Hispanic language evolution

Spain flag and shield

Mister Carlos Salas is the oldest Spanish teacher of The Mackay School; he has been teaching there for more than thirty years, becoming one of the most beloved and distinguishing characters of our school. He received us in his classroom on July the 1st, anxious on telling us everything he knew about his field, as he manifested when we made the appointment. He sat down behind his desk and answered to all our questions, laughing calmly. The next interview was translated and adapted, as it was done in Spanish in a very first beginning.

1)How is Spanish related with the cultural of its speakers?

Spanish is related directly with the cultural identity of its speakers, as we proceed from Hispanic roots which do not transmit us just their language but their religion, traditions and beliefs.

2)What languages does Spanish derive from? In what percentage?

Spanish derives from Latin mainly, in a 70%. The remainder percentage is divided into Arabic languages, which words such as almohadón, alcachofa and ajedrez are taken; Germanic languages, borrowing names and words such as Álvaro and guerra, respectively; and American languages that contribute adding words to the conquerors lexis, who take them back to Spain.

3)Did Las Cruzadas influence Hispanic language development, considerably?

No they didn’t. Las Cruzadas took place in different places but there was not necessarily a cultural exchange, then there was not a language contact either.

4)Do you believe globalization is exterminating Spanish as it did with other indigenous languages?

Globalization has exterminated indigenous languages since this phenomenon was detected: Quechua and Aymará are both a clear example; however, it has not stamped our Spanish out necessarily, as it is spoken around the entire world.

5)Does Spanish borrow foreign words, using them then as its own?

Spanish, as I explained in the second question, is composed from diverse languages, but some details must be stated. The entire sport and new technological terminology are borrowed from English. That is why words such as corner and hardware are used daily, even their truly origin is ignored. French words are also borrowed by our language: garage, for instance, has replaced its Hispanic referent cochera. Furthermore, the economical lexis proceeds mainly from American English.

6)How does Spanish influence the attitudes, beliefs and values of its native speakers?

Firstly, we must distinguish that what we understand by Castellano proceeds from the early Kingdom of Castilla; and Español, as Spanish is most widely known, proceeds from Hispania, know nowadays as España. Even though, its native speakers refer to Spanish in these both different ways, it is just the same language. However and even its name, this archaic Spanish was morphological and syntactically modified by the cultural contact with different American indigenous peoples. Therefore, you must necessarily consider the geographical area where Spanish was imposed to predict the attitudes of its speakers, as they were not all influenced by the same factors. Spanish is spoken widely around the world!

7)Would you explain us how does a language impose over another?

The language spoken by a country may impose over another throughout two different ways: a pacific and a violent one. If it is inflicted in a pacific way, language becomes modified by diplomatic, economical and cultural relationships between states or individual members, who transmit then these variations on lexis and accent to their fellows. In contrast, language may be imposed in a violent way, becoming a warlike contact as a country, by the use of weapons, dominates another requiring it to use the same language. Spanish was imposed in a violent way in America, becoming one of the most perfect examples to illustrate this kind of language contact.

   
     As Mister Salas states, Hispanic language evolution has been modified throughout its history by different factors. American conquest, for instance, transformed it completely in lexical, morphological and syntactical terms, turning Spanish into a new dialect. Furthermore, our interviewee established a close relationship between Hispanic language and culture: we have not just inherited language but different attitudes, beliefs and customs. However, these are determined by the geographical area which they took place: peninsular Spanish speakers do not share the same cultural aspects than the American ones. Finally, it must be recognised Mister Salas helped us to understand what we are difficultly trying to comprehend: language change and language contact phenomena.