As far as Al Tam's comments:
I never said English is ''codified'', but just ask yourselves, what language is used in courts?? What language is on millions of birth and marriage certificates, on civil judgements, criminal complaints? The U.S. Constitution? The States' Constitutions?
This doesn't count as tacit officialdom??
So....all of you commentators think Mexican immigrants won't understand a true, common Spanish, without mistakes and erroneous words. How is it possible to ascertain each and every Mexicano and Latino immigrant's ken? You all can assume what you want, but using dumb-down Spanish doesn't benefit anyone: it's based solely on stereotype and conjecture. And I am the pedantic one?!
There is no uniform, dumb Spanish: it's all just an infinite series of mistakes and negligence made over time. This is why you can't use dumb Spanish to communicate to an entire community.
Think about this, all you defenders of ANTI-EDUCATIONAL Spanish: In our times, WHO WOULD THINK TO USE ''JIVE'' OR ''EBONICS'' TO ADDRESS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING?? HOW IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT??
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I never said English is ''codified'', but just ask yourselves, what language is used in courts?? What language is on millions of birth and marriage certificates, on civil judgements, criminal complaints? The U.S. Constitution? The States' Constitutions?
This doesn't count as tacit officialdom??
There is no uniform, dumb Spanish: it's all just an infinite series of mistakes and negligence made over time. This is why you can't use dumb Spanish to communicate to an entire community.
Think about this, all you defenders of ANTI-EDUCATIONAL Spanish: In our times, WHO WOULD THINK TO USE ''JIVE'' OR ''EBONICS'' TO ADDRESS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING?? HOW IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT??