“Spanglish” is Spanish + English. It’s the Spanish language peppered with large doses of English words, popular in some places of Texas, California, Florida and New York. The term “Spanglish” dates from at least 1958.
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Spanglish
[Blend of SPANISH n.1 + ENGLISH n.]
A type of Spanish contaminated by English words and forms of expression, spoken in Latin America.
[1954 S. TÍO A. Fuego Lento 62 Esta lengua nueva se llamará el ‘Espanglish’. La etimología es clara. Viene de español y de english.] 1967 Time 7 Apr. 12 A historical pageant known as a ‘Texas Fandangle’—border-country Spanglish for fandango, the frenetic Mexican dance.
3 January 1958, Los Angeles Times, “Cityside” with Gene Sherman, pg. 2:
You know the rest of the story and there’s enough of Mr. Jeannette’s Spanglish to carry it on.
5 October 1958, Syracuse (NY) Herald-American, pg. 74, col. 7:
Spanglish
BURBANK, Calif.—Hollywood members of the Warner Bros. unit filming “John Paul Jones” in Spain have a name of their own for the combination of Spanish, English and sign language they use to make themselves understood on the set. They call it Spanglish.
10 November 1964, Washington Post, pg. A16:
Notes on Mexico:
Habla Spanglish?
by Karl E. Meyer
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
•“The ‘W’ in Wednesday stands for wine” (4/24)
•Entry in progress—BP18 (4/24)
•Entry in progress—BP17 (4/24)
•Entry in progress—BP16 (4/24)
•Entry in progress—BP15 (4/24)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
This site is edited by Barry Popik. These are the Cookies and Privacy Policies.