Intertwined languages

A. There are many languages in the world that are so mixed that they cannot be treated as either Language A or Language B; these are hybrids, in the same way that mules are neither horses nor donkeys.

B. Code-switching.

1. These languages begin with an ordinary process called code-switching, where speakers regularly alternate between one language and another, often within the same sentence.

2. Nuyorican. Here is an example of a Puerto Rican code-switching between Spanish and English in New York:

Why make Carol sentarse      atras     para que everybody

sit in back so that

has to move para que se salga?

so that      she gets out

Code-switching is common among bilinguals worldwide. Generally, code-switchers are fully competent in both languages but switch back and forth according to topic or when a word they are more familiar with in one language comes along and sparks a switch into that word’s language.

C. Media Lengua. In some cases, code-switching becomes so well entrenched that a new language emerges, splitting the difference between the two languages. For example, among men in Ecuador who grew up speaking Quechua but spent long periods working in the capital Quito using Spanish, a new hybrid language called Media Lengua—“middle language”—emerged. Media Lengua uses Spanish words with the endings and word order of Quechua:

“I come to ask a favor.”

Spanish:

Vengo    para   pedir    un   favor.

I-come    for     ask        a     favor

Quechua:

Shuk   fabur-da maña-nga-bu shamu-xu-ni.

one    favor        ask        come-ing-I

Media Lengua:

Unu fabur-ta pidi-nga-bu bini-xu-ni.

a      favor       ask              come-ing-I

Media Lengua uses the Spanish words but with the sound system of Quechua (Quechua does not have e or o) and with its endings and its word order, where the object (here, favor) comes before the verb.

D. Mednyj Aleut. In the 1800s, Russian traders colonized the Aleut Islands off Alaska and brought Aleuts (Eskimos) to work along with them on one of the islands (Copper Island). The traders and Aleut women produced children who created a language of their own, mixing, of all things, Russian with an Eskimo language.

Languages like this are not just random mixing on the spur of the moment. Mednyj Aleut has rules. Certain verb endings, such as the one in the sentence that follows, are from Russian, as are certain pronouns. Case endings on nouns as well as nouns and verbs themselves are usually from Aleut.

Mednyj Aleut:

“I brought you a package.”

E. There are intertwined languages mixing Russian and the Aleut language of Eskimos, English and the Gypsy language Romani, and many others.