Mira para allá/Mira pa ya

Do you use " Mira para allá"?

Please vote below.

I use it very often.

3

I use it sometimes.

0

I've heard it but I never use it.

3

I've never heard of this word.

5

There were 11 votes since the poll was created on 16:00, 9 June 2015.

poll-id D0FB7DFAA825DAC1A779394E26420991

Do you use ""Mira pa ya""?

Please vote below.

I use it very often.

5

I use it sometimes.

1

I've heard it but I never use it.

2

I've never heard of this word.

5

There were 13 votes since the poll was created on 15:59, 9 June 2015.

poll-id 831A9C2BCA52F8C823DBAF01C7A639B3

Disclaimer: When it comes to understanding the spanophone community anywhere it is important to situate the variety of Spanish which dominates that particular community, especially when there are a minority of Spanish speakers who do not share the same perspective on same words as the group in majority which holds the dominance. In the case of the spanophone community at Northwestern it is crucial to place its context within that of the Chicagoland area. Despite Northwestern being located in Evanston, IL, Chicago’s Latino immigrant population greatly influences the university’s approach to the Spanish speaking community. Chicago’s largest Hispanic/Latino demographic is made up of primarily of Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans. The university is a reflection of this as it displays a Mexican Spanish interpretation for all things regarding the spanophone community. Below is an example of this situation compiled by my personal experiences, coming from a Salvadorian background, as well as from the feedback collected from my consultants, also Northwestern undergraduate students, which come from Mexican and Dominican backgrounds.

Part of Speech

Noun

Alternate Forms and Pronunciation

1. mira para allá ['miɾa paɾa aɪ'ja] [me 'rah / ‘pah rah / ah 'yah]
2. mira pa ya ['miɾa paɾa 'ja] ['me rah / 'pah / 'yah]

Note: Spanophones typically pronounce the "r" consonant as an alveolar tap ([ɾ]). The English respelling is for reference only.

Description

1. The literal meaning of “mira para allá” can be translated to English phrase “look over there.”
2. In Puerto Rican Spanish some parts of the word are not enunciated hence the difference to "mira pa ya.” It is also used to convey astonishment or surprise instead of the literal sense of the word.

Usage

Mira para allá or Mira pa ya is most commonly used within the Latin American community as a cultural expression. Anyone can use it is not restricted so long as it is used in the correct context.

Example Sentences

1. Don’t forget to look both ways. Mira para allá too.
2. Mira pa ya, that purse is gorgeous.

Note: In order to convey the different interpretations of the expression the example sentences use code switching between Spanish and English.