Feb
27
A language is a living organism
Is the dominance of English a threat to Spanish? Will the widespread use of truncated text messaging language ultimately affect Spanish literature? These questions and more are answered in an easy-going interview with Salvador Gutiérrez Ordónez, a college professor who is the latest addition to the Real Academia Española’s top echelon of linguists.
Gutiérrez on joining the RAE:
Para un lingüista, el mejor contrato es la Real Academia. Es de por vida, no pagan, es gratuito, pero es un gran honor, una gran satisfacción.
On the dominance of English worldwide and whether that poses a threat to Spanish:
-Hay una frase célebre de Nebrija que dice que la lengua es compañera del imperio…El inglés se está imponiendo en el lenguaje científico, diplomático, político… Es evidente que hay una colonización, pero, no nos engañemos, el español está creciendo también.
On the encroachment of English words being incorporated into Spanish:
Un idioma es un organismo vivo, que está al servicio de los hablantes y no podemos ser puristas.
On the evolution of Spanish:
Yo creo que nos entenderíamos perfectamente con los españoles de dentro de 200 años.
You can read the complete Q&A, which was published in El Comercio Digital, here.
The best language as an example of how well words from other languages can be assimilated is English. English is full of words from other languages. It’s funny when non-native English speakers ask things like, “What’s the word in English for bon appétit?” or “How do you say aficionado in English?”
My point is that taking words from other languages does not necessarily weaken your language.
And as for how much truncated text message language will affect literature, Spanish or English, I suspect the answer is, “Not at all.”
lolcats, on the other hand…
Hi , I am interested in both English L2 and Spanish L1, I do llike the coment of Eric.
Would you like to check this two webs and give me your oppinion?
Thank you !
http://inglesenmalaga.blogspot.com/, for learning English,and
http://spanishmalaga.blogspot.com/, for learning Spanish.
our web is http://www.spanishmalaga.com, bye for now. SARA.
Sorry I meant blogs!