What is Spanglish?

Spanglish blends words and idioms from both Spanish and English, particularly in Spanish speech that incorporates many English words and expressions. Speaking Spanglish is something I know very well and use often with my Bilingual Friends.

What is a Pocha (pronounced: poh-cha)?

A Pocha, or Pocho for a male, is considered “a derogatory term typically used by native-born Mexicans to describe U.S. born Mexicans that don’t speak proper Spanish.” However, if you visit Mexico, especially its major cities, you’ll hear a lot of Spanglish. This is because people there often mix English into their Spanish conversations to stay relevant or emphasize current pop culture. Have I ever been called a Pocha? Yes, I have. When I was little and I was exploring both English and Spanish, I would often say a word incorrectly. Some adults would meet me with judgement, while others would meet me with guidance and proper pronunciation. In today’s world, that is out of the Window at a certain capacity. Yes, we should know how to pronounce words correctly, but everyone is Speaking Spanglish because it’s socially accepted.

Spanglish is part of Code-Switching and Language Mixing. I’m a Proud Spanglish Speaker. I love Speaking Spanglish and love when others are Speaking Spanglish.

Code-Switching in the Media

It’s beautiful to Code-Switch, use Spanglish, and be a Pocha or Pocho. Spanglish is used more commonly in mainstream media, music, shows, comedy, movies, almost everywhere! Just look at the lists below that showcase Spanglish. Don’t be afraid of Speaking Spanglish, share that gift with the world!

Authors

Here are some notable authors who use Spanglish in their work:

Junot Díaz: Pulitzer Prize winning author of the book, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Sandra Cisneros: Author of the classic title, The House on Mango Street

Giannina Braschi: Puerto Rican writer of the novel, Yo-Yo Boing!

Esmeralda Santiago: The Author of, When I Was Puerto Rican

Ilan Stavans: A scholar and essayist that has written extensively about Spanglish, who wrote Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language

Comedians

The Latino Community has had their up and coming stars and the Comedy Scene is no exception. Here are a few of the most well known comedians that weave Spanish and English in their stand-up routines.

George Lopez

John Leguizamo

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias

Cristela Alonso

Anjelah Johnson

Felipe Esparza

These comedians have an extensive Bilingual background. They have a unique way of connecting with their audiences adding a layer of cultural authenticity and are profoundly funny!

TV Shows

More and more television shows have been emphasizing Latino Culture and it’s language fluidity. Spanglish is very intertwined within these entertaining shows. Check them out!

Ugly Betty

An American adaptation to the Colombian Novela “Betty La Fea”.

Jane the Virgin

A show about a girl that accidentally gets pregnant at her regular Gyno Appointment.

Gentefied

A Netflix series focused on a Mexican-American family living in Los Angeles. A very relatable show to most Mexican-American communities.

On My Block

A show about a group of friends in a Latin Neighborhood that showcases the characters’ cultural background and the way they communicate with each other.

Dora the Explorer

A show for kids that switches between English and Spanish, teaching viewers basic vocabulary along the way.

Handy Manny

Similar to Dora the Explorer. A show about a character named Manny and his bilingual tools that speak both English and Spanish.

Podcasts

There has been a growing number of Spanglish podcasts covering a wide range of topics and interests. 

Life in Spanglish: 

Hosted by Honey German and Carolina Bermudez.

Topics Include: Pop Culture, relationships, career advice, and motherhood.

Hablamos Spanglish:

Hosted by Ana Caro Salazar

Topics Include: Hispanic Culture, stories, interviews.

Entre Dos Podcast:

Hosted by Monika Leal and Paula Niño Kehr

Topics Include: Discussions with experts and parents about language, culture, and identity.

Chicano Shuffle:

Hosted by a group of friends

Topics Include: current events to personal anecdotes.

Find more Spanglish podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts using keywords like “Spanglish Podcast,” “Bilingual Podcast,” or “Latino Podcast.” Do a quick search on your favorite Search Engine like Google, Yahoo, or Bing.

Family Friendly Musicians

This list showcases all the groups and musicians that blend English and Spanish in their Music that create fun and educational experiences for kids. Speaking Spanglish

123 Andrés

Lucky Diaz and The Family Jam Band

Sonia De Los Santos

Mister G

There are many more videos to check out for Spanglish Content. It only takes a few searches to find what you need.

Previous Post

Learn about Code-Switching and Language Mixing in my previous post by clicking below.

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