Puerto Rico
The Language in English

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Puerto Rico has two official languages, Spanish and English. Although Spanish was the main language during the Spanish rule, Puerto Ricans now speak a different version of Spanish with a different accent and with some different words than the Spanish from Spain.

The Language in the Schoolspuertoricans
In the 18th century, many Puerto Rican children attended small schools, studied with their familes or worked with their familes and did not study academics. When the United States gained control of Puerto Rico, each child had the opportunity to learn but they had to learn in English. This presented a problem because there were not many teachers, let alone students who understood English. In 1948 the United States government permited Puerto Ricans to learn in Spanish and now students learn in both languages.(njn.net)

 
The Words
Almost 500 words in Puerto Rican Spanish are of the Taino language and there are also words from the East Africans that are now a part of the Puerto Rican language.
 
The Puerto Rican Word          Other Spanish Word                     English
Colibrí                                         Picaflor                                  Hummingbird
Mime                                           Mosca                                   Fly
Cacique                                        Jefe/Líder                              Chief/Leader

Puerto Rico