Spanish Language *)

(see also <Wikipedia>)

The Spanish language is one of the most widespread cultural languages.

It developed from Vulgar Latin during the Roman time of occupation. Thereby the Ibero-Celtic languages were replaced. However, Basque has survived up to these days.

Castilian (castellano) became the basis of today's written language. During the development of the Spanish language it attained a priority position and became lateron official language.

In Catalonia and Majorca Catalonian is spoken and in Galicia Galician. Apart from that, there are the dialects Andalusian, Aragonian and Leonian and more.

Due to the continous rule of almost 700 years of the Arabs on the Iberian peninsula Arabian had a strong influence on the Spanish language. As a matter of course the English language has also a high effect on Spanish, particularly in Latin America. This is understandable because of the geographical neighbourhood of the U.S.A. and their economical and partly political influence.

Today Spanish is spoken by approx. 400 million people. It is spoken in Spain and on the Canary Islands. But it is also state and common language in all of Latinamerica, from Mexico down to Fireland.Only Brazil where Portuguese is spoken is an exception.

Furthermore, Spanish is common usage on some Caribbean islands and on the Philippines.The U.S.A. occupy a rather special status. Up to these days Spanish has survived in some of the Southern States, i.e. in New Mexico, Texas and Arizona. In additon to that, there are Florida with the Cuban refugees who were taken into the country, California with the immigrated Mexicans (mostly illegally) and New York with the immigration from Puerto Rico.

Querverweise:

<Ceclam> = Centro Cultural Latinoamericano Alemán de Mittelfranken e.V. <Colon Fremdsprachen-Institut> <Concordia Language Village> <Curso de español>

<Espanol para viajeros (English)>

<Información Latinoamérica> <Instituto Cervantes>

  <Learn Spanish a free online tutorial>  <Learn Spanish (US Institute of Languages)>  <Learn Spanish in Seville>  <Learn Spanish in Spain>   <Learn Spanish in Spain and Latin America> <Lengua y cultura>

  <Mundo latino>

<Páginas amarillas>   <Páginas blancas>  <Para profesores y estudiantes del espanol> 

<Real Academia>

<Spain in cyperspain> <Spanischlehrbuch>  <Spanish comics>  <Spanish courses> <Spanish courses in Buenos Aires, Argentina> <Spanish courses in Spain>  <Spanish German online dictionary> <Spanish in the world> <Spanisch online> <Spanish tongue twisters> <Spanish tuition in the London area>

<Vocabularios y glosarios>     

<Yahoo en espanol>     

If any link does not work, your relevant information is appreciated. I also would be pleased of receiving any further hints and proposals.