Spanish in the Avertisements
The use of the Spanish language in advertisements published in Anglo-Chilean newspapers, whether in titles or descriptions, increased as the century progressed. Whereas in the early years (1840s-1860s), Spanish was used only in titles, as in “Instituto de Idiomas,” by the 1870s Spanish might appear in entire descriptions, such as “Sastrería y Ropería.” This new feature not only indicates cultural exchange between British and Chileans, but also implies a shifting readership for these Anglophone papers: by printing some ads in Spanish, editors provided a wider audience with access to information. The bilingual text demonstrates that Anglophone editors no longer focused exclusively on English-speaking audiences but sought a wider, Spanish-speaking readership as well. These changes are especially apparent in The Valparaíso and West Coast Mail and The Star of Chile.
Note: we have chosen not to count the use of Spanish in street addresses as examples of linguistic hybridity.
This advertisement is written entirely in Spanish; it promotes a tailor shop in Valparaiso that offered a wide variety of men’s clothes at very accessible prices.
This advertisement includes Spanish only in its title and promotes a German bar that sells German beer as well as sandwiches—items still associated with German culture in Chile.
This advertisement uses Spanish only in the title; however, its promotion of a language institute specializing in both English and Spanish reflects the importance of both languages in the region, while implying the increased hybridity of the English-speaking colony.