According to the Cervantes Institute, almost 500 million people currently have Spanish as their mother tongue, making it the most widely spoken language in the world after Mandarin Chinese. Learn more in this article about the evolution of the Spanish language.
People who have contributed to the evolution of the Spanish language
Let's take a look at three people who have made a special contribution to the evolution of the Spanish language throughout history:
- Alfonso X of Castile, also known as the Wise (1221-1284): King of Castile and León. He promoted the foundation of the Toledo School of Translators, where works from different cultures were translated, contributing to the enrichment of the Spanish vocabulary.
- Antonio de Nebrija (1441-1522): Philologist and humanist. He was responsible for writing and establishing the foundations of Spanish grammar "Gramática de la lengua castellana" (Grammar of the Castilian Language.
- Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616): Author of "Don Quixote". He was the masterpiece of Spanish literature. His style influenced the consolidation of Castilian as a literary language.
Institutions that support and promote the Spanish language the most
- The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), founded in 1713: The RAE plays a crucial role in regulating and promoting the Spanish language, publishing dictionaries and establishing rules for their use.
- Instituto Cervantes (founded in 1991): This institution is dedicated to the promotion and teaching of the Spanish language throughout the world and organises courses, cultural events and other activities.
The evolution of the Spanish language throughout history
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with almost 500 million speakers on five continents. Its origins go back to Vulgar Latin, which was spoken on the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman era and developed under the influence of other languages such as Arabic, French and English. The spread of Spanish is mainly due to the colonisation of the Americas by Spain, which brought its language to a large part of the continent. It also spread to other regions such as the Philippines, Equatorial Guinea and Western Sahara.
The use of the Spanish language has changed greatly throughout history, both in form and function. On the one hand, linguistic variations have led to different dialects, accents and registers of Spanish, reflecting the cultural and geographical diversity of its speakers. On the other hand, new norms and social uses of Spanish have been developed to meet the communication and expressive needs of different times and contexts. Thus, Spanish has adapted to technological progress, to political and economic changes, to cultural and artistic movements and to demands for integration and respect for minorities.
The evolution of the Spanish language today
Spanish today is a vibrant and dynamic language, constantly evolving and enriched by the contributions of its speakers and other languages. It is also a global and pluricentric language with a strong international presence and influence, especially in the Spanish-speaking world. Spanish is a common cultural heritage that unites hundreds of millions of people, but it is also a powerful tool for diversity and dialogue between cultures.
The number of Spanish speakers is expected to rise over the next five decades to about 726 million in 2068. After that, it will gradually decline to about 690 million by 2100, according to epdata.es.