Dialects and Languages of Spain
1. Dialects and Languages: A Constitutional Perspective
The concept of a dialect is inherently genetic: every language originates from a preceding dialect. Thus, Galician, Catalan, and Italian are dialects of Latin, while Andalusian and Canarian are dialects of Castilian. Even Latin itself is a dialect of the older Indo-European language.
When we classify Castilian, Catalan, and Italian as languages, our perspective shifts from genetics to sociolinguistics. We recognize these distinct linguistic communities as instruments of unique cultures, each possessing an ideal language model. This ideal model represents the most refined register of the language, often exemplified by educated speakers and writers.
The Spanish Constitution recognizes Castilian as the official language of the state, while also granting co-official status to Galician, Catalan, and Basque in their respective autonomous communities. Additionally, it acknowledges the distinct linguistic identity of Asturias.
2. Formation and Evolution of the Hispanic Language
Four key stages mark the evolution of the Hispanic language:
- Pre-Roman Era: Linguistic data from this period is limited to place names, coins, and inscriptions in various languages. No linguistic unity existed in the Iberian Peninsula, as various peoples coexisted, including Tartesians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and Iberians. Traces of these languages persist in suffixes like -arro, -orro, -urro, and ez.
- Roman Period: Starting in 218 BC, the Roman occupation of the Iberian Peninsula led to the disappearance of most pre-Roman languages, except for Basque. Vulgar Latin became the dominant language.
- Visigothic Era: In the 5th century AD, the Visigoths established their kingdom, with Toledo as its capital. While Latin remained the official language, Germanic influences were introduced, evident in words like “war,” “jar,” and “hawk.”
- Muslim Era: The Arab invasion in 711 AD led to the coexistence of Arabic and Romance languages. This period enriched the language with Arabic loanwords like “sugar,” “mason,” “tile,” and “cotton.”
3. Origin of Castilian and its Unity
Castilian originated in Cantabria and spread to other regions. Today, it is an international language with diverse varieties in Spain and the Americas. Its unity is maintained through a standard language cultivated over centuries by writers and scholars on both sides of the Atlantic, codified by grammarians, and taught in schools. The Royal Spanish Academy and its counterparts in the Americas play a crucial role in preserving this unity.
4. Dialects of Castilian
Castilian dialects are broadly divided into northern and southern varieties:
- Northern Strip: This includes Leonese and Aragonese, historical dialects that did not evolve into distinct languages.
- Southern Strip: This encompasses Andalusian, Canarian, Murcian, and Extremaduran dialects, which share features with Latin American Spanish. These dialects evolved from Castilian and exhibit features like seseo (confusion of c and z sounds with s), aspiration of s, aspiration of h, and yeísmo (pronunciation of ll as y).
5. Other Languages of Spain
- Galician: Evolved from Vulgar Latin in northwestern Spain. Millions of speakers are bilingual in Galician and Castilian. Galician shares a common ancestor with Portuguese, the Galician-Portuguese language.
- Catalan: Evolved from Latin in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. Spoken by over 7 million people in Catalonia, Andorra, the Balearic Islands, Valencia, and Sardinia. Catalan experienced a literary revival in the 19th century.
- Basque: Spoken in the Basque Country and Navarre. Its literary development is relatively recent, with the first book published in 1545. The Royal Basque Language Academy promotes a standardized written form.
6. Bilingualism and Diglossia
While both terms refer to the use of two languages, bilingualism describes the use of two distinct languages by an individual or a community. Diglossia, on the other hand, refers to the preferential use of one language over another in a multilingual context due to social or political factors.