| When language groups collide it is common for a | | | | language. This dialect is sometimes also called |
| "confusion of tongues" to occur. Over time, a new | | | | Portunhol, but actually it has its own distinct name |
| language may result from this mixing. More | | | | -- Riverense. Linguists love to study Riverense as |
| frequently and immediately, though, what you get | | | | a living laboratory experiment in how new |
| is speakers who switch back and forth between | | | | languages come into being. |
| the two languages in the course of a single | | | | Throughout the world there are other examples |
| conversation. | | | | of mixed-up tongues resulting from the encounter |
| This phenomenon is called by the linguists (experts | | | | of two or more languages. Whether these |
| who study languages) "code switching." So-called | | | | interesting linguistic mutants are good or bad |
| Spanglish is a perfect example of this. Spanglish | | | | depends on one's perspective. |
| has been widely noted in places in the United | | | | I recently heard a professor of Spanish, from an |
| States such as Texas, Southern California, and | | | | American university, on the radio decrying the use |
| New York City. Children who speak Spanish at | | | | of Spanglish, which to her seemed no more than |
| home with their parents, and English in school, will | | | | an ugly and embarrassing mongrel offspring of its |
| often fall into Spanglish among their friends. | | | | parents. She especially disliked the fact that so |
| Spanglish does not create new words or | | | | many Latino youngsters were using it, instead of |
| grammar, and has no special rules. It simply | | | | the pure Spanish of their heritage. |
| switches back and forth between two languages | | | | I understand the professor's point. Spanish, the |
| at the seeming whim of the speaker. Therefore it | | | | language of Cervantes, is a magnificent tongue |
| is not considered a true language in itself. | | | | with a rich culture and history. So, too, of course, |
| Similarly, people have coined the term Portunhol | | | | is English, the language of Shakespeare. In some |
| or Portunol to refer to the stew of Portuguese | | | | sense it degrades both to be scrambled together |
| and Spanish that is spoken in border towns | | | | without rhyme or reason. |
| between Brazil and its neighbors. | | | | On the other hand, languages are fluid and the |
| Interestingly, in the twin-cities region of Rivera, | | | | course of their development is unpredictable. As |
| Uruguay and Santo do Livramento, Brazil (which | | | | with biological systems, it is fascinating to watch |
| are divided by a mere street), the inhabitants | | | | how they change and adapt, especially in |
| share a blended tongue with a distinct vocabulary, | | | | competition (or cooperation) with others. |
| which may for that reason be considered its own | | | | |