Spanish is one of the world’s major languages that is spoken across continents. It is the official language in 20 countries, and it ranks second after Mandarin Chinese as the most-spoken native language. Moreover, many speakers of other languages choose to learn Spanish as their second or third language. It is a Romance language that has been strongly influenced by other languages over the centuries. This unique blend of origins and culture is perhaps what makes it so alluring to many.
The Spanish language traces its origins back to the 9th century when it was first spoken on the Iberian Peninsula. With the influx of traders and Roman soldiers to the region, Vulgar Latin became the primary foundation of the language. It was further influenced by the Visigoths who arrived on the Peninsula during the 5th century and spoke several Germanic languages.
The Arabic language was another major influence that arrived with the Moors when they captured the Peninsula in the 8th century. The first recorded use of the language appears in glosses and marginalia in Latin religious texts from the 10th century which are known as the Glosas Emilianenses.
Spanish underwent many key periods of evolution. In the Medieval Era, several dialects began to emerge. In the 15th century, the Castilian dialect became the most widespread with the emergence of the Spanish Empire. It was predominantly used across the empire and in its territories around the world.
The Golden Age and the Spanish Inquisition greatly influenced the language in the 16th century. Rapid modernization came in the 20th century with the formation of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE). This was responsible for standardizing the language and promoting usage across the nation and in other Spanish-speaking countries.
An English speaker could need anywhere from 350 to 575 hours to learn Spanish.
For some, Spanish may be an easy language to learn. To start, learning some common words and phrases such as “hello” or “aunt” in Spanish can be useful. However, if you need content writing in Spanish, you might need a professional to help you out!
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The letter “ñ” is the only Spanish letter of Spanish origin.
In modern Spanish, September may be spelled “Septiembre” or “Setiembre.” However, the latter is considered to be a vulgar or informal version of the word.
Some Spanish words cannot be translated into a single word in English. One example is “empalagarse” which means feeling sick because your food is too sweet, but it is also used figuratively, as in romantic situations.
English speakers find Spanish easier to learn due to its Latin roots and the Germanic influence. Moreover, with the exception of the letter “ñ,” the Spanish and English alphabets are similar. An additional helpful feature is that Spanish spelling reflects pronunciation.
Globally, Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages. It’s also a Romance language with a rich culture and beautiful articulation.
The earliest version of Spanish was a derivative of Vulgar Latin before the Castilian dialect became dominant during the Spanish Empire. It was standardized in the 20th century.
The Romans are credited as the first speakers because they were responsible for bringing Vulgar Latin to the Iberian Peninsula.
There are 10 main dialects in the world. Many dialects are regional, but the Castilian dialect is the most prominent and most widespread.