First lady Jill Biden on Monday mispronounced “bodega” during a speech to a Hispanic advocacy group — drawing fresh comparisons to fellow cartoonist teacher Peggy Hill.
Biden hailed The Bronx’s “bow-get-taas” during a speech in San Antonio, Texas, with such confidence that social media users recalled the cartoon character “King of the Hill,” a substitute teacher in Texas who taught Spanish without being able to say “Español” correctly.
The first lady’s pronunciation was closer to that of the Colombian capital “Bogotá” than the standard “bow-day-guh” pronunciation.
The term bodega in the US refers to a small neighborhood grocer. It originated with Puerto Ricans in New York, but is now used by residents of all ethnicities.
“Raoul [Yzaguirre] helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community — as diverse as a bodega in the Bronx, as beautiful as the colors of Miami, and as unique as breakfast tacos here in San Antonio — is your strength,” Biden said in a speech to the group UnidosUS.
Jokes followed, with more than one user writing “Jill Biden is Peggy Hill” – a comparison the first lady had previously made last year when she gave a speech in California and pronounced “si se puede” – meaning “yes we can” – as “si se pwadwe!”
First Lady Jill Biden on Monday pronounced “bodega” as “bow-get-taas.” KENS 5
Another person wrote: “Jill Biden and Peggy Hill are teachers Both full of themselves Both speak Spanish Both butchered the Spanish language Both incredibly annoying but at least Peggy Hill had some redeeming qualities. Jill has absolutely zero.
The first lady uses the honorific “Dr.” in recognition of the doctorate in education she received in 2007 from the University of Delaware.
In addition to her role as First Lady, Jill Biden teaches English at Northern Virginia Community College.
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