Use of English in Puerto Rico, or, How to Deal with the Inevitable "Gringo" Label

So I was asked recently if Americans speak English or Spanish while living in Puerto Rico. The answer is a bit complicated so I want to start with some history first.

When America first invaded Puerto Rico, there was an intense effort to "Americanize" Puerto Rico. A large part of this was due to racism on part of the American government (Congress members didn't believe Puerto Ricans were capable of self-rule not only because of the African and indigenous roots but also the Spanish as well). So instead of the democracy that was promised by General Miles in 1898, the Puerto Ricans got American governors chosen in Washington. None of these governors spoke Spanish and most were just serving so they could climb the political ladder; basically, they were padding their resumes. So the American governors were generally out of touch with their subjects, and, if I may be so frank, didn't really care. There are a few exceptions to this, of course, most notably Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (yes, son of president Roosevelt), who, among many things, learned some Spanish, tried to help Puerto Rico out with the devastating hurricane San Felipe, and offered a quarter of his own personal funds to support the Puerto Rican banks when economic crisis hit.

Meanwhile, there was an attempt to Americanize the culture. Teachers and students were all expected to speak only English in school, even though none of the students and very few of the teachers even knew the basics. The U.S. sent English teachers but most didn't speak any Spanish and some didn't even know any English at all. Needless to say, this was a very ineffective way of handling this, causing anger and confusion for both parties. A more lenient setup (and more rights) would follow much later.

Fastforwarding to today, nearly all Puerto Ricans speak and understand some level of English, and they are quite used to American tourists (depends on where you are though--places in the center of the island are a bit less receptive since less tourists come by). English is taught for all 12 years of school, after all, and people try to use it when they can. So generally, when Puerto Ricans see people who look American, they automatically resort to English.

For me personally, this is something I've gotten used to, because I'm a redhead and redheads are quite rare in Puerto Rico. I've seen a few and the only one I've really met was in the middle of nowhere at a parranda, when a lady walked up to me and told me I had to see her niece because we looked identical, and then she brings out a girl who was even fairer than I with a long ponytail of very red hair. So there are some; regardless I am stared at constantly while walking around (you get used to it, I suppose).

While I'm still trying to deal with being bombarded with English every time I try to buy something, I am figuring out a few techniques to avoid it. One is that I simply won't let people speak in English with me. For me I guess it's different than it would be for someone still a beginner or without a Puerto Rican accent, because it's kind of obvious that you aren't a native speaker so they will keep pressing for English. Regardless, continue talking in Spanish until they get the message that you refuse to speak in English. Something else important to remember is to never speak in English in a store if you can help it, because they will hear you and start speaking in English before you even open your mouth. Not that you should change your friends just because they speak English! But if you have the choice, go for Spanish.

However, the best way to ensure you will get the Spanish treatment is if you find a Puerto Rican friend and speak in Spanish with them as much as possible. It sounds kind of "duh", but there is no other way to figure out the expressions and get used to the sounds of their Spanish than with practice and explanations of why what is what. Finding someone sounds a lot harder than it is. Many Puerto Ricans are more than willing to share their culture with anyone who will listen. The more flags you see on their property, the more they'll want to talk about themselves (that's a joke, by the way).

I think the fact that their Spanish needs explanations also contributes to why Puerto Ricans are so hesitant to speak in Spanish to foreigners; they know that their Spanish is difficult to understand, what with the accent and the colorful vocabulary. Without someone explaining a lot of the conversation to you, it can be nearly impossible to follow. This causes mixed feelings. On one hand, a lot of Puerto Ricans (and other Spanish speakers, unfortunately) see their Spanish as impure, cheap, etc. On the other, it's a huge source of pride, because their unique language unites them and identifies them as members of the same community.

