Understanding Language: Speech, Dialects, and Social Factors
Language and Communication
Language is the ability to communicate through articulated signs, a universal right inherent to human and animal nature.
Language, as a social achievement, manifests in diverse ways. Every society has a unique method of communication, typically a system of signs. The world has thousands of languages, each varying in importance based on geographic reach, number of speakers, and cultural significance.
Speech refers to the different pronunciations of a language, involving elements such as the language itself.
Dialect is a variation of a language, often based on another, but with distinct changes.
Multilingualism in Spain
Spain’s multilingual reality stems from four languages, each with dialects and rich cultural traditions:
- Basque: Of unknown origin.
- Romance Languages:
- Castilian
- Catalan
- Galician: Evolved from Latin in Christian kingdoms.
The Spanish Language
The Spanish language, or Castilian, originated as a Romance dialect in the County of Castile. It expanded across the peninsula during the Reconquista. This southward expansion led to the development of southern dialects in regions like Andalusia, Extremadura, and Murcia. The language further spread overseas to Latin America and the Canary Islands.
Catalan and Galician
Catalan and Galician languages were consolidated early, intertwining with literary and cultural events. Though their use diminished around the 16th century, they experienced a resurgence in the 19th century due to nationalist sentiments, which viewed language as a vehicle for culture and traditions.
Today, Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, and parts of Roussillon and Sardinia. It features diverse dialects, such as those in Valencia and Alicante, and boasts a rich cultural and literary heritage.
Galician is spoken in Galicia and parts of Zamora and León, with a rich cultural tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.
The Basque language, with ancient pre-Roman origins, has survived through time primarily as an oral culture.
Social Stratification and Language
The stratification of society into distinct groups influences language use based on factors like residence, education, culture, occupation, age, gender, and family or religious background.
Cult Level
The main characteristics of the cult level are accuracy and correctness. It features:
- Lexical Richness: Extensive vocabulary, mastery of active and passive vocabulary, technical terminology, synonyms, enumerations, parallelism, repetition, and elegant adjectives and adverbs.
- Morphosyntactic Features: Consistency in ideas, grammatical agreement, varied tenses, correct connectors, and a lack of unnecessary words.
Restricted Code: Colloquial or Familiar
The restricted code is a middle ground between the cult and vulgar levels, characterized by:
- Lexicon: Limited vocabulary, generic adjectives and adverbs, emotional language, and familiar terms.
- Morphosyntax: Simple and inaccurate syntax, short sentences, hesitations, interruptions, and poor coherence.
Vulgar Level
The vulgar level is the primary form of expression for those with limited education, featuring:
- Lexical-Semantic Issues: Improper word usage, archaisms, and slang.
- Morphosyntactic Errors: Incorrect gender, verb conjugations, and pronoun usage.
Social and Professional Language
Social or professional groups use specific language:
- Jargon and Professional Practices: Specialized language for professions or areas of expertise.
- Recreational Sports Jargon.
- Student and Youth Slang.
Slang
Slang is a secret code used by fringe groups to communicate among themselves, differing significantly from standard language to create cryptic expressions.