If you are from anywhere that is not from South Florida, then I am sure you are an expert at detecting the Miami accent. Miamians have a very distinct accent that is obvious to everyone but us. The first time someone guessed that I was from Miami because of my accent I looked at them like if they had grown a second head. I thought they were crazy to say that I had an accent, let alone a "Miami accent". I didn't even know Miami had an accent, but yup it's true, we do.
While the New York, Chicago, Boston, and New Jersey accent has been around for a while, the Miami accent is relatively new. It is something that has evolved throughout the year due to immigration. Individuals from Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, etc, have migrated to the United States, specifically Miami all contributing to the "Miami Accent".
English as a language is always changing, but in Miami, it's a mixture of both English and Spanish, or as we like to call it Spanglish. Spanglish is the use of both languages, Spanish and English, in one sentence. For someone that isn't aware of this it can be a little confusing, but for Miamians, it is something that is perfectly normal and we don't have a hard time understanding it.
Some of the most well-known phrases and words are "pero like", clickeando, linkear, ver un show. Most of these phrases and words take pieces from a word in English and Spanish creating a whole new word but somehow contains the same meaning. Whether your first language is English or Spanish, if you are from Miami you'll understand exactly what that person is saying.
It is more common to run into people that don't speak English rather than Spanish. Miami is filled with immigrants and they are the main reason why the Miami accent exist today. Spanish is not the same to every nationality. As a proud Miamian, I can say that growing up with so many different cultures and different forms of Spanish, has made me more aware and appreciative of how diverse the world is. With so many individuals from different Spanish speaking countries, one is presented with the opportunity to learn about different countries, as well as to teach others of your own.
