Spanglish: Debating a Hybrid Language's Legitimacy
This paper examines the ongoing debate surrounding Spanglish, the hybrid blending of Spanish and English spoken widely among Latino communities in the United States. Drawing on perspectives from linguistics scholars, journalists, and children's literature researchers, the paper presents arguments both for and against Spanglish as a legitimate form of communication. Proponents such as Ilan Stavans celebrate Spanglish as a creative expression of Latino identity, while critics such as Ricardo Otheguy argue it is a term of disparagement that limits speakers' economic and cultural opportunities. The paper also considers how Spanglish appears in children's literature and educational settings.
- Introduction: A Language in Dispute: Framing the Spanglish debate through opposing expert voices
- The Case for Spanglish: Scholars and journalists defend Spanglish as legitimate
- The Case Against Spanglish: Linguists argue Spanglish is harmful and disparaging
- Spanglish in Latino Children's Literature: How children's books reflect Spanglish use and bilingualism
- Conclusion: Pragmatic synthesis; Spanglish is here to stay
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper presents a balanced, two-sided argument, giving roughly equal space to proponents and critics of Spanglish before reaching a measured conclusion.
- It draws on diverse source types—scholarly journals, a published book, journalism, and an educational broadcast—lending breadth and credibility to the discussion.
- The section on children's literature adds an original angle that moves the debate beyond adult linguistic theory into a practical educational context.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of direct quotation integrated with paraphrase. Rather than stringing quotes together, the writer consistently attributes each claim to a named source, briefly contextualizes it, and then comments on its significance—modeling the kind of source engagement expected in undergraduate writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a framing introduction that poses the central question through two opposing voices. Two body sections then present the pro and con arguments in turn, each organized around specific scholars and journalists. A third body section applies the debate to children's literature. The conclusion briefly synthesizes the positions and offers a pragmatic stance. The structure is straightforward and easy to follow, making it a solid model for short argumentative essays at the undergraduate level.
Introduction: A Language in Dispute
Is the use of Spanglish seen as a term of "disparagement," as linguistics Professor Ricardo Otheguy asserts? Or is the mixing of English into Spanish "helpful" and "as normal as breathing and as natural as life itself" to the ethnic mix of Latinos and Anglos in Southern California and elsewhere, as journalist Kimberly Ortiz insists? This paper presents both sides of the issue. Some say that using Spanglish as a hybrid language is a bastardized version of English and Spanish; others believe that Spanglish, besides being here to stay, is perfectly legitimate as an alternative form of language. Spanglish has become an increasingly visible phenomenon in American cultural and academic life, making the debate over its legitimacy all the more pressing.
Works Cited
Chappell, Sharon, and Christian Faltis. "Spanglish, Bilingualism, Culture and Identity in Latino Children's Literature." Children's Literature in Education, 38.4 (2007): 253–262.
Jover-Cirillo, Silvina. "Spanglish: Identity Preservation or Language Destruction?" New Generation Latino Consortium. 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from
Ortiz, Kimberly. "Spanglish, like SWC, is a Beautiful Blend." The Sun. 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from
Otheguy, Ricardo, and Nancy Stern. "On So-called Spanglish." International Journal of Bilingualism, 15.1 (2010): 85–100.
PBS NewsHour. "American Varieties: Spanglish!" Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org.
Stavans, Ilan. Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
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