Picture this. It’s the mid-1800s, and the United States is expanding its grasp over territories inhabited by vibrant Spanish-speaking communities, such as California, Texas, and New Mexico. As the Mexican-American War ensues, the need for practical communication emerges between communities, and like water and oil separating in a vinaigrette, the languages refuse to blend. Yet, in the ensuing decades, English and Spanish fused in an unexpected way. However, it wasn’t until the late 1940s that the term “Spanglish” was coined by Puerto Rican linguist and poet Salvador Tió.​