it b called Ebonics!

[Rillion]

No entiendo mucho español, verdad, pero cuando alguien escribes en español, es mas fácil a leer y comprender.  

Je suis le meme avec le Francais.

Well, you're well ahead of me anyway.     Once I started trying to learn Danish my Spanish went down the toilet, and now I'm terrible at both of them.  It's embarrassing!

[CaL DaVe]

No entiendo mucho español, verdad, pero cuando alguien escribes en español, es mas fácil a leer y comprender.  

Je suis le meme avec le Francais.

Well, you're well ahead of me anyway.     Once I started trying to learn Danish my Spanish went down the toilet, and now I'm terrible at both of them.  It's embarrassing!

Don't be embarrassed. Most people never try to learn a second language, let alone a third.

[Alex Libman 15]

I want to learn an East-Asian language so much it hurts, but there's no way I can justify it.

I also know Russian, but it's useless.

All you need is English, period.

Anything else is a waste of time.

[Bill Brasky]

Just try to understand this, if one is a professional (as I am) you live in two very different worlds. A business world which contains mostly white people, and your close family and friends of the same cultural background. Of course, I'm not 100% positive, but I imagine the Latinos you know put a different face on for you than they do at home. So you get the less "Latin Loco" version as you call it. I think it is only natural. As for me, I have discussions on internet forums differently depending on where I am. If i'm here, I write in my business tone, if i'm in a Chicano forum, I write in Spanglish.  

Here's my question, and it's an honest one:  Why not just speak English in some situations and Spanish in others?  I mean, I can understand slipping from one to another from time to time, but doing it deliberately just seems odd.  

I'm sure Dave will provide a better answer, but sometimes they like to exclude the gringos.  Tell 'em with a big bright smile you hablo a poco espanol.  They won't chatter around you so much.  

Estoy una gringa que habla un poco Spanglish, gracias.  No entiendo mucho español, verdad, pero cuando alguien escribes en español, es mas fácil a leer y comprender.  Mi novio es muy mejor, así normalmente el hablas.  

My spanish sucks, but I could understand that.  The ear is harder, because language is familiar babble, not like you would be taught in a formal setting. 

I use very familiar words, and few of them.  Phrase learning sounds stilted, like "may I use your restroom?"  which is probably why some frustrated latino dudes would say "toilet, bitch, now."  I could actually dig the difficulty of English as a second language.  It ain't easy.  Especially when you -maybe- haven't had a whole lot of school to familiarize you with the latin-english root phraseology. 

Do not attempt to teach me to ask for directions to the bano, or I will fuck your seester, the number four prostitute in all of mexistan. 

[MacFall]

I fuckin' can't stand George Lopez.

I can't stand racial humor in general, except in very small amounts. Jabbing at stereotypes is funny for a while, but after a few minutes a race routine always devolves into raw collectivism. There isn't enough irony (or shock value, for that matter) in the world to make the involuntary "We" funny to me.

[KDus]

Here's my question, and it's an honest one:  Why not just speak English in some situations and Spanish in others?  I mean, I can understand slipping from one to another from time to time, but doing it deliberately just seems odd. 

I hear it day in and day out and I've actually asked about it. There have been 3 reasons stated. 1. Some feel it is rude to speak a language in company that doesn't understand it. 2. Some topics are easier to discuss or have better words in Spanish or English. 3. Some concepts or ideas are easier to relate with words that have a cultural basis; like describing a Mexican food recipe.

[Harry Tuttle]

My wife was born in Mexico. When she came to the US as a child she had trouble at school due to her lack of understanding of English. Now she is bilingual to the point that many people can't even tell she is Mexican.  My in-laws speak very little English but do their best with it. She is comfortable with her Mexican heritage and does not have any trouble with balancing both cultures - neither do I.

She does not like to be referred to as "latina" and doesn't use the word. She despises the word "chicano" which we generally take to be a glorification of street-gang culture.

[Bill Brasky]

I used to drink Yukon Jack with a Mexichick who would chase it with a shot of Roses lime juice.  I think she was half Irish.  She didn't talk much, thats why I liked her.  Besides the hotness, and living at the bar.  And often being barefoot in the bar, which I also enjoyed.  We were barefoot bar buddies, she had nice tits.  I don't remember her name. 

Those Mexican bitches, they'll give ya the shirt off their back.  Just don't ask 'em to make fuckin' popcorn.

[KDus]

I used to drink Yukon Jack with a Mexichick who would chase it with a shot of Roses lime juice.  I think she was half Irish.  She didn't talk much, thats why I liked her.  Besides the hotness, and living at the bar.  And often being barefoot in the bar, which I also enjoyed.  We were barefoot bar buddies, she had nice tits.  I don't remember her name. 

Those Mexican bitches, they'll give ya the shirt off their back.  Just don't ask 'em to make fuckin' popcorn.

Some Mexican guy here at work just tried to explain the virtues of pouring vinegar on my microwave popcorn.Fuck no.

[Bill Brasky]

That sounds horrid.

[Riddler]

I used to drink Yukon Jack with a Mexichick who would chase it with a shot of Roses lime juice.  I think she was half Irish.  She didn't talk much, thats why I liked her.  Besides the hotness, and living at the bar.  And often being barefoot in the bar, which I also enjoyed.  We were barefoot bar buddies, she had nice tits.  I don't remember her name. 

Those Mexican bitches, they'll give ya the shirt off their back.  Just don't ask 'em to make fuckin' popcorn.

Some Mexican guy here at work just tried to explain the virtues of pouring vinegar on my microwave popcorn.Fuck no.

the wife puts that shit on french fries.......
nasty

[CaL DaVe]

Now she is bilingual to the point that many people can't even tell she is Mexican. 

What age did she come to the US and does she have an accent at all?

[CaL DaVe]

I used to drink Yukon Jack with a Mexichick who would chase it with a shot of Roses lime juice.  I think she was half Irish.  She didn't talk much, thats why I liked her.  Besides the hotness, and living at the bar.  And often being barefoot in the bar, which I also enjoyed.  We were barefoot bar buddies, she had nice tits.  I don't remember her name. 

Those Mexican bitches, they'll give ya the shirt off their back.  Just don't ask 'em to make fuckin' popcorn.

Some Mexican guy here at work just tried to explain the virtues of pouring vinegar on my microwave popcorn.Fuck no.

Never heard of vinegar in popcorn before... Usually Mexicans go ape shit by putting salt and lemon on everything.

I prefer to put M&Ms in it while it is still warm.

So delicious!!

[Harry Tuttle]

What age did she come to the US and does she have an accent at all?

Age 4. No discernable accent. In fact I sometimes catch her mispronouncing a Spanish word if it is used in an English-language context.

A common example of this here in SoCal is San Pedro being pronounced "San Peedro" instead of "San Paydro". Even hispanics I know pronounce it that way when talking about the city.

[CaL DaVe]

What age did she come to the US and does she have an accent at all?

Age 4. No discernable accent. In fact I sometimes catch her mispronouncing a Spanish word if it is used in an English-language context.

A common example of this here in SoCal is San Pedro being pronounced "San Peedro" instead of "San Paydro". Even hispanics I know pronounce it that way when talking about the city.

This is exactly what I was talking about earlier when I said I have different accents depending on who I am talking to. I'm sure she knows the correct pronunciation but she changes it base on who she is talking to. If she were talking to her parents she would no doubt say it correctly.