What is the language of schools, media and commerce in Miami? (Hialeah: how much, neighborhoods)

[questioner2]

According to statistics most people in Miami speak Spanish at home. Does that mean the language of the city's schools, government, retail signs, and media is also in Spanish? How much of offical Miami is in Spanish and how much is in English?

[tallrick]

Officially everything is in English. Private conversations can be in almost any language, and business is often in Spanish. You will see Spanish language advertising here and there, usually in Hialeah or around Calle Ocho.

[bale002]

Originally Posted by tallrick

Officially everything is in English. Private conversations can be in almost any language, and business is often in Spanish. You will see Spanish language advertising here and there, usually in Hialeah or around Calle Ocho.

It is worth adding that there are Spanish-language newspapers (Miami Herald has a Spanish version for example), radio stations, and television stations.

[Chelito23]

The highest rating newscasts and radio listeners have been to the Spanish stations for years. I don't know about the newspapers though, but they are in Spanish or English. Most documents in a government office are multi lingua (Spanish, English and Creole). Language spoken at official government meetings, proceedings etc is English. Informally, Spanglish. Between people on a private level, it is mainly English by the young and Spanish by the adults. Overall though, you have a good mix of English and Spanish, with the exception of a few neighborhoods.

[305guy]

Originally Posted by questioner2

According to statistics most people in Miami speak Spanish at home. Does that mean the language of the city's schools, government, retail signs, and media is also in Spanish? How much of offical Miami is in Spanish and how much is in English?

To answer your question: No. Most if not all of "Official Miami" as you put it is in English. Of course you'll see Spanish and Creole sometimes, but's it's mostly English.

[SomewhereElse]

Well friggin learn then, that is what schools teach. It tears my ass to visit S FL where I grew up (Central Broward) and every ATM and everything else is in Spanish too. SICK! I heard Miami is going to start using Pesos too. The spanish language is becoming the number 1 language in South Florida from PBC South!

[MORBID ANGEL]

It dependes where you live.

[Momma_bear]

Originally Posted by questioner2

According to statistics most people in Miami speak Spanish at home. Does that mean the language of the city's schools, government, retail signs, and media is also in Spanish? How much of offical Miami is in Spanish and how much is in English?

Schools are in english. TV stations are in english. Newspapers are available in both languages. Government is in english, with most important documents containing both languages. Retail signs vary by neighborhood but can be in either language, most frequently english.

People speak spanish to each other very frequently. Some places you will be approached in spanish although most people speak english. Some places there are people who only speak spanish. I don't speak spanish and I am not afraid to go into Miami and take care whatever business I need to take care of. I live in Weston and lots of people here speak spanish, but Miami feels more foreign than Weston.

There are some neighborhoods where spanish is spoken exclusively and others where it is not.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

English.

Spanish being official is a myth. If someone speaks English, most likely they will speak English and once in a blue moon say something in Spanish.

Also, low paid jobs are sometimes done by immigrants who are not very fluent in English, but you will always find someone fluent in English in a store.