Spanish in Mexico. What language is spoken in Mexico? The official language of Mexico The language in Mexico is the official language

The second article of the basic law of this country defines it as a multicultural state that recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to preserve and develop their own dialects and dialects, and therefore there is no official state language of Mexico. But most residents of the country of tequila and cacti still prefer Spanish.

Some statistics and facts

• The Mexican government recognizes the existence of 68 national languages ​​as additional languages ​​to Spanish.
• From 10 to 15 percent of the country's residents, according to various sources, consider themselves Indians.
• In total, the country is home to about 6 million people who are native speakers.
• The largest group of indigenous speakers are descendants of Indians who speak Nahuatl.
• The first attempts to introduce Spanish into Mexico were made in the 16th century.
• Over the 150 years from the beginning of the 19th to the mid-20th century, the number of Mexicans speaking ancestral languages ​​decreased from 60% to 6% of the total population of the country.

Percentage of Mexican citizens who own English, big enough. This is due to the close proximity and frequent seasonal work of Mexicans in factories and farms in the United States.

Lost in translation

Even those who own modern Spanish Visitors to Mexico may experience some difficulties in understanding here. Certain changes have occurred in the system of local Spanish, as a result of which the sound of individual sounds is only vaguely reminiscent today of the classics of the language widespread in the Pyrenees. At the same time, some linguists consider the state language of Mexico to be very conservative, since in everyday use it preserves words that the Spaniards have considered archaisms for two hundred years and no longer use in their own speech.

Note to tourists

When traveling to Mexico, be prepared for the fact that English-speaking hotel or restaurant staff are only found in major cities and tourist resorts. In places where independent travelers prefer to navigate their routes, the percentage of such polyglots is negligible. The menu in a cafe away from the main streets of even the capital no longer contains the names of dishes in English, and it will be impossible to explain your gastronomic preferences to the waiter.
In general, a Russian-Spanish phrasebook on a trip can make a tourist’s life much easier, especially since Mexicans are very sociable, open and friendly.

Many tourists, planning to visit Mexico, wonder what language is spoken in this country. Since the United Mexican States is one of the former colonies of Spain, its residents communicate with each other mainly in Spanish. This is the official language of Mexico, or rather, one of them.

Mexico's location on the globe

The country is inhabited by approximately a third of the planet's Spanish-speaking population. But it is worth noting that the Spanish dialect in this country is still different from the usual modern Spanish language. These changes occurred as a result of influences from local traditions and dialects, as well as the survival of some older spoken forms.

Until the mid-19th century, or more precisely until 1821, the country was called New Spain. The influence of the Spanish conquerors on it was so strong that as a result, today 92% of the population is Spanish-speaking and considers this dialect to be their native language.

An interesting fact is that, despite its prevalence, Spanish is not official in Mexico. This country positions itself as a multicultural state and promotes bilingualism. That is, in fact, Spanish remains the main spoken form; it is spoken everywhere. But at the same time, Mexicans of Indian origin can draw up documents with government agencies in their native dialect.

What language to speak in Mexico, watch the video.

Story

Before the arrival of the Spaniards on the American continent, the Aztec Empire was located in a vast territory stretching from the central regions of modern Mexico to the Isthmus of Panama. The dialect that the local population used to communicate was called Nahuatl.

It has survived to this day and includes various related languages ​​and spoken dialects. It is spoken by about 1.5 million people, most of whom live in Mexico and are direct descendants of the Aztecs. There are many variants of Nahuatl, which is spoken by residents of different regions of the country, but most of these variants are similar to each other.

The version that can be heard in Mexico City is recognized by the Mexican Constitution as one of the official ones. Modern books are written on it, the press is published, and various legal documents are also published.

By the way, you and I also use in our speech words borrowed from the ancient Nahuatl dialect. This:

• avocado;
• cocoa;
• chili (name of pepper);
• tomato;
• chocolate and many other words that are still used both in modern Mexico and throughout the world.

In addition to Nahuatl, there are approximately 60 dialects spoken by indigenous peoples in Mexico. These are the descendants of the Mayans, Zapotecs and other Indian peoples. Their numbers are not so large, but many have retained their native language, using Indian dialects as a language for intraspecific communication. It is the second most popular among the Indian population.

