View source for Llanito

{{short description|Spanish variety spoken in Gibraltar}}
{{For|the use of the term as a demonym|Gibraltarian people}}
{{Distinguish|Gibraltarian English|Spanglish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox language
| altname          = Yanito
| name             = Llanito
| ethnicity        = [[Gibraltarians]]
| image            = 
| nativename       = 
| pronunciation    = {{IPA|es|ɟʝaˈnito|lang}}
| states           = [[Gibraltar]]
| speakers         = 
| date             = 
| ref              = 
| speakers2        = 
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Italic languages|Italic]]
| fam3             = [[Latino-Faliscan languages|Latino-Faliscan]]
| fam4             = [[Latin]]
| fam5             = [[Romance languages|Romance]]
| fam6             = [[Italo-Western languages|Italo-Western]]
| fam7             = [[Western Romance languages|Western]]
| fam8             = [[Iberian Romance languages|Iberian]]
| fam9             = [[West Iberian languages|West Iberian]]
| fam10            = [[Castilian languages|Castilian]]<ref name="Ethnologue">Eberhard, David M., Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2020. ''Ethnologue: Languages of the World''. Twenty-third edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com.</ref><ref name="Glottolog">{{cite book|chapter=Castilic|chapter-url=http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/cast1243|editor1-first=Harald|editor1-last=Hammarström|editor2-first=Robert|editor2-last=Forkel|editor3-first=Martin|editor3-last=Haspelmath|editor4-first=Sebastian|editor4-last=Bank|year=2022|title=[[Glottolog|Glottolog 4.6]]|location=Jena, Germany|publisher=Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology|ref={{sfnref|Glottolog|2022}}}}</ref>
| fam11            = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| fam12            = [[Peninsular Spanish]]
| fam13            = [[Andalusian Spanish]]
| ancestor         = [[Old Latin]]
| ancestor2        = [[Vulgar Latin]]
| ancestor3        = [[Proto-Romance language|Proto-Romance]]
| ancestor4        = [[Old Spanish]]
| ancestor5        = [[Early Modern Spanish]]
| script           = [[Latin script|Latin]]
| agency           = 
| iso1             = 
| iso2             = 
| iso3             = 
| isoexception     = dialect
| lingua           = 
| sign             = 
| glotto           = 
| glottorefname    = 
| ietf             = es-GI-spanglis
| map              = File:Gibraltar map-en-edit2.svg
| mapcaption       = The majority of Gibraltar's population speaks Llanito.
| notice           = IPA
}}
{{Culture of Gibraltar}}
{{Spanish language}}
'''Llanito''' or '''Yanito''' ({{IPA|es|ɟʝaˈnito}}) is a form of [[Andalusian Spanish]] heavily laced with words from English and other languages, such as [[Ligurian (Romance language)|Ligurian]]; it is spoken in the [[British Overseas Territories|British overseas territory]] of [[Gibraltar]].<ref name="creole">{{cite web|url=http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Gibraltar.html#orientation|title=Culture of Gibraltar|publisher=Everyculture|access-date=2007-10-05}}</ref> It is commonly marked by a great deal of [[code-switching|code switching]] between [[Andalusian Spanish]] and [[British English]] and by the use of [[Anglicism]]s and loanwords from other Mediterranean languages and dialects.<ref name="Levey2008">{{cite book|author=David Levey|title=Language Change and Variation in Gibraltar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VKW6uqxsj4YC|date=January 2008|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing|isbn=978-90-272-1862-9|pages=1–4}}</ref>

Llanito has been described as "Gibraltar's dying mother-tongue".<ref name="wright">{{cite journal |journal=9 West Road |volume=23 |pages=23–4 |title=Gibraltar, LLanito and Marlboro Men |url=https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/alumni/newsletter/9westroad23.pdf?utm_campaign=alumni&utm_medium=email&utm_source=1688478_M23476%20Faculty%20of%20English%209%20West%20Road%20April%202024&dm_i=6DCG,106U6,61MSBN,4JAHF,1 |last=Wright |first=Laura |date=Spring 2024}}</ref> The English language is becoming increasingly dominant in Gibraltar, with the younger generation speaking little or no Llanito despite learning Spanish in school.<ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/dcd54fac-138c-11e7-80f4-13e067d5072c Financial Times. ''Gibraltar fears loss of identity over Yanito decline.''] Retrieved 17 November 2022</ref><ref>[https://english.elpais.com/spain/2023-03-27/the-decline-of-llanito-gibraltar-struggles-to-preserve-its-singular-linguistic-identity.html English.elpais.com. ''The decline of Llanito: Gibraltar struggles to preserve its singular linguistic identity.''] Retrieved 31 March 2023.</ref>
''Llanito'' is a [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word meaning "little plain". [[Gibraltarians]] also call themselves ''Llanitos''.

