Spanish is a Romance language, descended from Latin. Within the Romance family it is most closely related phylogenetically to other Romance languages of the Iberian peninsula, particularly Portuguese, Mirandese, Galician, Asturleonese, Aragonese and Ladino (Judeo-Spanish).
Spanish is an official language of 20 countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela) and the American territory of Puerto Rico. It is estimated to have 410 million native speakers.
As a Romance language, Spanish is a descendant of Latin, and has one of the smaller degrees of difference from it (about 20%) alongside Sardinian and Italian. Around 75% of modern Spanish vocabulary is derived from Latin, including Latin borrowings from Ancient Greek. Alongside English and French, it is also one of the most taught foreign languages throughout the world.
Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and it is also used as an official language by the European Union, Organization of American States, Union of South American Nations, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, African Union and many other international organizations.
Major Reasons Why Spanish Is Important to Learn
1. Spanish has official language status in 20 different countries and more than 550 million people speak Spanish with at least some degree of competence. In addition, it is the most popular second language choice for people in the United States and is spoken as either a first or second language by 15 percent of all residents in the European Union.
2. The Spanish language has a bright future. In terms of its popularity, Spanish shows no signs of slowing down, with the total number of speakers increasing steadily over the past decade.
3. It will boost your employment prospects. In today's global marketplace, knowledge of a second language can be an extremely valuable asset employers and employees alike. Modern businesses are always keen to have staff members who can help them with international trade and the Spanish language is especially valuable in the current climate.
4. Your travel experiences will be enhanced. Another reason to learn Spanish: Travelling! This is one of the most enriching experiences you can have, yet the quality of that experience will be significantly enhanced by the ability to speak Spanish. The list of countries in which Spanish is the predominant language includes popular destinations like Spain, Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. While it is perfectly possible to enjoy a holiday in a Spanish-speaking country without a knowledge of the language, it will restrict where you can go and who you can communicate with. In general, those without the ability to speak the language will need to stick to tourist areas, which often means missing out on entire aspects of a country's culture.
5. You could work or study abroad. While travelling can be exciting in of itself, learning Spanish also opens up the very real possibility of either working in a Spanish-speaking country or studying in a Spanish-based academic institution. Getting out of your comfort zone and spending prolonged periods in an overseas country can help you to develop professionally and personally.
6. It will expand your entertainment options. Of course, some of the best Spanish films and television shows are not available with subtitles, so learning Spanish opens up a whole new range of entertainment.
7. Spanish is relatively simple to understand. Compared to many other languages, Spanish is fairly straightforward for an English speaker to comprehend, as long as you are willing to put the effort in. In reality, English has many words which stem from Latin, much like Spanish, which means some of the words are similar.
8. It can enhance comprehension of your other language, especially English. Believe it or not, studies have demonstrated that learning a second language can improve a student's comprehension of their other language. When you think about this in more depth, it makes complete sense, as acquiring a second language requires a person to think carefully about linguistic theory, or ‘the rules'.
9. Spanish is fun to learn with Maior Lugha School International Languages The single best reason to learn Spanish is that it is both enjoyable and rewarding to do so and we at Malughas are happy and willing to ensure to achieve that. Becoming fluent in the language will provide you with an unrivaled feeling of accomplishment and it is a skill which can be of significant benefit to you for the remainder of your life, whether locally or internationally in a global village
