Short answer: no.
Long answer: it depends on who gets to decide.
Spanglish is often criticized as “incorrect,” “improper,” or “bad English.” But those labels say less about language — and more about power, history, and whose voices are considered legitimate.
So is Spanglish actually incorrect English?
Why People Call Spanglish “Incorrect”
The criticism usually comes from a narrow definition of language.
In formal settings, English and Spanish are taught as separate, standardized systems. Anything that blends them is treated as deviation — something to fix rather than understand.
But everyday language doesn’t work like textbooks.
People speak to communicate, not to perform grammatical purity. When languages coexist, they naturally influence each other.
What Linguists Actually Say
Linguists don’t view Spanglish as random or careless.
They recognize it as code-switching — the structured, intentional movement between languages based on context, audience, and meaning. This happens all over the world wherever languages meet.
Spanglish follows patterns.
It has rules.
It serves purpose.
That makes it linguistically valid — even if institutions haven’t caught up.
Why This Question Is Really About Power
When people label Spanglish as “incorrect,” they’re often protecting an idea of linguistic authority.
Standard English has historically been tied to:
- education systems
- professional spaces
- social power
Spanglish challenges that authority by refusing to stay neatly separated. It reflects lived experience rather than institutional approval — and that makes some people uncomfortable.
Does Spanglish Mean Someone Lacks Fluency?
No.
Most Spanglish speakers are fully fluent in at least one language — often both. Mixing languages doesn’t signal confusion. It signals adaptability.
Spanglish allows speakers to choose the word, tone, or rhythm that best fits the moment — even if that word comes from a different language.
That flexibility is a strength, not a deficiency.
Why Labeling Language Matters
When a language practice is dismissed as “incorrect,” the people who use it are often dismissed along with it.
They’re seen as less educated.
Less professional.
Less credible.
That’s why these labels matter. They shape how people are treated in schools, workplaces, and public life.
At VOZ NYC, we believe language should be understood in context — not judged against a single standard.
Why This Conversation Still Matters
As multilingual communities continue to grow, questions about “proper” language will only become more visible.
The real question isn’t whether Spanglish is correct.
It’s whether we’re willing to recognize language as something alive, evolving, and deeply human.
Related Reading
These questions are explored further in Your English Is Great, But…, a VOZ NYC–published book that examines how everyday language reflects deeper questions of identity, power, and belonging.
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