This, I feel, is an example of what is a huge part of the Puerto Rican sense of being: contradiction. There is a giant lack of self esteem combined with an almost exaggerated patriotism that determines the movements of Puerto Rican society. It is not unusual to see signs saying, "¿Qué nos pasa, Puerto Rico?" (What's happening to us, Puerto Rico?... it sounds more catchy in Spanish I suppose) alongside huge flags displayed with pride. Nowhere is this seen more in politics. In fact, I would dare to say that this contradiction has both decided politics in the island while also being the effect of politics on the island. Puerto Rico doesn't trust itself to be independent (an ideology cemented into society after history proved the difficulties of an independent Latin America as well as chasing away the voices of the independentistas). But at the same time, there is far too much pride to become a state, losing the language and the sense of a nation. Thus the island still has trouble committing to one side or another. However, even deeper, the frustration at seeing the corruption and inability to make change has also kept confidence down while each day more that Puerto Rico stays part of the United States the more patriotism rises since it has to counter growing American influence. This self doubt and pride, a great paradox fueled by an uncertain fate, is an important part of the Puerto Rican soul and will continue to be an obstacle for Puerto Rico in the future.

Anyways, even though I mentioned last time that I do write this blog to spread awareness about Puerto Rico, another reason is the uniqueness of the language. As I've mentioned before I feel that Puerto Rican Spanish is unappreciated. It is a very rich language that has three additional sources besides Spain to draw from, those being Taíno and African roots along with American English. Then there is just plain old creativity which continues changing the language without leaning on either the past or the future but rather serves to satisfy the present needs of Puerto Rican speech. I can't see Puerto Rican Spanish as "trashy", not only because I've been taught that there is something like a better or worse accent in languages, since better or worse is determined by social constructions and not by the sounds, but also because of the very depth of Boricua Spanish. It's too easy to write off informal language as "incorrect", and I implore everyone to forget this misconception. Informal language is what makes a community, especially for Puerto Rico, and it does have cultural and even literary significance.

For the person studying Puerto Rican Spanish, it's a victory each time a piece of the language is clarified. I think one of the most rewarding things is being able to understand the clever reggaetón of Calle 13: first passing through the accent, then understanding the slang words unique to Puerto Rico, then figuring out the (occasionally strange) expressions, then finally discovering the satire, cultural and political, below all of this, which can mock and still care for Puerto Rico--yet another example of the paradox above in popular culture. Even though I don't expect everyone to like Calle 13, these layers also apply to normal speech. A simple statement in Puerto Rican Spanish can easily have historical, cultural, political, and personal implications, all at once; yet all of this is lost on someone without the background knowledge.

My first experiences in Puerto Rico were exactly like that, which I included above as a warning not to sound condescending but rather because it's the truth. Although I had a decent level of Spanish when our plane touched the ground, I soon found it wasn't adequate. Honestly? I didn't understand a thing. So I sought out the answers to everything I didn't understand, which not only provided a new knowledge of the language but also the culture. For example, knowing the word jíbaro in all of its meanings requires knowing everything from the pre-Colombian people to the modern political parties and then seeing its purpose as a symbol during the past and today. Without help this and other more obscure terms would have been completely lost on me. Over time many similar things were explained to me. I owe my friends a lot for all that they've taught me. Even so, I still feel I have a lot to learn, but at least now I can enjoy what I have learned. It has made a drastic difference in how I see Puerto Rico and I don't think I would be where I am without it.

Overall, understanding Puerto Rican Spanish is a test of understanding culture. It's impossible to speak Boricua without acknowledging this. But learning culture is not too difficult to accomplish and it is definitely worth it in the end. And of course, I am here to help.

And a final note about the original question: for Americans working in Puerto Rico knowing at least some Spanish is vital, particularly in San Juan. Because of the job market mess, there are few professional jobs and a lot of Puerto Ricans who are qualified. Therefore, most companies, even American ones, have no reason to hire a monolingual experienced American over a bilingual experienced Puerto Rican. But a little Spanish goes a long way in this case and an experienced American with basic Spanish can sometimes get preference over the bilingual Puerto Rican. So it depends. There also are communities of expats, generally on the west coast and in specific in Rincón, and while there are plenty who do speak some Spanish, I've gotten the impression that many don't. I think the safest answer is to say that it depends on the situation. It is possible to survive on the island with just English, for sure. But living there is a different story.

I welcome any comments on this because I think there are a few themes I brought up that can be explored more if there is interest. So, please, let's discuss.