==Etymology==
The etymology of the term {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Llanito}} is uncertain, and there are a number of theories about its origin. In Spanish, {{lang|es|llanito}} means "little flatland" and one interpretation is that it refers to the "people of the flatlands".{{sfn|Kellermann|2001|pp=8–10}} It is thought that the inhabitants of La Línea with important social and economic ties with Gibraltar, were actually the first to be referred to as {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Llanitos}} since La Línea lies in the plain and marsh land surrounding The Rock.

Another theory for the origin of the word is that it is a [[diminutive]] of the name {{lang|it|[[Gianni]]}}: "gianito",{{sfn|Kellermann|2001|pp=8–10}} pronounced in Genoese slang with the "g" as "j".<ref>Vignoli, Giulio. "Gli Italiani Dimenticati"; Chapter: Gibilterra</ref> During the late 18th century 34% of the male civilian population of Gibraltar came from [[Genoa]] and {{lang|it|Gianni}} was a common [[Italian name|Italian forename]].<ref>Levey, David: [https://books.google.com/books?id=VKW6uqxsj4YC&q=french+gibraltar+ethnic&pg=PA24 ''Language change and variation in Gibraltar'', page 24. John Benjamins Publishing Company.]</ref> To this day, nearly 20% of Gibraltarian surnames are Italian in origin.<ref name="empire">{{cite book | title=Gibraltar, identity and empire | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ip0C6odET4C | author=Edward G. Archer | publisher=Routledge | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-415-34796-9 | page=36 | chapter=Ethnic factors}}</ref> It has also been speculated that the term comes from the English name "Johnny".<ref name="Lipski86" />

It has also been hypothesized that the term originated as a reference to the language of the people, with {{lang|es|llanito}} originally referring to the "plain language" spoken by ordinary Gibraltarians.{{sfn|Kellermann|2001|pp=8–10}}

==History==
The most influential periods for the formation of Llanito are:<ref name="Martínez">{{cite news |last1=Martínez |first1=Samuel |title=El llanito: tres claves para entender cómo Gibraltar desarrolló su 'spanglish' con acento andaluz |url=https://www.eldiario.es/red/que-es/llanito-tres-claves-entender-gibraltar-desarrollo-spanglish-acento-andaluz_1_7942981.html |access-date=18 May 2021 |work=ElDiario.es |date=2021-05-17 |language=es-ES}}</ref>
* 1713. The [[Treaty of Utrecht]] yields Gibraltar to the United Kingdom.
* After the [[Spanish War of Independence]] and the [[Peninsular War]], British authorities form [[Education in Gibraltar|an education system]] of British inspiration.
* During the [[Evacuation of the Gibraltarian civilian population during World War II|evacuation of Gibraltar]] within the [[Second World War]], the authorities realise that most of the Gibraltarians lack a sufficient command of English. Subsequently, Spanish is relegated to a foreign language subject in the education system.
* 1969–1982. Spanish governments close [[Gibraltar–Spain border|"the fence"]] (the land border) and Spanish workers cannot cross the border into Gibraltar. This reduced the need for Spanish in the workplace and the input of Spanish nannies.{{Sfn|Levey|2008|p=11}}

==Language==
Andalusian Spanish, from the surrounding ''[[Campo de Gibraltar]],'' is the main constituent of Llanito. However, Llanito is also heavily influenced by British English. Furthermore, it has borrowed words and expressions from many other languages: for example, it contains over 500 words from the medieval [[Genoese dialect|Genoese]] dialect of [[Ligurian language (Romance)|Ligurian]], as well as some words of [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] origin via [[Judaeo-Spanish]].<ref name="ethno">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=eng#Gibraltar|title=Gibraltar Ethnologue profile|publisher=Ethnologue|access-date=2007-09-21}}</ref> Its other main language constituents are [[Maltese language|Maltese]], [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[Menorcan|Menorcan Catalan]] and [[Maghrebi Arabic|Darija Arabic]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} 
[[Caló language|Caló]] borrowings were once present but have since been lost.{{Sfn|Levey|2008|p=4}}

