I remember this day better than any other day. My friends and I went out for a swim at our local pool. It was the middle of summer and the heat from sun felt so intense we thought our brains were going to melt. During days like these I hated going out, but whenever I didn’t want to go my two best friends Adia and Cassidy would always say, “stop being so salty and let’s go.” Salty seemed to be our go to word throughout every encounter. We said it about ten times a day. Sometimes to each other and other times we would relate it to someone else based on their attitude. My first time using the word “salty” was at our local pool. My friends and I were swimming and joking around in the pool when I accidently splashed a bit of water into Adia’s eyes as I was trying to perform a backflip. This made her highly upset as she continued to state, “I can’t see … I can’t see!” we were all young at the time, so I didn’t take her seriously. My only response was, “Stop being such a salty baby.” There were some kids that surrounded us in the pool and began to laugh at my smart remark, and from that day on the word “Salty” stuck to my friends and I like glue. There was another incident where the three of us went out to the park. We were taking turns pushing each other on swings. It was Cassidy’s turn and I agreed to push her. As I was pushing the swing she kept stating, “Higher … Push me higher!” and I did just that. Guess I may have pushed her a bit too high because on her way down the swing did a sort of backflip, and she flew. Of course, when she got back up, she was upset. Yelling and screaming at me. Stating, “Why would you do that, are you crazy?” I, being in complete confusion turned to her and said, “weren’t you the one that said to push you higher, it wasn’t my fault that you flew Salty.” Adia burst out laughing saying, “Stop being so salty Cass and let’s go play on the slides.” Throughout the rest of the summer, my two friends and I continued using the word salty. Other kids throughout our neighborhood wanted in on our word as well, but we would never let them in on it. Whenever a kid name Jake from around the block came around us, he would always try to use the word salty with us. I would always say, “You better stop saying it before I break your nose.” His response would always be, “You guys are so unfair … why can’t I use it?” and each time my answer was always the same, “For simply if you weren’t apart of our clique you weren’t allowed to say it.”
Although we may use it, we didn’t come up with the word salty. The word salty goes back as far as the mid 1800’s. During that time, it was used to mean racy or piquant. It frequently began to be used in the late 1930’s. It’s even in the U.S. dictionary. The word salty is mostly used if you sense someone is angry or irritated, and although my friends and I did not come up with the word, we use it so much you would’ve thought that we did. Throughout our Highschool experience my friends and I became obsessed with the word salty. I remember the other kids would try to tease us or mimic our usage of the word especially because we never used It outside of our group. Although they would laugh and tease, we often didn’t really care. Our word wasn’t for other people to like or for others to become fond of. It was a way for us to communicate through our own secret language. It was a way for us to speak indirectly to others but understand exactly what was being said to each other. It was an escape from the modern everyday English language. It was a word that was meant for us and only us.
As you can see the word salty have great meaning and value towards my friends and I. It stuck with us from teens all the way up to adult hood. It stuck with us from high school all the way up to college. and now even as adults the word salty still seems to never get old. As adults my friends and I happen to use the word salty now more than ever. As you mature in age you will come to realize that not every adult is so mature. There was an incident when my friends and I went out for drinks in Manhattan. It was a bar that just recently opened but had quite a crowd. The bar was busy and loud. People were drinking, dancing and being a bit aggressive. My friends were already seated at a table and I went over to get us a few drinks. On my way over to the bar I accidentally bumped into another women. I Immediately apologized, but I can tell she was already drunk because the first words to come out of her mouth was, “watch where you’re going jerk!” knowing she was in the wrong I quickly said, “you better watch your mouth before I show you who’s a jerk salty!” My friends saw the confrontation and quickly came over before it escalated. We decided to head out to another bar to avoid any further issues, but on my way out I screamed out, “forget you salty hoes!” my friends burst out laughing as we headed up West 4th Street. I think my friends and I have grown to let others in on our secret word. It seems like throughout our years of adulting we’ve meet even more great friends that understood out usage of salty, and how to properly direct it into a sentence. The word salty holds great importance in my life. Not only because I grew up using it almost every day but because It’s almost like an addition towards my childhood friends. Although my friends and I didn’t come up with the word we still use it as if we created it ourselves. and through the years as we continue on as adults, and until we’re old and grey, we’ll continue to use the word salty for our secret language will always be here to stay.
