A dialect used in the Miami area is becoming more and more recognized for its distinctive use of the English language. According to an article in Indy 100, the unique dialect originated from decades of immigration from Spanish-speaking nations to Southern Florida. It is an English dialect with Spanish influences. The outlet went on to say in the report that people who have moved to the area and their kids have learned English by simply translating Spanish phrases into English, which has led to the spread of the dialect.
Even a paper on “Miami English” by professor Phillip M. Carter of Florida International University was published in the journal English World Wide.
In an old report, The Washington Post gave an example of changes in the dialect when compared to English. Those who speak ‘Miami English’, don’t “get” in line, they “make” the line (from the Spanish “hacer la fila”). They are not “very” tired, they are “super” tired (“Estar super cansado”). They don’t “get out” of their cars, they “get down” from their cars (“Bajarse del carro”).
“There are many, many, many ways of speaking American English and many regional, ethnic and social dialects. And this is just another one being added to the tapestry,” said Mr Carter.
On social media, the dialect has also gained popularity. The Instagram handle “Only In Dade” is one of many that has contributed to its popularity. It posed the question, “What’s a ‘Miami English’ phrase you say?” to its followers, eliciting thousands of responses from people who shared their favorite instances of the dialect.
People have been captivated by the dialect study, according to Mr. Carter.
“I think they’re interested in this because people are fed up of being told that the way that they speak is not real or not legitimate or not proper or not a part of the United States language scene,” he told the outlet.
For the study, Mr Carter and his team asked 33 people from a diverse mix in Miami what they thought of more than 50 sentences that were typically of the new dialect.
The findings showed that ‘Miami English’ typically sounded “natural” to those in Miami, but people living outside the region found it significantly more alien.
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