The EU Referendum is looming and for people across Britain it is the time to weigh up the positives and negatives of remaining a member of the European Union.
Here at Bubbles we’ve decided to take this opportunity to explore one of our favourite European ‘trade deals’: the language blend. A delight for many, but a nightmare for others, if you’re yet to decide between Brexit and Bremain, the language blend could just help tip you over the fence, one way or the other.
Franglais
It’s impossible to discuss the language blends of Europe without touching on the much-loved ‘language’ of Franglais. To some, Franglais is French speech that uses excessive and sometimes very odd use of English words. To others, it’s the Anglicisation of French by the English.
Either way, it results in some amusing and confusing language blends. Some of our favourites include:
Le baby-foot – Table football (a baby sized version of real football, ‘le foot’)
Un hard-discounter – A discount store, not the title of a cheap Hollywood action film
Un/Une people – A celebrity (they’re people, too)
Un talkie-walkie – A walkie-talkie
Spanglish
Following closely behind its French rival, Spanglish has begun to invade the Spanish language across the globe. Just like Franglais, this Spanish / English blend has also courted controversy, with some arguing it represents a natural part of the development of language while others suggest it signals the breakdown of both individual languages.
Both arguments have valid points, but some of the more unusual Spanglish words are just too good to be true:
Texteo – Texting, but far more amusing.
El mouse – A computer mouse
Sangweesh – A sandwich
Jamburger – When a hamburger just won’t do
Denglish
Denglish is another increasingly common language blend created by the youth of Germany and England to help avoid some of the German language’s complex nouns.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone down too well with the older generations, but that isn’t stopping the marketing industry and media from making use of this new pseudo-language.
Some of the most commonly heard words include:
Showmaster – A more enthusiastic version of a TV presenter
Die Queen – The British Queen, not a threat to the royal family
Das streaming – Streaming via the internet
Das beefsteak – A juicy beef steak, obviously
Whether you’re entertained or appalled by this particular evolution of European languages, understanding the way English is used in other countries is a vital part of the translation process and essential when it comes to choosing the right words to identify with an overseas audience.