But still, the main percentage of Mexicans prefer to speak Spanish. It is this colloquial form that is the most popular means of communication in Mexico. But as mentioned earlier, Mexican Spanish has its own linguistic norms that distinguish it from modern mainstream Spanish.

Flags of Spain and Mexico

The states of Chiapas and Yucatan are especially distinguished by their dialects. Those who hear the Mexican version of Spanish for the first time cannot help but notice that it is somewhat “old-fashioned.”

This happened because Mexico, having gained independence at the beginning of the nineteenth century, got rid of the influence of the colonial country and began to develop in its own way. This also affected the Spanish dialect, which began to form independently, absorbing local ethnic dialects, but remaining the same in form, as if frozen in the 19th century. Therefore, Mexicans still use words that no one has used in modern speech for a long time.

Mexico is one of the oldest countries with a rich history and numerous peoples who have lived on its territory since ancient times. It ranks third after the United States in terms of the number of people living on its territory.

Initially, Indians lived in this country; this continued for many thousands of years until it was settled by Africans and settlers from Europe. This determined the current composition of the country's population, the vast majority of which are mestizos and mulattoes, born as a result of mixing of blood and international marriages. Therefore, there are many languages ​​spoken in modern Mexico.

Tourists who are preparing to travel to this country often wonder what language is the official language, what dialects are still spoken by the local population, and whether it is possible to communicate with Mexicans in English.

Brief history

To understand Mexico's linguistic diversity, let's look at its history. The Indians, who mostly inhabited the entire territory of the country until the 16th century, spoke a huge number of Mexican dialects, their number reaching several dozen. Dialects and national languages ​​differed from each other in different regions of the country. So, residents of the center of the country said in Maaya language, and in the north the most common was Navajo. However, after the active settlement of the country by Europeans began in the 16th century, the overwhelming majority of the population began to speak in Spanish already by 1750 - 60.

During the settlement process, Europeans brought not only their languages ​​to Mexico, but also diseases that affected the indigenous population. there was no immunity. Infant mortality increased among the local population, which could not but affect the numerical ratio of the different peoples of Mexico. This caused a sharp decline in the number of Indians. However, the remaining indigenous people did not stop speaking their languages, and the Spaniards did not have the goal of getting rid of Indian dialects. Therefore, to this day, the ancient Mexican dialects of the local population exert their influence on the generally accepted national one and give it a unique color.

In modern Mexico share of adverbs and Indian alphabets is about 8–10%, which is quite a lot.

Even Spanish in Mexico has its own peculiarity. It is similar to the Spanish spoken in Madrid itself four centuries ago, because in the Mexican territories it has not received such active development as in its native Spain. Because of this, the seemingly same language in these two countries is very different. This is associated with the emergence of such a concept as “Mexican Spanish”.

Although the majority believes that Spanish is the official language of the country, there is no such clause in Mexican legislation. The constitution states that due to the multinationality of the country, Spanish and Mexican languages act on equal terms as official.

Most of the population, of course, speaks Spanish. Arriving in this country, you may not hear any other speech at all, the Spanish language is so widespread here. However, at the state level in this country, the right of indigenous peoples to submit official documents and requests to government agencies in Mexican languages ​​is enshrined, and the government agency is obliged to provide answers to them to the population.

Modern Spanish in Mexico is a mixture of dialects that emerged as a result of mixing with local dialects and became a kind of cultural heritage of this country. It is spoken by about 130 million people, not only at home, but also in the United States. This number is even higher than the number of speakers in Spain. Approximately 30 million people abroad continue to speak and develop their native language. In the United States, educational programs and courses for teaching Spanish are even being introduced.

Mexican local languages ​​and dialects

In Mexico, the indigenous population continues to use Mexican dialects and dialects. Now there are about 7 million people in the state who do not use Spanish in their speech. This is quite an impressive figure, even though twice as many people define themselves as Indians.

Most often, the local population speaks the following Mexican dialects:

In Mexico, the historically established division of dialects and dialects throughout the country remains. In the south you can most often hear from locals Nahuatl in the states of Morelos, Hildago and others. The majority of the population speaking this dialect lives in rural areas. It continues to be spoken by about one and a half million people and is the most widespread among Mexican languages.

