Americanisms in the South of USA

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to interpret the data related to El español en el Sur de Estados Unidos by Manuel Alvar. We untangle from the Atlas those words (Americanisms) which are unknown to Spanish speakers in Spain, either because they do no know them, or because they do no use them. In order to contemplate those expressions, they have to be spoken in at least three locations within a larger area than the one studied by the atlas. We have also checked if they had been registered in the Dictionary of the Royal Spanisch Academy and/or Dictionary of Americanisms of the Academy, as well as if they are used in the jargons of the areas of Texas, New Mexico, New Mexico and Southern Colorado. Finally, we demarcate the areas where each expressions is used.