Llanito often involves [[code-switching]] (using different languages for different sentences) and [[code mixing]] (using different languages for different words in the same sentence) from Spanish to English.{{sfn|Vázquez Amador|2018|p=326}}
Some Llanito words are also widely used in the neighbouring Spanish town of [[La Línea de la Concepción]] (due to the influx of people from La Línea working in Gibraltar over many years).<ref name="linea">{{cite web|url=http://www.geo.ya.com/milinea/paginas/diccionario.htm|title=Linense Dictionary|publisher=La Línea de la Concepción|access-date=2007-10-05}}</ref>

It has no official [[orthography]].<ref name="wright" />

One feature of the language is the pronunciation of Anglicisms with an Andalusian flavour. For example, "bacon" is pronounced ''{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|beki}}'', "cake" is pronounced ''{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|keki}}'' (although these particular words are not prevalent today), and porridge is called {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|quecaró}} (a [[hispanicisation]] of the brand [[Quaker Oats]]).{{Sfn|Levey|2008|p=5}}
Most Gibraltarians, especially those with higher education, also speak standard Spanish with [[Andalusian dialect|Andalusian]] pronunciations and standard English of a British English [[Variety (linguistics)|variety]].{{sfn|Kellermann|2001|p=146}}

Like other Andalusian varieties, Llanito is marked by high rates of [[Spanish dialects and varieties#Word-final -n|final {{IPA|/n/|cat=no}} velarisation]], neutralisation and elision of pre-consonantal and word-final {{IPA|/l/}} and {{IPA|/r/}}, and [[Spanish dialects and varieties#Debuccalization of coda /s/|reduction of final {{IPA|/s/|cat=no}}]]. One difference from surrounding dialects is that Gibraltarians tend to maintain this high rate of reduction of final consonants even in very elevated registers, whereas Andalusians would try to adopt a more neutral pronunciation.<ref name="Lipski86">{{cite journal |last1=Lipski |first1=John M. |author-link=John M. Lipski |title=Sobre el bilingüismo anglo-hispánico en Gibraltar |journal=Neuphilologische Mitteilungen |date=1986 |volume=LXXXVII |issue=3 |pages=414–427 |url=https://johnlipski.github.io/gib.pdf |language=Spanish}}</ref>
Llanito has undergone some degree of lexical restructuring as a result of its reduction of final consonants and the unofficial status of Spanish. For example, {{lang|es|túnel}} 'tunnel' is often pronounced {{IPA|[ˈtune]}}, and its plural form may be pronounced as {{IPA|[ˈtune(h)]}} instead of {{IPA|[ˈtunele(h)]}}.<ref name="Lipski86"/>

According to Italian scholar Giulio Vignoli, Llanito originally contained many Genoese words, which were later replaced by mainly Spanish and some English words.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Llanito has significant Jewish influence, because of a [[History of the Jews in Gibraltar|long-standing Jewish population in Gibraltar]]. They introduced words and expressions from [[Haketia]], a largely extinct Judeo-Spanish language spoken by the [[Sephardi Jews|Sephardic]] communities of Northern [[Morocco]] such as in [[Tetuan]] and [[Tangiers]], and the Spanish [[exclave]]s of [[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]] in North Africa.

Although Llanito is seldom written, a Llanito dictionary, {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Diccionario Yanito}}, was published in 1978 by [[Manuel Cavilla]]. In 2001, [[Tito Vallejo]] published ''The Yanito Dictionary. Including Place Names and Yanito Anecdotes''.<ref>{{cite book | url = http://hera.ugr.es/tesisugr/16077507.pdf | title = The discursive construction of Gibraltarian identity in the printed press: A critical discourse analysis on the Gibraltar issue (PhD Thesis) | author = Ángela Alameda Hernández | publisher = [[Universidad de Granada]] | access-date = 2008-10-13 | pages = 20 | isbn = 84-338-3818-0 }}</ref>

==Core elements of Llanito vocabulary==
Although Llanito is largely based on the colloquial Spanish spoken in the Campo de Gibraltar, there are numerous elements beyond code-switching to English which make it unique. These are as follows.

===Anglicisms===
They may be [[false friend]]s or involve an informal playfulness.
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Echegarai}}: "watchman" or "guard". From English ''"Check Gate"'' influenced by the Basque surname [[Echegaray]].
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Focona}}: Gibraltar border with Spain. From English ''"Four Corners"''.
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|darle una apología}}:{{Sfn|Levey|2008|p=5}} "to give him an apology" instead of {{lang|es|pedirle perdón}}. In standard Spanish, {{lang|es|[[wikt:apología|apología]]}} is a "[[Apologia|defence speech]]".