About 800 thousand people still continue to speak Maaya Taan dialect, which remained a legacy from the Mayan civilization. This dialect even spread to other states. Previously, it was spoken only in its homeland - the Yucotan Peninsula, and later, as a result of migrations and relocations, it appeared in Guatemala and other neighboring countries.

Mixtec language ranks third among the surviving Mexican dialects in terms of prevalence. It is spoken by about 500 thousand Mexicans living in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca.

At the state level, it is stipulated that all Mexicans can speak any native language, and their total number is more than 60. There are also very few, but in Mexico even a special direction has been legislatively allocated for the maintenance and development of ancient local dialects, and educational and cultural events are held.

Do Mexicans speak English?

English is the most international language, so before traveling to this country, tourists often look for information about whether it is spoken in Mexico.

Of course, Mexico is actively developing, and the young population speaks English well and even in Portuguese and French. Therefore, if you only know English and you need to ask something on the street, Mexicans will understand you and will be able to help and explain something.

Tourism in the country is developing, and when recruiting personnel for restaurants and hotels, employers pay attention to ensuring that the candidate knows foreign languages:

Russian tourists may be pleasantly surprised that in some luxury hotels or restaurants the staff will communicate with them in Russian! All entertainment events and excursions prepared specifically for tourists are conducted in English, so there should be no language barrier. In any case, sign language helps out in different situations, even now, when people travel a lot and visit countries with a new culture.

Despite the colloquial differences in the population of Mexico, all its inhabitants are united by their love for their country and an incredibly colorful culture, which attracts many tourists to the country every year.

Mexico is a country ancient civilizations. For many millennia, numerous Indian tribes lived on its territory. Modern ethnic composition formed from the indigenous population, European settlers and Africans imported from the sixteenth century to work on plantations. More than half of the population are mestizos and mulattoes, descendants of mixed marriages. In this regard, many are interested in what language is the official language in Mexico. To answer this question, let's look at history.

Historical background

Until the sixteenth century, the territory of modern Mexico was inhabited by Indian tribes who spoke several dozen languages. Of these, the most widespread were the Navajo in the north, Nahuatl and Maya in the center. Many others were also used, all of which had a significant impact on the Spanish language, which was originally spoken only by a small stratum of administrators, officials, conquistadors, and Spanish settlers who made up about five percent of the population.

However, thanks to intensive interracial contacts, already in the seventeenth century, for the bulk of Mexicans, Spanish became the main means of communication.

Influence of Indian languages

Unlike the United States, Mexico has never resorted to a policy of genocide against the indigenous population. After the number of Indians sharply declined due to diseases introduced by Europeans, their numbers stabilized already in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. And in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the number of people speaking Amerindian languages ​​increased quite significantly, although their overall share of the population continued to decline as the number of Spanish-speaking mestizos grew even more rapidly. And yet the official language of Mexico is still significantly influenced by Indian dialects, which are still spoken by seven to ten percent of the population.

Many Mexicanisms, words, grammatical and phonetic phrases that are characteristic of spoken Spanish in Mexico are directly explained by the influence of autochthonous languages.

Mexico City - capital of New Spain

Another important factor in the formation of Mexican Spanish is the status of Mexico City itself (formerly Tenochtitlan), the city that was the capital New Spain for three centuries. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries many people arrived here from Madrid. Therefore, Mexican Spanish, like American English, is mainly based on the corresponding European counterpart.
In Spain itself, the language continued to develop further, but in Mexico it seemed to freeze after the country gained independence at the beginning of the nineteenth century and began to form independently.

Mexico. Spanish

Spanish in Mexico is a group of dialects, dialects and sociolects that make up a special variant of Spanish, based on the linguistic norms of the Mexican capital, Mexico City, which is the literary standard for this variant.

When talking about what language is spoken in Mexico, it should be noted that in most regions of the country, Spanish close to the metropolitan norm is used, with the exception of the special dialects of Chiapas (Central American Spanish) and Yucatan (Yucatan Spanish, which is based on the Caribbean variant).

Mexican Spanish is the native language of approximately 125 million people, over 100 million of whom live in Mexico and approximately 25 million in the United States, mainly in the border areas of California, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. This variant of Spanish is the only one official language at the federal level, and also, along with many Indian dialects, one of the official ones at the state level.