Category: Unit 1 Final Paper (Page 6 of 10)
Keysha Lopez  (Final draft)
       On May 4 of 2012, Mi Manita was born in the Dominican Republic. At first, I felt jealous because all her attention was from her and I was only ten years old. At that time I didn’t understand the amount of attention and time that a baby needed. But Manita became my everything. I learned how to change a baby’s diaper for the first time, How to carry a baby and how to fit her as well, and many other things. She changed my whole life because with only 10 years I had the privilege of taking care of her and always being there for her when she needs me.
One year later Manita was born, and Thanks to my stepdad My mother, Manita, and I came to the United States. When we arrived in the United States, Manita and I had a great change in our lives. We went from playing on a large patio to playing in a small apartment. I came to this country with a purpose and it was to have a better future. For me, it is important to give a good example to mi Manita. I found out that I had more responsibility for what example I wanted to give my Manita since all children copy everything they see. I like to be an example for her and to copy all the good things about me. Of course, we have a slightly different character but I still want the best for her. To this day I still have the responsibility of setting a good example because I am the oldest Manita. Apart from being her sister, I am her friend.Â
My Manita influences my life a lot because I don’t want her to go through the mistakes that I made. When I started learning how to read, I had a bad time trying to learn how to read. Usually, my mom sat with me to teach me but the way she did it wasn’t the right thing to do. At that moment she felt scared to read the words that she was saying to me wrong because she was going to scold me. something that my mom didn’t have at that time was patience. In my case, I always try to be patient with my brother. When it comes to explaining any homework given to My Manita at school, I try to explain to her in a way that she understands and that keeps her interested. because the format of schools is sometimes boring and does not hold the interest of children. but I like that she feels loved and safe with me and that I am the first person that she tells her when she needs help with anything. and I try to do everything possible for Manita.
I remember that there are still people who see me walking with that beautiful girl and ask me who she is. And they are surprised when I tell them that she is my sister. Well, because we have different eye colors and some think that we don’t look alike. At first, I felt bad and there was a moment in my life that my self-esteem was on the floor. because I saw that people considered my sister prettier. Most of the people asked me why don’t draw the same eyes if we are sisters? and my answer was simply that we are daughters of different fathers. But deep down in that comment, I felt insecure and bad. until I realized that everyone in the world is special. She wasn’t white or blue-eyed but she was La Morenita of the family. and I had the privilege of being very similar to my beautiful mother. My Manita does not look so much like me but nevertheless, the affection we have for each other is conditional.
 Manita is very attached to me. In my junior year of high school, I went on a field trip to Washington DC for three days. She always called me facetime from her tablet. Manita spent the three days that I was on the trip bored and sad. Whenever I am going to go somewhere I have to give her explanations as if she were my mother. She always wants to be where I am. But we have different ages and I can’t take her to places where there are no children because she will get bored. Anyway, I have to leave her at home even if it hurts to leave her crying. When I go out with my friends, Manita always waits for me to get home. Every time she goes to sleep she always says “ Manita please arrascame”. She doesn’t fall asleep if I don’t scratch her back. She is such an attachment, that she has on me that the truth is I don’t know if I am doing her harm. I don’t know if I did something wrong in Añoñarla so much.Â
I am neither the first nor the last person to call his sister Manita. This word many people from Latin America use to call a very close person. Some call friends Manita, it all depends on the relationship that they have because if you see that friend as more than just a friend that’s your Manita. This word can be used in two different ways. It’s as if they have two in one with the word “Manita”. In English, it does not sound the same as in Spanish because Manita I came as a sister in Spanish. I use the same concept with my brother who has been my Manito. Something that I enjoy hearing is that my five-year-old brother also calls my sister Manita. I like that the traditions and affectionate names that we say to our brothers pass from generation to generation. no matter how big she would always be my Manita. I love my sister so much that I only use the word Manita with her. I only call Manito to my brother and Manita to my sister.
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