Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the many cultural contributions and rich history of the American Latino community and is taking place September 15 to October 15 of every year. What began as a week-long celebration in 1968 was later extended to a full month and coincides with independence days in several Latin American countries including as Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Today, the Latino population in the United States stands at over 60 million which comprises almost 19% of the total population. Latinos continue to help fuel our economy and enrich our nation in many ways as entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, entertainers, scientists, public servants, and much more. Here are some language-related facts about the global Hispanic community and Spanish translation services:
The Spanish Language
Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world with an estimate of over 550 million native speakers in over 20 countries. Therefore, there is enormous demand for Spanish translation and interpreting services around the world. However, it is important to note that there are nearly 10 different Spanish dialects spoken throughout the world. Here are some of the more famous ones:
Dialects in Spain And Spanish Translation
The Castilian dialect is known as the original form of the Spanish language. Castilian, is used in the Iberian peninsula and compared to Latin American Spanish, you will hear ‘th’ sounds replacing softer ‘c’ sounds. Catalan and Basque are often mistaken as strictly Spanish dialects, however they are one of the official languages spoken in Andorra and by 2% of the country’s population in Northern Spain. Andalusian is another dialect used in southern Spain known for its frequent dropping of the ’s’ from the end of words. Murcian is becoming more and more rare and is similar to the Andalusian dialect. Llaniton on the other hand is unusual sounding and only spoken on Gibraltar.
Latin American Dialects And Spanish Translation
Latin America is home to several distinct Spanish dialects as well. In parts of Argentina and Uruguay, you can hear a lot of Rioplatese. Its name derives from the Rio de la Plata river running between these two countries. This dialect features words and phrases from French, German and English. The largest Spanish speaking country in the world is Mexico, with its own dialect having a very clear pronunciation and the usage of slang in day-to-day conversations. Columbian Spanish also has a very clear and soft pronunciation making it easy to understand.
The Importance Of Spanish Translation
Because of the incredible variation found within the Spanish language, interpreting and translation services have become crucial investments for globally-minded organizations. Website content, legal documents, marketing materials, and instruction manuals all require excellent English to Spanish translations. To ensure all members of the Spanish-speaking community can understand and access these materials, it’s important to only work with skilled Spanish localization services. Have a happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
About Language Connections:
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