Tampa mafia's dialect code

In the Trafficante crime family the members spoke a certain dialect called Tampan and it is mixed with Italian(Sicilian) and Spanish(Cuban). Is this dialect still spoken around or has it died out.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&gbv=2&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=843l7566l0l7722l20l16l0l2l2l0l327l2244l0.6.4.1l11l0&q=cache:jQa7EAL2T5AJ:http://www.lacndb.com/php/Info.php?name=Santo%20Trafficante+santo+trafficante+tampa+dialect&ct=clnk

It seems like Tampan was less a "code" as such, and more a lingua franca between Cuban and Italian mobsters. Its a composite, a sort of Pidgin Spanish. The languages are pretty similar, after all.

This is more a Florida phenomenon rather than an overtly mafia one. Seeing as most wiseguys speak bad enough English, let alone Italian, I dont think they're still doing business in a Spanish-Italian slang hybrid. Even most Cuban guys speak English.

Of course, there'd still be some folk who speak and use it daily. Probably old Spanish and Italian people in Ybor City, for one. Most probably while yelling at each other. Or while haggling for things at the markets, and generally being argumentative.

Yep, old people are weird.

Exactly, Mickey.

It's commonly referred to as "Spanglish," and you see it just about anywhere there's a large Latino population in America. From New York to South Florida to Arizona. My Italian is pretty good, so when I'm confronted with Spanish speakers who speak little English---and I see it quite a bit here in the Bronx---I usually answer in my own hybrid of Italian/Spanish/English. And I almost always get my point across.

I seriously doubt that the Trafficantes came up with a secret language .

Pizzaboy, as a side note, I'm curious when you say that you speak Italian; I have always been interested in the broader Italian-American culture as well as the mob aspects.
As a part of the Italian diaspora, I also personally speak Italian, but I was wondering what the levels/rates of fluency really are in the north-east US and amongst the IA community? For example, did the kids in your neighbourhood speak the language, where did you pick it up from etc.?

funny you bring that up i personally speak spanish, spanglish, and english but am also pretty good at understanding/reading italian as well

very useful here in NYC

Yeah and the New Orleans mob and Carlos Marcello speak cajun. ha

The Tampa dialect is an Ybor/West Tampa slang combining Italian, English and Spanish. Many people in those neighborhoods were tri-lingual back in the day. As you said, very few people still speak it, mainly old-timers.

Santo Jr spoke fluent Italian, Spanish, and English.

Hey Scott. Stoked to see you round the GBB mate! Nothing for nothing, but Cigar City Mafia was a great book, and one of my favourites regarding a more esoteric aspect of LCN; families outside of NY.

If anybody didn't gather it from the Decline of LCN thread, Scott is the author of Cigar City Mafia and The Silent Don, some great mob lit. on the infamous Trafficante family and Santo Jr. He's a regular round the Real Deal and makes a valuable addition to our humble board.

Thanks Mickey- I really appreciate it.