Friday, July 18, 2008

Roy Yo Soy

The following poem was written by my aunt Lola in Miami, Florida. She is a decorated and prolific writer. Upon hearing that I had a new website that captured local language in the US, she was suddenly inspired to write a poem that captures the "pochismo" Spanglish that she hears on a daily basis in Miami. So, here it is. It's a fun adaptation from a Dr. Seuss classic. Enjoy.


Roy Yo Soy

By: Dolores Sendler

(Adapted from GREEN EGGS AND HAM – By: Dr. Seuss)



I am Sam

Sam I am.


Y yo soy Roy

Roy yo soy.


That Roy-yo-soy.

That Roy-yo-soy.

I do not like that Roy-yo-soy.


Do you like bistec con pan?

Do you like it Roy-yo-soy?


I do not like bistec con pan

I do not like it Sam-I-am.


Do you like it aquí o ahí?

Do you like it with ají?


No me gusta aquí o ahí

I do not like it with ají.

I do not like bistec con pan

I do not like it Sam-I-am.


Do you like it with mostaza?

¿En tu casa?

¿Con mi raza?


No me gusta con mostaza.

Ni con ají ni con mi raza.

I do not like bistec con pan!

No me gusta Sam-I-am!



Would you like it in a plato?

With a dog or with a gato?


Not in a plato.

Not with a gato.

Not with a dog.

Not with a hog.

I would not like it with mostaza.

In my house or in your casa.

I would not like it here or there

I would not like it anywhere!

I do not like bistec con pan!

No me gusta Sam-I-am!


Would you? Could you?

En el Cayo?

On a donkey or a caballo?


I will not, could not,

en el Cayo.

On a burro.

Or a caballo!


You may like it

in the sea.

You may like it

in a tree.


Not in the sea.

Not in a tree.

Not in the ocean! You let me be!


No me gusta en el Cayo.

No me gusta a caballo.

I do not like it with maduros.

Or those awful Cuban puros.

I do not like it with a toy,

That they’re calling Roy-yo-soy!

!Yo soy Roy! Not that toy!


I do not like bistec con pan!

I do not like it, Sam-I-am!


!La guagua! !La guagua!

Could you on the Monorail?


Not on la guaga!

Not on the rail!

Not on la micro!

Not on the trail!

Sam let me be!


I would not, could not en el tren.

I could not, would not with a friend.

I will not eat it in a plato.

With a dog or with a gato.

I do not like it en el Cayo.

With a perro or a caballo.

I do not like it on a burro.

With frijoles con maduros.

I do not like it with bizcocho.

In Southwest or Calle Ocho.

I do not like bistec con pan!

I do not like it Sam-I-am!


Say!

At the mall?

At Dadeland Mall!

Would you, could you at the mall?


I would not, could not,

At the mall.


Would you, could you with a ball?

I would not, could not with a ball.

Not at the mall! Not in a train!

Not with a gato! Not in the rain!

I do not like it at the beach.

With a mango or with a peach.


I do not like it with maduros.

With frijoles or with puros.

Not with tostones! Not in a house!

Not with condones! Not with a mouse!

I will not eat it con el gato.

With refritos on a plato.

Not at Viscaya.

Not at the playa.

Not with coffee or cortaditos.

Caja China or with mojitos.


I will not eat it here or there.

I will not eat it anywhere!


You do not like bistec con pan?

¡No me gusta Sam-I-am!


Would you, could you,

con un flan?


I would not, could not,

with a flan!


Could you, would you,

in Hialeah?

Would you, maybe,

in Key Biscayne?


I would not,

could not,

in Hialeah.

I would not,

in Key Biscayne!

That’s insane!


Key Biscayne is our bahía!

It’s a terrible idea!


I could not, would not, with a mouse.

In a condo or in a house.

I will not, will not, a caballo.

In Key West or in Key Largo.

I will not eat it with maduros.

With cigars they’re calling puros.

I will not eat it on a plato.

Wih the dog or with el gato.

Not with mojitos! Not cafecitos!

Not with salsita! Not cortaditos!

I do not like it with bizcocho.

At the mall on Calle Ocho!

I do not like it with mondonga.

Cha-cha-chá, mambo, or conga.

I do not like it with Katrina,

She destroyed our Caja China.

I do not like it here or there.

I do no like it ANYWHERE!

I do not like bistec con pan!

¡No me gusta Sam-I-am!


You do not like it?

So you say.

!Pruébalo!

Taste it!

And you may.


Try it hoy,

Roy-yo soy.

Try it today!

I say.

Try it!

And you may.


If you will let me be,

I will try it.

You will see……





Say!

!Caramba!

I like bistec con pan!

And I like it with maduros.

With tostones and with flan!

And I would eat it in a boat,

And I would eat it with a goat.

And I will eat it in the rain.

On the guagua or on the train.

And in the dark. At Bayside Park.

And on the bridge or in the bay.

I will eat it every day!

And I will eat it at the games.

With tormenta and hurricanes.

I will eat them with potatoes.

With ajiaco and with tomatoes.

At Metrozoo in Metromover.

I will eat it on a scooter.

Chimichurri I will favor.

To replace that ketchup flavor!

Miami Beach! The lower Keys!

No more sipping spot-of tea!

It is so good, so good you see.

So I will eat it with sambuca.

Mojo Criollo, arroz and yucca.

And I will eat it in a plato.

With my perro and my gato.

At the playa! At Viscaya!

And I will eat it in a house.

And I will eat it with a mouse.

And I will eat it here and there.

!Vaya! I will eat it ANYWHERE!


I do so like

!Bistec con pan!

¡Gracias!

¡Gracias!

Sam-I-am!

Dolores C. Sendler - Miami, Florida


Sunday, July 13, 2008

So Long, Diphthong!

In Costa Rica I have noticed the elimination of diphthongs in certain words. For example, the word achiote (crushed annato seeds made into a paste for red food coloring) is most often pronounced [achote], effectively cutting off the '-io-' diphthong.

This isn't the only strange vowel-related phenomenon I've encountered. I wrote about the weakening of strong vowels in my article, "Not the King's Spanish". Check it out.

Pura Vida,

Thomas