Nicaraguan Spanish Language - Essay Example

Nicaragua: Conquest, Faith and Future Azusa Pacific Online Nicaraguan Spanish is geologically known as the form of Spanish used in the nation of Nicaragua in Central America, which includes both popular culture (folk art, music and dance) and high culture (high art and literature) (Restall, 2003). The Spanish vernacular in Nicaragua shares numerous similarities to that of other states in the region, although it has its desolate differences in usage and pronunciation. Such distinctions are also seen in the geographic boundaries of the nation. It is a Central American nation, which uses voseo Spanish as its spoken and written form with the strongest rate, comparable to that of Argentina, as well as other nations in the River Plate region (Restall, 2003). However, the accent of Nicaraguan Spanish and other voseo forms like Rioplatense Spanish is not alike in spite of sharing numerous grammatical similarities. Vos is used regularly in familiar and colloquial settings, but many Nicaraguans recognise tuteo (Restall, 2003). The application of "vos" can be listened to in television and radio programs and can be seen in numerous publications (Restall, 2003). Nicaraguan Spanish has numerous indigenous influences, as well as a number of distinguishing traits. Till the 19th century, a crossbreed form of Nahuat-Spanish was the universal lingo of Nicaragua (Brading, 2010). These days, Nahuat, Mayan and Mangue words, along with their relevant syntax, can be heard in their day to day speech. Their accent goes back to the 16th century in Andalusia, Spain (Brading, 2010). The region’s deep influence on speech could be seen in other regions, especially the Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Caribbean regions of Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Honduras (Brading, 2010). Nicaraguas virtual separation from Spain and, to a point, other countries, encouraged the growth of the Nicaraguan language, which did not transform in the similar ways that the Canarian, Latin American or Andalusian languages did. The coming of Columbus, in 1492, and enduring for nearly four centuries, the Spanish Empire expanded across most of modern day Nicaragua using force while travelling by water (Rolena, 2007). The native Nicaraguans, who resided in this region, prior to the coming of the Spanish, were mostly traditional. They used clan councils to rule themselves and worshipped in small shrines (Brading, 2010). 20 years later after the coming of Columbus, the Spanish conquistador Gil Davila had an unfriendly encounter with the local “Chorotegas” Indians who opposed the invasion. By 1524, a much stronger and influential soldier, Captain Francisco de Cordoba, leading a powerful team, subjugated Nicaragua (Portuondo, 2009). He set up the first two most significant colonial cities, Leon and Granada. In the meantime, the Spanish missionaries devoted their time and resources to convert the native “Indians” into Christianity, the conquistadors established their first dwellings with local construction materials like wood beans, clay, palm leaves and other nature resources. Afterwards as the two cities kept developing economically, and in population, a need for a more powerful method of building and house construction was brought up by religious authorities and the governmental (Portuondo, 2009). The Spanish people mostly used trading and oppression as a form of interacting with native Nicaraguans. The Spanish people also employed them to work on their farms and developing industries (Portuondo, 2009). Roman Catholicism spread through the nation by the Spanish people allowing their missionaries to come work in the foreign land (Kellogg, 2005). The Spanish colonialists also offered the Roman Catholicism church power over various regions in the region (Hazlewood, 2000). The nature of the culture that developed as a result of the interaction of the Spanish people and native Nicaraguans is what people refer today as the pop culture (DAntonio & Frederick, 2010). However, there are some instances that include the high culture. The original mission post to be set up by the Spanish missionary was at Managua, in 1776, which is now the capital city (Cañeque, 2013). Many people declined this endeavour because they considered that missionaries wanted to control their political and economical endeavours (Brading, 2010). However, Protestants and Catholics are not getting along by doing their endeavours separately and also accepting the other religious movement (Bayón, 2002). The Popes trip in 1983 to Nicaragua gave support to a deteriorating Catholic church. The Pope condemned the "Peoples Church" and endorsed the bishops. To fight the Sandinistas, the Catholics retreated to more customary Catholic thought that did not echo that of the Sandinistas (Cañeque, 2013). The Nicaraguan culture now enjoys pre-Columbian cultures, European cultures, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino and African cultures. When the Spaniards arrived at western Nicaragua, they came across three key tribes each managed by a chieftain and each with its own language and culture (Cañeque, 2013). However, Spanish is at the moment the official language of the country and is used by over 70% of the population. Most Spanish speakers reside in the central highlands, as well as the Pacific lowlands. Grammar and practice follow Central American forms that have some unique differences from formal Spanish (DAntonio & Frederick, 2010). The British occurrence in Nicaragua brought in numerous English phrases to the Spanish speakers, especially in western Nicaragua. Similarly, American vernacular from the days in which United States Marines settled in Nicaragua made its way into the language of Spanish speakers (DAntonio & Frederick, 2010). Nicaraguas economy is centered mainly on the farming sector (Bailey, 2005). It is the least urbanised nation in Central America, and the second most poorest in the Americas with regards nominal gross domestic product (Bailey, 2005). The countrys wealth diminished by 1.56%, in 2009, because of lessened export demand in the US, as well as the Central American markets, and lower product prices for significant agricultural exports together with low payment growth, but witnessed a 4.5% growth in 2010 due to a revival in export demand along with a development in its tourism industry. The nation’s financial system goes on to post growth with groundbreaking indicators pointing out that the Nicaraguan financial system is growing an extra 5% each year (Bailey, 2005). Consumer Price inflation (CPI) has also shortened from 2008, when the nation’s inflation rate lingered at 19.82%. In 2009-10, the nation posted much lower inflation rates, 3.45% and 5.68%, respectively. The region is still developing, and critics see as one of the most prominent regions to visit and learn to early Spanish culture (Bailey, 2005). References Bailey, G. A. (2005). Art of colonial Latin America. London: Phaidon. Bayón, D. (2002). "Art, c. 1920–c. 1980". In: Leslie Bethell (ed.), A cultural history of Latin America. Cambridge: University of Cambridge. Brading, D. A. (2010). The first America: The Spanish monarchy, Creole Patriots, and the Liberal state, I492-1867. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cañeque, A. (2013). The political and institutional history of colonial Spanish America. History Compass, 11(4), 280–291. DAntonio, W. V., & Frederick, B. P. (2010). Religion, revolution, and reform: new forces for change in Latin America. New York: F.A. Praeger. Hazlewood, N. (2000). Savage: The life and times of Jemmy Button. London: Hodder & Staughton. Kellogg, S. (2005). Weaving the past: A history of Latin Americas indigenous women from the prehispanic period to the present. New York: Oxford University Press. Portuondo, M. M. (2009). Secret science: Spanish cosmography and the New World. Chicago, Chicago UP. Restall, M. (2003). Seven myths of the Spanish conquest. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Rolena, A. (2007). The polemics of possession in Spanish American narrative. New Haven: Yale University Press. Read More