¡Aquí se habla castellano!

Contrary to what many people in the US think, not all Latin American countries are the same. In fact, they are all distinct from their cultures to their languages. Even some countries in Latin America speak a language other than Spanish! Brazilians speak Portuguese, for example. Even among Spanish-speaking countries (and within countries) there is a big variety of vocabulary words and accents. Argentina is no different. The Spanish spoken in Argentina is what Argentines call castellano [cah-stay-shah-noh], not español [ess-pan-yole] like one might say in other Spanish-speaking countries.

Castellano means "Castillian," which refers to a region of Spain. You see, Spain is a country made of up many different peoples. There are different nationalities within the same country. There are Basques, Galicians, Catalonians, and Castillians. These all have their own language and culture. The Castillians are the biggest group and speak the language that most people call Spanish because it is the dominant language of Spain and has become the dominant language of Latin America ever since Spain invaded in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

Since Argentina tends to look to its European roots, Argentines call their language castellano to relate more with its Spanish background. In reality, the accents, grammar, and vocabulary are not the same. But now you will know that if you ever visit Argentina, don't ask someone if he or she speaks "español!" This is what the title of this post refers to: aquí se habla castellano [ah-key say ah-blah cah-stay-shah-noh] means "We speak Castillian here!" How they refer to the language is just one way in which Argentines differ from many other Spanish speakers. Their accent is beautiful; their vocabulary is large; and the flow of the language off their tongues reflects Italian roots. (For more on Argentina's immigration and background, scroll down and see other posts that talk about these topics.)

Watch this video and listen to how the play-by-play man speaks. Even if you have never heard Spanish before, listen to the rhythm and flow of his voice. This is a soccer game, so he is speaking very fast. Yet notice the flow and accent that differ from Spanish your perception of Spanish that comes from other countries. But listen to how his voice rises and falls and how he places emphasis on certain syllables. This passionate announcer is not much different than many Argentines and how they speak their language with energy and emotion. This is one example that shows the beauty of the pronunciation and accent of Argentina's castellano. ¡Y qué golazo! [ee kay gohl-ahs-oh] ("And what an amazing goal!")



Castellano is one of the many ways in which Argentina tries to distance itself from other Hispanic countries in order to bring itself closer to Europe. It is one reason, of quite a few, that many other Hispanics see Argentina as prideful and snotty: Argentines don't even recognize that they speak the same language as the other countries! Yet it is an important part of Argentina's culture and teaches us quite a bit about how they see themselves in relation to Europe and the rest of Latin America.