Miguel Langton and his son Miguel Theobald
seem to have been equally at home writing in English, Spanish and
French. Miguel's wife writes only in English, as does
Agustín Butler. Carmen Aranza writes in French
or Spanish, while Fanny Brun writes in Spanish, although
from later evidence it is clear that she is also fluent in
English.
Even when writing in English, Miguel Theobald
Langton and Agustín Butler use some Spanish words,
usually when referring to legal or accounting matters. The
most important of these are:
albacea: executor
testamentaría: estate or inheritance (of a
will)
hypothecada: mortgaged (of a house)
gastos: expenses
dote: dowry
libro mayor: one of the accounting ledgers
Other unfamiliar terms used in the letters:
Packet: a packet boat, used to transport mail
(and some passengers). In England, Falmouth was the main
packet boat port at the time these letters were written.
M of W: Man of War - ship of the Royal Navy
Part of a letter to Miguel Langton in Cadiz,
written by his son Miguel Theobald and his wife in
English, and by Fanny Brun, his granddaughter, in
Spanish.