Languages and Dialects of Spain: A Comprehensive Guide
Languages and Dialects of Spain
3. Language
Language is the system of units and rules that every speaker shares with others who speak the same language.
Dialects
A dialect is a variant of a language. It can be different based on geographic location or because it is a distinct mode of evolution from the original language.
Speech
Speech is the act of performing verbal communication within a language system.
Language Situation in Spain
Spain is home to several languages and is considered a multilingual country. Castilian Spanish is spoken throughout the country, but in some communities, other languages are also spoken, such as Catalan, Galician, and Basque. Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world (400 million people) and boasts a rich linguistic heritage.
Origin and Evolution of Languages in Spain
Three of the four main languages of Spain (Castilian, Galician, Catalan) are Romance languages derived from Latin, which were initially dialects. The Basque language’s origin is unknown, possibly originating from Africa.
Birth of Romance Languages
Latin is the mother of all Romance languages. This language, belonging to the Roman Empire, which occupied and colonized the Iberian Peninsula, belongs to the Indo-European family. Due to the vastness of the Latin empire, several dialects developed.
Development of Hispanic Romance Languages
In the 10th century, the Iberian Peninsula was mostly dominated by Arabs, with only the north in the hands of Christians who were organized into independent kingdoms with different languages: Castilian, Basque, Catalan, etc. With the Reconquista, the Christian kingdoms began to expand from the north to the south, eventually driving out the Arabs in 1492. The Spanish language is said to have been born in Cantabria, with the first written examples appearing in the 10th century, known as the Glosas Emilianenses and Glosas Silenses. Castilian is the official language of Spain.
Throughout the 12th century, literature was written in Castilian, such as the Poema del Cid and villancicos. In the 12th century, King Alfonso X of Castile gave the language a cultural character by establishing the first spelling rules. The discovery of America made Castilian Spanish known worldwide. In 1492, the first grammar written by Antonio de Nebrija was published.
The 16th and 17th centuries represent the Golden Age of Spanish literature, with renowned authors like Cervantes and Lope de Vega. In the 18th century, the Royal Spanish Academy was created. Today, it is the most important institution for the Spanish language, which is the second most spoken language in the world in terms of geographic extension and the third in the number of speakers.
The Catalan language was born in the Kingdom of Aragon, with the first written documents appearing in the 12th century, mainly administrative texts. It gained prominence as a literary language thanks to Ramon Llull. In the 14th century, it experienced its greatest period of expansion. The 1978 Constitution established Catalan as an official language alongside Castilian.
In the northwest of the peninsula, the Galician language emerged, a variant of Latin. In the 9th century, we find examples of Galician-Portuguese lyric poetry. In the 15th century, Castilian Spanish was imposed, and the following period is referred to as the Dark Ages of the Galician language until its revival in the 19th century with the work of Rosalía de Castro.
Basque
Unlike all other languages in Spain, Basque is not derived from Latin. Its origin is a mystery. Some say it comes from the ancient language of the Iberians, while other studies suggest a connection to Caucasian languages. It is clear that it is one of the oldest languages in Europe. The first written examples are poems by Bernard Etxepare in the 16th century. In the 17th century, there are religious and didactic texts. The current Statute of Autonomy established the use of Basque in administration and education.
Current Map of Languages and Dialects in Spain
Castilian is the official language throughout the country.
Castilian and its Dialects
Castilian is the official language of the Spanish state and one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, including in northern South America. Southern Castilian dialects are relatively homogeneous, with variations found in Andalusia, Murcia, and Extremadura.
Catalan
With 7 million speakers, Catalan is established as the language of culture, education, and everyday communication.
Galician
Spoken by about 2 million people, Galician is a language of culture and communication.
Basque (Euskera)
Different from the rest of the Romance languages in Europe, Basque is adapting to the situation of bilingualism, with about 1 million speakers.
Spanish in the World
The Spanish language is spoken by over 400 million people.
Expansion of the Spanish Language
The first period of Spanish expansion occurred after 1492, with the discovery of America. The conquest of most of America gave the Spanish language a global dimension. Today, the Spanish language unites a large community of speakers from around the world. It is an official language in 21 countries. In the United States, there is a growing minority of over 22 million Spanish speakers.
The Spanish Empire conquered territories around the world, reaching Africa, Asia, etc.
Spanish in America
. 1492 with the conquest of settlers in America, people are met with another mode of communication and imposed the Castilian language of intercambio.de the linguistic variety of pre-Columbian America has come a very pequeña.el year 1770 declaring Spanish as official language throughout the empire by carlos III.con the independence of the different American states, not claimed pre-Columbian languages of native peoples, the ruling classes implemented the Spanish language is Spanish language oficial.la speech in America is rather like the dialects of Spain, mainly the Andalusian and Canarian