Now you know what language is spoken in Mexico. It is worth noting that Mexican Spanish, among other things, is the basis for the Spanish language in the United States, widely used in education and the media. It is also the most widely spoken variety of Spanish in the world, as it is the native language of the vast majority of Mexicans, who make up about 29 percent of Spanish speakers worldwide.

Phonological and other features

It is not enough to know what language is spoken in Mexico; you also need to have an idea of ​​a number of changes taking place in the language system. Thus, linguistic territories are expanding in the country (similar to what happened in Spain, when Spanish replaced other languages ​​that existed on the Iberian Peninsula), phonological changes are occurring (the letter j begins to be pronounced differently, the sound [θ] gradually disappears and changes to [s], words borrowed from Indian dialects are phonetically adapted).

Those who first encountered the modern Mexican version of Spanish note its “conservativeness.” In the artistic works of Spanish writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries there are words that are today considered archaisms in Spain and are almost unrecognizable by native speakers or are used very rarely. However, in the Mexican version they are not perceived as archaic and continue to be used.

In the article we talked about what language is spoken in Mexico. We hope you find this information useful. All the best!

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages ​​on the planet. Today it confidently takes its place among the top three leading languages ​​and, quite possibly, will receive even more new speakers in the foreseeable future. The “blame” for this in the past is the Spanish conquistadors and conquerors, in the present – ​​the active increase in the population of the states Latin America Spanish speakers.

All about Spanish

If you are starting to learn, then be careful about whether you are really studying Spanish and its literary version. It would never occur to a Russian-speaking person that only in Spain itself this language has several dialects, which differ quite seriously from each other. Only in the North of the country are there three accents and one dialect, which also has its own characteristic differences, especially phonetic ones.
We are talking about Aragonese, Leonese and Castilian dialects, as well as Asturleonese dialects. Each of the dialects has its own dialects, localized geographically. In the southern part of this state, the Andalusian dialect is widespread.

Mexican Spanish

The capital of the Mexican dialect, as well as of Mexico itself, is Mexico City. In other regions of the country, the dialect is close to the capital, but only some lands have their own characteristics. For example, the dialects of Yucatan and Chiapas are somewhat different, but not so much that residents of different regions do not understand each other.
Let us also note that it is the Mexican version of the Spanish language that is the basis for the replication of Spanish in the United States of America. One of the main differences of this dialect is the firm pronunciation of consonants and the reduction of vowels, which is not observed in any other variant of Spanish.

Argentine Spanish dialect

Don't know? Don't forget that in the Argentinean version of this language everything is much simpler than in classic Spanish. Argentine Spanish is called "castesciano". Its ancestor was the Castilian dialect, which was noticeably simplified. Phonetics has undergone changes. The Argentine dialect is in many ways more reminiscent of Portuguese than Spanish. It is the language of immigrant workers, which eventually captured the rest of the population. In the Argentine dialect, j is pronounced like [sh]. This applies to all words, including names or titles.

Peruvian dialect of Spanish

The Peruvian dialect has the following characteristic features: the sound [z] is mixed with the sound [s], representing a cross between these two sounds. Some consonants are pronounced softer than in traditional Spanish.

“Neutral” Spanish – what is it?

The non-literary version of Spanish is considered neutral. The phonetic features of “neutral” Spanish were taken from Colombian pronunciation, which is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful. However, native speakers were only confused by the pace of speech, which was too fast in the “Colombian original” and not always understandable to speakers of other dialects. Therefore, the phonetic features of the Caribbean dialect, which can safely be called relatively measured for Latin America, were also used.
“Neutral Spanish” completely lacks Mexican and Argentine intonations, words, speech rate and other features. They can only be used if it is necessary to emphasize the origin of a particular person. All TV series, songs and other cultural products of Latin America today are presented to the world through the use of such “neutral Spanish”, in fact adapted so that all Spanish speakers and foreigners can find common ground and understand each other.
What should a Russian-speaking student who decides to get to know the Spanish language better do? Experts advise starting with a standard literary language that will allow you to conduct business negotiations, correspondence, and so on. Learning a particular dialect depends on your goals. If you are planning a trip to Latin American countries, then seek help directly from a native speaker who will teach you all the intricacies of the dialect of interest.