How many types of Spanish are there?

Types of Spanish

Among the seven continents on the surface of the earth, there are many countries. They have specific cultures and languages which are the distinctive features of these places. The different languages that are spoken in a specific country are the soul of its culture. It would not be wrong to say that social relations are built solely on languages. When we talk about a country like Spain, the diverse traditions of the place, the flamenco music, dances, and bullfights are discussed. The types of Spanish is important to know when it comes to translations and present the right type of Spanish to the right audience.

The Spanish Language:

Spain is considered one of the prominent cultural centers of Europe. The official language of Spain is Spanish, also called Castilian. It is a global language with almost 500 million native speakers. This language is mostly used in Spain and the Hispanic American states. Spanish is the world’s fourth most spoken language and is a part of the Ibero-Romance group of languages. These languages were derived from dialects of vulgar Latin, which were brought to the Iberian Peninsula in the 5th century.

Popularity of Spanish

The popularity of the Spanish language cannot be denied, whether it is in tv shows, music, etc., this language is always full of content. As this language rose to fame in the US, all the other dialects and variations of this language were also studied.

Modern spanish

The traces of modern Spanish were first found in documents discovered in the 9th century. Though Spanish is the official language of Spain, it is spoken in many other countries as well. In Latin America, romance languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and French are prominently spoken. Other countries like Argentina, Mexico, Costa, Bolivia, Rica, Uruguay, and Colombia also have Spanish as their official languages. Puerto Rico, which is an unincorporated territory of the United States has Spanish and English as its national languages.

A dialect is a language type that represents a specific region, for example, British English is a dialect of the English language. The Spanish dialect is also peculiar for different regions.

How many types of Spanish are there?

American Spanish:

The arrival of Spanish colonizers on the coast of Puerto Rico in the 15th century began the incorporation of Spanish cultures and languages in the US. As shocking as it may seem, it is true that the US has more Spanish speakers than Spain. About 41 million native speakers reside in the American states. The immigrants from Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, and so on have also played an important role in the rise of the Spanish language in the US. The American community mostly speaks Mexican Spanish, and Hispanics have been a major ethnic group in the United States. Throughout the years, Spanish speakers have greatly increased in the American states, and this language is one of the most studied languages. This is the mark of Spanish culture in the US.

European Spanish:

Even within a country or state, languages can be different for particular cities. European Spanish is an umbrella term to explain the different dialects of Spanish spoken around the Spanish islands. The Spanish language has many variants and forms, and to discuss them further, the following types are explained:

Castilian Spanish:

The Peninsular Spanish language is also described as Castilian Spanish, it is commonly spoken in Northern and Central Spain. The vosotros verb form is used in the Castilian dialect, as well as the imperfect subjunctive which differentiates it from other Spanish dialects. This dialect became a representative of the Spanish empire, some people even refer to Spanish as “Castellano” instead of Español. Though this dialect rose from the northern and central cities, it became a prominent type of Spanish in all regions.

Andalusian Spanish:

The dialects from the heavily populated regions like Andalusia, Ceuta, and Melilla are included in this type. It is the second most popular Spanish dialect in Spain. Latin American dialects are similar to Andalusian dialects due to the immigration of colonies from Andalusia to Latin America. The dialect sounds fluid and tender, and consonants like “r” and “d” are omitted to weaken the sound of the ending consonant. Unlike the Castilian Spanish, ‘ustedes’ is used as second person plural instead of vosotros

Canarian Spanish:

This dialect originated from the canary island. This type of Spanish is similar to Caribbean dialects and usages in Andalusia, ustedes is still used as the second person plurals here. The pronunciation is also considered soft-toned here.

Latin American Spanish:

Latin America consists of many countries and regions, it is a term used to represent areas where a Latin-based language is spoken. In Latin American countries, various types of Spanish dialects are used which are different from the Iberian dialects. These dialects and the accents differentiate this region from all the others. Letters like ‘z’ and ‘c’ are pronounced as ‘s’ in this variant.

Rioplatense Spanish:

This dialect is from areas like Uruguay and Argentina. This dialect is significantly different from all the others. The basic features of this type include its relation to the Italian language since Italian colonies reside in this area. This was due to the migration of Italians in the 20th century. The words in this dialect sound quite similar to Italian words.

Caribbean Spanish:

The Caribbean islands like Cuba and Puerto Rico also have Spanish as their national language. The colonists that settled in these islands brought life to this dialect. Since the people that came to reside here arrived from the Canary Islands and Andalusian islands, there are similarities in the dialects of these regions. As we discussed earlier, in spoken and while writing, the resemblance in the dialects can be easily spotted.

Equatoguinean Spanish:

Spoken in Equatorial Guinea, this Spanish dialect has the status of the official language in Sub-Saharan Africa. This dialect is more similar to European Spanish with a hint of German and Guinean influences in terms of vocabulary and pronunciations.

What Is the Best or Most Correct Spanish Dialect?

As a matter of fact, this debate is fruitless. Language comparison in this regard is inappropriate on many bases.

When it comes to a native speaker, the dialect he speaks is the best and undoubtedly the most correct form of the language. Talk to a British and they will have their tone of superiority over English. Engage in a conversation with American English speakers and they would sound equally lavish, so it’s all about the people whom you are communicating with.  Moreover, linguistically speaking, all variations of Spanish are equally effective in communication and expressing ideas. This is why we can keep this matter up for an argument but it won’t get us anywhere.

Argentinian Audience

However, if your reason to find out which Spanish dialect is best is that you are thinking about setting up your website, then you need to go with their nationality. If your target audience is located in Colombia, then you can certainly go with the Spanish spoken there. If the Argentinian audience is what you are hoping to impress, then go with Rioplatense. We think that this article will help you devise a better plan to work with. And if you want to learn more or have a translation request, you can always go through the list of services provided at a translation services’ website.