolved into a new way of communicating - a way of communicating more precisely when speaking within a community that speaks both Spanish and English.

This is Spanglish.

This is my home language.

This where I am at true bilingual bliss❤