Languages of Spain: A Comprehensive Guide

Posted on Sep 23, 2024 in Social sciences

1. Introduction

Known as the language, all signs and rules are used by speakers of the same linguistic community. At present, four languages are spoken in Spain. Three are of Indo-European origin, derived from Latin: Galician, Castilian, and Catalan. Basque or Euskera is a non-Indo-European language of unknown origin. Two other Latin dialects, Asturian-Leonese and Navarro-Aragonese, have also survived as languages.

2. Castilian

Castilian emerged in the north of the peninsula. When Castilla established an independent kingdom, it progressively expanded, limiting the expansion of Leon and Aragon. With the progress of the Reconquista, it expanded into the central and southern peninsula.

In the thirteenth century, Alfonso X contributed to the leveling of languages, fixing spelling and developing Castilian prose. With the Catholic Monarchs, linguistic unification was fostered, and Antonio de Nebrija published Grammar of Spanish (1492).

In the eighteenth century, the Royal Spanish Academy was founded (1714), publishing the Spelling, Grammar, and Dictionary of authorities, and in 1815, the current rules were established, which have experienced little modification.

At present, we can discuss the very relevant and extensive use of Castilian worldwide. It has 430 million speakers and is the fourth most spoken language after Chinese-Mandarin, English, and Hindi.

3. Galician

History

Galician emerged in the northwestern peninsula, linked to Portuguese. During the Middle Ages, it was an important literary culture, but in the fifteenth century, due to the spread of Castilian, it remained confined to rural areas, relegated to oral and family use.

In the nineteenth century, with the Rexurdimento movement, the claim of the Galician language was promoted. Poetry by Rosalia de Castro and the editing of grammars and dictionaries were significant developments during this period. In 1905, the Real Academia Galega was established.

However, the low social prestige of Galician and the lack of dissemination impeded the normalization process. It was during the Second Republic that the Statute of Galicia recognized Galician as an official language, although the Civil War frustrated the recovery of the language.

In the democratic era, with the 1978 Constitution and the Statute of Autonomy in 1981, Galician became official in Galicia.

Geographic Distribution

Galician is a language used by 2 million people. Galician speakers are distributed geographically as follows:

  • The four provinces of Galicia: La Coruña, Lugo, Orense, and Pontevedra
  • The West Bank of Asturias, to the Rio Narcea
  • The Bierzo region of Leon
  • The Zamora de Sanabria area

Linguistic Characterization

  1. Short tonic vowels of Latin O and E are non-diphthongs: terra, morte.
  2. Certain items are presented in the following ways: o for masculine and a for feminine: o Ferreiro (the blacksmith).
  3. Conservation of F: fillo (son).
  4. Four initial groups of Latin cl-, pl-, and fl- are palatalized in ch: chovendo (raining).
  5. The diphthongs ai and au become ei and ou, respectively: cousa (thing).
  6. Loss of intervocalic -l-: Lua (moon), soa (single).
  7. The Latin consonant cluster -kt- evolves to -it- in Galician: LACTEM > leite (milk).
  8. Evolution of -ly- to -ll-: FILIUM > fillo (son).
  9. Preference for the diminutive -iño/-iña: morriña (homesickness).

4. Catalan

History

Catalan emerged in northeastern Spain. By the late thirteenth century, besides being the language of Catalonia, it had spread through the kingdom of Valencia and the Balearic Islands.

In the Middle Ages, mainly thanks to the works of Ramon Llull and historical chronicles, Catalan acquired a reputation that was endorsed in the fifteenth century with the poet Ausias March and the chivalrous novel Tirant lo Blanch.

However, in later centuries, Catalan lost prestige in favor of Castilian. It was in the nineteenth century when Renaixança arose, the recovery movement of the Catalan language and culture. Literary works and the first newspapers in Catalan were published.

In the twentieth century, the Institute of Catalan Studies was created (1907), and it published the Catalan Grammar, made by Pompeu Fabra, spelling rules, and the dictionary.

During the Second Republic and the adoption of the Statute, Catalan was the official language, but the Civil War interrupted its application. It regained official status with the Constitution of 1978.

Dialectical Geographical Distribution

Catalan has about 10 million speakers. Catalan is spoken in:

  • Catalonia
  • The Balearic Islands
  • Valencia
  • Border regions of Aragon
  • Alghero (town north of Sardinia)
  • Roussillon (southern France)
  • Andorra, where it is an official language

Linguistic Characterization

  • Tendency to lose vowels in the final position: Dolce for sweet.
  • Palatalization of l: lluna (moon).
  • Conservation of Latin initial F-: farina, ferro, etc.
  • Conservation of Latin consonant groups pl-, cl-, fl-: claim (call).
  • Absence of diphthongization of short tonic vowels of Latin e, o: Festamar > festa (party); Portamar > portal (door).
  • Use of the article before the possessive: el amic meu.
  • From a spelling standpoint, the use of the digraph ny to represent the sound of Castilian ñ is noted: senyor (lord), Catalunya (Catalonia).
  • Conservation of -g- to -e-, -i- lost in Castilian: Germans (brothers).

5. Basque

History

Basque or Euskera is the oldest of the languages of Spain. It predates Latin, and its origin is uncertain but is related to Caucasian or Berber languages.

Basque popular literature was essentially oral, and the first written records date from the sixteenth century. In the nineteenth century, with the rise of Basque nationalism, efforts were made to revive the language, leading in 1919 to the creation of the Euskaltzaindia (Academy of the Basque Language).

During the Second Republic, the Statute of Estella made Euskera official, but the Civil War prevented its implementation. In 1968, due to the variety and dispersion of Basque dialects, it was proposed to establish a common code, Euskara Batua. Basque was again formalized with the Constitution of 1978.

Dialectical Geographical Distribution

Currently, Euskera, with approximately 700,000 speakers, presents the following geographical distribution:

  • The three Basque provinces: Guipuzcoa, Vizcaya, and Alava
  • Northern Navarra
  • The French provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd

Main Linguistic Features

  • It has a casual case.
  • Unlike Castilian, it has three demonstratives.
  • It has grammatical gender distinction.
  • It uses allocutive forms, including familiarity and voseo.
  • The verb is conjugated in the passive voice, and the subject is always the patient.

6. Bilingualism and Diglossia

The terms bilingualism and diglossia are etymologically synonymous since both mean two languages.

Bilingualism is the coexistence of two languages on equal footing, meaning both are used in all areas of life: administrative, educational, family, etc. Bilingualism would be ideal in the use of two languages interchangeably in any context. In general, it should correspond with biculturalism in coexistence.

Diglossia is a phenomenon related to bilingualism, which refers to the coexistence of two languages, in which each plays a distinct social function. This creates an imbalance between the two since one has greater relevance and power against the other, which is relegated to daily use.