Five Fun Facts About The Spanish Language

 

Those who are not familiar with the Spanish language may not be aware of just how diverse and beautiful this language really is. Spanish has roots in Rome and in the Arabic culture, which leads to a lot of interesting history and culture behind the language. Interested in learning more about the Spanish language and the Spanish culture? These fun facts will help excite you even more on your path of learning to speak the language!

 

Spanish is a Very Popular Language

As of today, 31 countries around the world use Spanish as their official language. This means that those countries use Spanish in all of the country’s official content, such as documents and legal issues. Most people would think that this only includes Spain and countries in South America. Believe it or not, there is a single country in Africa that uses the language officially: Equatorial Guinea.

There are more than 540 million people who speak the language around the world. This makes it the second-most common language around the world behind English. Spanish is also the third most widely used language on the internet, behind English and Chinese. The popularity of the language is evident when we look at the fact that the United States has about 50 million Spanish-speaking citizens. Spain has 45 million. This shows us exactly how popular the language is.

 

The History of the Spanish Language

Spanish has a long and interesting history that goes back centuries. Spanish is a root of the Latin that the Romans spoke, which means that Spanish is one of the Romance languages. Latin began to evolve into Spanish until we get to the Spanish language that we all know and love today. The modern Spanish language dates back about 700 years!

However, Latin was not the only language that influenced Spanish! Curiously enough, Arabic also had a huge influence on the growth of the Spanish language. This happened when the Arab Moors conquered Spain and brought their language with them. According to The Spanish Academy, there are more than 4,000 Spanish words that derive from Arabic! For instance, “al-sukkar” is sugar in Arabic; the Spanish translation is “azucar.” Check out The Spanish Academy to learn more of these interesting Spanish translations. And you can always check the internet for more Spanish translations and Spanish to English translations. Modern-day Spanish was adopted by King Alfonso X in the year 1200. The Spanish language has spread throughout the world since then, as has the Spanish culture.

 

The Spanish Language is Popular in Culture

For someone who is a literature lover, this fact may not come as a surprise. But, it might surprise some that Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is the first novel and that it was available in Spanish! The Spanish to English translation of this title is “Sir Idealist.” This is still one of the most popular books in the Spanish culture. This is a story about a man who longs to be a knight so that he can win his lady. Though filled with humor and lightheartedness, there are also rough times and hard lessons that Quixote has to learn.

However, the Spanish culture and language are still alive and (as we established earlier) still very much popular. There are many popular songs, books, and movies that are translated into English or adopted into cultures in their Spanish form. “Despacito,” by Luis Fonsi was played in its original Spanish translation, but there was a remix that included an English part.

The Spanish to English translation of this song title is “slowly.” Pan’s Labyrinth, directed by Guillermo del Toro, became a worldwide hit and has only been subtitled into other languages. The Spanish translation of “Pan’s Labyrinth” is El Laberinto del Fauno. You can turn on any hip-hop or pop radio station and you will hear a few Spanish words throughout the day.

 

There are Unique Aspects to the Spanish Language

Just like most languages, there are several examples of unique Spanish words that have no equivalents in other languages. These Spanish words can only be described in a Spanish to English translation. For instance, in Spanish culture, it is normal to take part in a “sobremesa.” This is where everyone stays at the table after a meal. The families then share a drink (whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and some good laughs. More examples are the Spanish words “verguenza ajena.” These Spanish words describe the feeling that you might get when you feel embarrassed for someone without feeling embarrassed for yourself.

You might have also noticed that the Spanish language uses upside-down punctuation marks at the beginning of some sentences. Spanish is the only language in the world that uses these inverted punctuation points, and the reason why is quite interesting. This is so that the reader can tell that the next sentence is a question ahead of time.

They can then add the required inflection in their voice so that their listeners understand that a question is being asked. Inverted punctuation marks are the official standard by the Royal Spanish Academy. This Academy declares the official rules of the Spanish language.

 

Learning Spanish is in Demand

It’s no secret that learning Spanish translation could be very beneficial, especially in America. It may seem like a daunting task, but do not fear! Experts say that it takes only 24 weeks of practice to learn the language. After 24 weeks, you should be able to communicate on a professional level. Spanish is the second-most-studied language in the world. Experts think that by 2050, more than 10% of the world will be able to communicate in Spanish. By the same year, the United States should be the world’s largest Spanish-speaking country.

There will be more than 132 million Spanish speakers in America by then. As a matter of fact, the Spanish language has grown more than 1,300% in the last fifteen years! Learning how to go from Spanish to English translations can also make you a lot of money. In America, Spanish tutors can make up to $125/hour!

 

We Love the Spanish Language

It is easy to see that the Spanish language is an amazing one! It may sometimes be hard figuring out Spanish to English translations. But there are many Spanish words that give us glimpses into the beautiful Spanish culture. With so many people learning Spanish and expected to be able to speak Spanish, we might not want to put off our Spanish lessons much longer!

 

How Renaissance Translations Can Help

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