“Languages ​​disperse freely, they mix and confuse, shooting towards the ineluctable destiny of a global language” – Gabriel García Márquez 

At school Nueva Lengua, with offices in Medellín, Cartagena, Ibagué and Bogotá, all of them in Colombia, we cultivate a deep interest in highlighting the richness of Colombian culture and promoting tourism in various cities. In this same sense, the Spanish language acts as the vehicle that facilitates this connection. Below, we present a brief review of the history of this language and the informal expressions that may arise from its use. 

This is how it all begins 

We have witnessed the significant transformations that our language has experienced since Romanization in the second century. At that time, languages ​​began to become mere varieties, giving rise to romantic or neo-Latin languages ​​such as Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, French, Italian, Romanian and, of course, Spanish. 

Spanish, currently the second most spoken language with approximately 400 million people, has its roots in Latin, predominant in the Roman Empire. After the fall of this empire, the use of Spanish has experienced significant changes in its grammar, phonetics, morphology, syntax, configuration, use and social recognition. Linguistic norms have played a crucial role in choosing and regulating the appropriate use of Spanish, which has expanded, consolidated and normalized in Europe and Latin America. 

Properly guide the language: norms and use 

The concern to control the language has led to the creation of manuals, guides and books that indicate the “appropriate” use of Spanish. Often, we tend to believe that these rules are the only correct ones, learning them so as not to appear uncultured. Entities such as the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE), the North American Academy of the Spanish Language (ANLE) have compiled the most common errors to promote a more appropriate use of Spanish. 

However, these rules generate controversy, since some suggestions may be absurd or poorly accepted by those who believe they know the Spanish language.

Proposals such as eliminating the “H” and “V” or eliminating some accents have generated debates. Beyond these modifications, the intention is to simplify the language, giving space to those who have always used it informally. Although linguistic changes are diachronic and language evolves over time, many are based on common errors of speakers. 

Take as an example words like “amigovio”, “spanglish” and “güisqui”, previously frowned upon but now accepted by the RAE. Despite this, there are those who do not share changes that deviate from the original etymology, moving too far from the original word. 

The other speakers: a language that persists 

Not everyone shares the concern about saying “haiga” or “haya”, “there was” or “there was”, “iendo” or “going”. There are groups of speakers who, by preference, maintain diatopic linguistic varieties linked to their place of origin, whether regional or local. 

Although we are told how to express ourselves and when to use certain registers, such as standard, everyday and cultured, who has the right to impose a vocabulary that is not the speaker's own? Why aspire to “correct” communicative competence? This pressure can restrict free expression, leading to loss of cultural identity and personality. 

It is crucial to respect the decisions of speakers, especially those from the countryside, illiterate or illiterate. The lack of command of Spanish does not imply ignorance. Other forms of expression are valid and correct, not only for one context, but for all social spheres. What kind of society would we be if we judged or did not allow independent use of language? 

Check the plans what we have for you, or write to us on any of our social networks (@nuevalengua) for more information about our Spanish courses and cultural immersion in Colombia.