===Calques from English to Spanish===
Llanito frequently uses verbal expressions with {{lang|es|para atrás}}, or {{lang|es|p'atrás}}, mirroring use of [[English phrasal verbs]] ending in "back".<ref name="Lipski">{{Harvnb |Lipski |2008 |pp=226-229}}</ref> These expressions are meaningless in standard Spanish.
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Te llamo p'atrás}}: Literal translation into Spanish of English phrase "I'll call you back". In standard Spanish, one would normally say "I'll return your call" ({{lang|es-ES|Te devuelvo la llamada}}, {{Lang|es|Te devolveré la llamada}}).
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|dar p'atrás}}: "To give back".
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|venir p'atrás}}: "To come back".
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|hablar p'atrás}}: "To talk back".
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|pagar p'atrás}}: "To pay back".
Usage of {{lang|es|p'atrás}} expressions is also widespread in [[Spanish language in the United States|US Spanish]], including in [[Isleño Spanish]].<ref name="Lipski"/> {{lang|es|P'atrás}} expressions are unique as a calque of an English verbal particle, since other phrasal verbs are almost never calqued into Spanish.<ref name="Lipski"/> Because of this, and because {{lang|es|p'atrás}} expressions are both consistent with Spanish structure and distinctly structured to their English equivalents,{{sfn|Otheguy|1993|ps=}} they are likely a result of a conceptual, not linguistic loan.{{sfn|Otheguy|1993|ps=}}

The word {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|liqueribá}}{{Sfn|Levey|2008|p=5}} in Llanito means {{lang|es-ES|regaliz}} ("liquorice") in Spanish, stemming from the English "liquorice bar".

===Calques from Spanish to English===
*''{{lang|en-GI-spanglis|Don't give me the tin}}'': Literal translation of Spanish expression {{lang|es-es|No me des la lata}}, meaning "stop annoying me".
*''{{lang|en-GI-spanglis|What a}} {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|cachon}}{{lang|en-GI-spanglis|finger!}}'': This is a humorous expression based on the Spanish word {{lang|es-ES|cachondeo}} which means "{{lang|en-GB|piss-take}}" in British English. The end of the word, {{lang|es-ES|deo}}, is how the word {{lang|es-ES|dedo}} (finger) is pronounced in colloquial Andalusian Spanish, thus ''{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|cachon}}{{lang|en-GI-spanglis|finger}}''.{{Sfn|Levey|2008|p=6}}

===Local expressions===
*{{lang|es-GI-spanglis|¿Tú quién te crees que eres? ¿El hijo del Melbil?}} Literally, ''"Who do you think you are? The son of the Melbil?"'', as used when someone is acting with excessive self-importance. {{lang|es-GI-spanglis|Melbil}} is a Spanish approximation of the pronunciation of the British name ''Melville'', and the expression is an allusion to [[Viscount Melville|Lord Melville]],{{cn|date=June 2021}} a British statesmen prominent in the early 19th-century. The [[Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville|elder Lord Melville]] was [[Secretary at War]] (1794–1801), and [[First Lord of the Admiralty]] (1804–1805); his son, the [[Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville|younger Lord Melville]], later became First Lord of the Admiralty (1812-1827).

==Linguistic research==
Laura Wright, an English professor at the [[University of Cambridge]], and Sophie Macdonald, a [[Gibraltarians|Gibraltarian]] undergraduate she was supervising, began researching the language in 2022. Wright sought a research grant from the Gibraltarian government without success, but induced a minister to put saving Llanito into his election manifesto.  She is assisted by local writer [[M. G. Sanchez]].<ref name="wright" />

==Broadcasting==
The [[Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation]] has broadcast some programmes in Llanito, including ''Talk About Town'', a discussion series in which three presenters discuss local affairs, from the need to replace a street sign to important political affairs.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

''Pepe's Pot'' was a cookery programme which also used Llanito.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pffC9la_pOc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/pffC9la_pOc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Pepe's Pot con Vanessa (Programa de cocina de la GBC - TV Gibraltar)|date=21 February 2012 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| title=Gibraltar and its hinterland: Sociolinguistic exchanges between two neighbouring communities|first=Carmen|last=Fernández Martín| url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=es&user=8uXrlNQAAAAJ&citation_for_view=8uXrlNQAAAAJ:d1gkVwhDpl0C | language=es |journal=Antes y después del Quijote, ed. R. Archer et al.|year=2005|pages=795–806}}</ref>

