Lingua Teddi 24-25

HOW DID SPANISH SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD?

Spanish began as a dialect of Vulgar Latin, introduced by the Romans to the Iberian Peninsula around 200 BC. Over centuries, it absorbed influences from the Visigoths and Moors, evolving into a language known as Castilian. By the 13th century, Castilian Spanish became standardised, after the conquering of Toledo by Castille, which became a hub of translation. The Kingdom of Castile’s growing power helped to spread Castilian Spanish around this area of Medieval Spain. During the Reconquista (a series of campaigns by Christian states to recapture territory from Muslims), Christian kingdoms pushed southward, spreading Castilian Spanish. After this period, Spanish was established as the national language. Following Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the west, Spain created a vast colonial system. Spanish soldiers, missionaries, and settlers brought the language to the Americas, the Caribbean, parts of Africa, and the Philippines. Spanish became the language of these areas due to colonisation. During these periods, Spanish combined with some elements of indigenous languages, to adopt words such as “chocolate” and “tomate”. When the Spanish colonies in the Americas became independent countries in the 1800s, they kept Spanish as their main language. People continued speaking Spanish in schools, government, and daily life: it kept the language going. As of 2024, there are more than 600 million Spanish speakers worldwide. Spanish speakers represent 7.5% of the global population. It is the official language of 19 countries worldwide, spanning huge areas of the globe, including continents such as Europe and South America.

BY THOMAS POOLE (A) FOURTH FORM

9