Chicano English. Dialect or language?

Seminar paper from the year 2021 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 1,0, University of Vechta, language: English, abstract: It is well known that there is a specific language spoken in every country. Some countries even have the very same official language. English is one of the languages that is spoken as a native language in many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and many more. Most people also know that there are differences within one language, for instance, differences in British and American English, as well as within the United Kingdom itself. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the United States of America has its own regional varieties. This is especially due to the United States¿ history, particularly when looking at early settlements and invasions that led to the development of variations in language.

Over centuries, the United States has emerged several dialects. The dialect outlined in this paper is the Chicano English dialect. The aim of this paper is to gather data and research made about Chicano English. Particularly Carmen Fought, Otto Santa Ana, Joyce Penfield and Jacob L. Ornstein-Galicia have contributed profoundly to this field with their studies and findings about Chicano English. Due to the fact that laypersons often mistake a dialect as incorrect and erroneous speech, this paper unveils Chicano English as an actual dialect. It examines who Chicanos and Chicanas are, how the dialect evolved and surveys the dialect¿s history. A special focus is centered on the linguistic aspects phonology, prosody, syntax and semantics. The paper mainly compares Chicano English to the General American variety, which is the standard spoken in the United States of America. It should be noted that not every Chicano English speaker will use all the features that are listed here. However, the paper will present what the majority of speakers realize in their speech or what most speakers have in common in their speech that is different from the Standard American way.