==Film==
A documentary film, ''People of the Rock: The Llanitos of Gibraltar''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://grubstreetenglish.blogspot.com/2010/07/people-of-rock-llanitos-of-gibraltar.html|title=The People of the Rock: Llanitos of Gibraltar|author=Grub Street|date=15 July 2010}}</ref> (2011), discusses Llanito speech characteristics, history and culture. Notable interviews include Pepe Palmero (of GBC's ''Pepe's Pot''), [[Kaiane Aldorino]] (Miss World 2009), and Tito Vallejo (author of ''The Llanito Dictionary'').

==See also==
* [[Diglossia]]
* [[Languages of Gibraltar]]
* [[Languages of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Spanglish]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book
|last1=Archer
|first1=Edward G.
|title=Gibraltar, identity and empire
|date=2006
|publisher=Routledge
|location=London
|isbn=9780415347969
|pages=107–114
|chapter=Language and the community
}}
* {{cite book
|last1=Eberhard
|first1=David M.
|last2=Simons
|first2=Gary F.
|last3=Fennig
|first3=Charles D.
|title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World
|url=http://www.ethnologue.com
|date=2020|publisher=SIL International
|location=Dallas, Texas
|edition=23rd
}}
* {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fEiX-YLT3j8C|title=A New New English: Language, Politics, and Identity in Gibraltar|first=Anja|last=Kellermann|date=8 March 2001|publisher=BoD – Books on Demand|isbn=9783831123681|via=Google Books}}
* {{cite book |last1=Levey |first1=David |title=Language Change and Variation in Gibraltar |date=2008|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing |isbn=978-90-272-9159-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kag5AAAAQBAJ |language=en
}}
* {{cite book |last1=Lipski |first1=John M. |author-link=John M. Lipski |title=Varieties of Spanish in the United States |date=2008 |publisher=Georgetown University Press |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=9781589012134}}
* {{cite book |last1=Otheguy |first1=Ricardo |chapter=A reconsideration of the notion of loan translation in the analysis of U.S. Spanish |title=Spanish in the United States |date=1993-01-31 |doi=10.1515/9783110804973.21 |editor-last1=Roca |editor-first1=Ana |editor-last2=Lipski |editor-first2=John M. |isbn=9783110804973 |series=Studies in Anthropological Linguistics|pages=21–46 }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Vázquez Amador |first1=María |title=Introducción al yanito de Gibraltar |journal=E-Aesla |date=2018 |issue=4 |page=326 |url=https://cvc.cervantes.es/LENGUA/eaesla/pdf/04/32.pdf |access-date=18 May 2021 |trans-title=Introduction to Gibraltarian Yanito |publisher=Centro Virtual Cervantes |language=es-ES |issn=2444-197X}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/llanito.htm Llanito alphabet and pronunciation] at ''Omniglot''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213338/http://www.llanito.com/default.htm  A searchable database of Gibraltarian sayings and street signs]
* [http://www.panorama.gi/views.htm A weekly comical editorial in exaggerated code-switching Llanito by the daily ''Panorama'' (newspaper)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031034305/http://www.panorama.gi/views.htm |date=31 October 2020 }}
* [http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/10/28/inenglish/1477658116_053458.html ‘Andalunglish’: the English words Spaniards have borrowed from Gibraltar], 31 October 2016, Nick Lyne, [[El País (Spain)|El País]]. Article about a collection of Anglicisms used in Campo de Gibraltar.

===Dictionaries===
* {{cite web|url=http://www.aboutourrock.com/dictionary/a.htm|title=Online Llanito dictionary|last=Vallejo|first=Tito|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221204419/http://www.aboutourrock.com/dictionary/a.htm|archive-date=2007-12-21}}
* {{citation |author=Manuel Cavilla, OBE|title=Diccionario Yanito|publisher=MedSUN (Mediterranean SUN Publishing Co Ltd) - Gibraltar|year=1978|language=es}}

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[[Category:Languages of Gibraltar]]
[[Category:Spanish dialects]]
[[Category:Macaronic forms of English]]
[[Category:Mixed languages]]
[[Category:Languages of the United Kingdom]]