Maria Barbara Conti Diaz

Italianismi Presenti Nella Variante Argentina Dello Spagnolo Maria Barbara Conti Diaz

This paper develops a survey of hybridisations and conflicts and their interaction in a diaphasic situation: the Spanish of Argentina, giving an up-close and personal look at the variations whose roots have been for instance borrowed from Italian and later transmitted to tango, cuisine, swear words and every day language, to name a few. With lunfardo and cocoliche as main sources, the following reflects the use of what once began as an underworld slang to later turn into pivotal jargon 'with a twist'. Etymologies and meanings are discussed, in the light of the opinions that some lexicographers who have worked on the matter have shown. In some cases a more accurate origin is proposed, derived either from some of the copious italic dialects, or from some kind of specialised languages . Many terms have been limited to the alphabetical index due to their rare recurrence, some others have been specifically repeated because of their relevance. This essay's final aim is that of establishing the importance of the Italian culture in the formation of nowadays' Argentina through the individualisation of all of the Italian-imprinted words which make the vast Argentine lexicon such a rare and unique example of linguistic integration.