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Spanish continues to expand across the world at a rapid rate.
Three principle drivers fuel one of the most sonorous Romance language’s explosive growth:
- Demographics
- Business
- Secondary Lingua Franca
[Read the previous post – Culture in Spanish Language Translations]
In fact, Spanish is expected to flourish in the near future as well.
Demographics and the Spanish Language
According to the 2018 report on the Spanish language (la lengua española) by the vaunted Cervantes Institute, demographics continue to increase Spanish’s weight as a world language.<1>
In 2018, 7.6% of the world or 577 million speak Spanish. <2>
From pint-sized Andorra nestled between southern France and northern Spain to the Kiwi paradise of New Zealand off the coast of Australia, the language of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella crisscrosses the globe.
[Get your Spanish to English translation for your business.]
Mexico still leads the Spanish-speaking world (el mundo hispanhablante) with some 124.7 million while the United States lingers in third place just behind Colombia, according to the Cervantes report. <3>
Indeed, the United States (US) leads the count of Spanish speakers outside the “traditional” countries where the language is spoken (Spain and Latin America).
The US boasts 42 million of the 45 million speakers of the language where Spanish is not the official language or 17.8% of its native population. <4>
Add the 12 million who speak both English and Spanish and the United States only lags Mexico with expectations the country could finally top the Aztec republic in 2050 with the most Spanish speakers. <5>
Spanish arrived in North America before English when Madrid’s conquistadores founded Saint Augustine (Florida) in 1565.
Nearly 1/3 of all US exports flow through Florida to reach Latin American markets.
Immigration flows and a population boom among Hispanics continue to enrich US culture.
The impact is so noticeable that Spanish-language television now rivals in ratings its English-language counterparts, says Pew Research. <6>
Both cultural and commercial ties make Spanish throughout the world an important medium to transact business.
Business and the Spanish Language
Despite its uncertain political environment and continuing fiscal and external imbalances, Latin America remains a vital part of US trade.
Indeed, as an example, for Florida’s total exports to the world, 74% or $50.1 billion in goods went to Latin America & the Caribbean in 2016 alone. <7>
Nearly 1/3 of all US exports flow through Florida to reach Latin American markets. <8>
Don’t be among the half of executives polled that admitted poor language skills sunk an important negotiation. <9>
Study Spanish to excel in your business ventures in Latin America or Spain.
[Get your Spanish to English translation for your business.]
Secondary Lingua Franca and the Spanish Language
However, Spanish is just not limited to negotiations in these areas.
While English still dominates international commerce, Spanish is becoming a second lingua franca between business partners.
The Spanish language only trails English and Chinese in use on the Internet. <10>
Spanish also is already one of the officially recognized tongues at the United Nations.
In the European Union, Spanish is the fourth-most widely spoken out of its 23 official languages.<11>
The development of Spanish as a common medium of communication appears to be on the ascent in global affairs.
The Future of the Spanish Language
Spanish has a bright future.
The sonorous Romance language of the now deceased celebrated Colombian writer Gabriel Marquez is the second language with the most native speakers.
El español (Spanish) is the third language studied all over the world after English and French.<12>
Professor Joseph Nye of Harvard coined the term “soft power” to describe a country’s strengths drawn from abstract influences like language, culture, and prestige. <13>
The soft power of the Spanish language adds luster to the language’s future.
The magnetism of the diverse culture captivates countries as diverse as India, Japan, and the United States.<14>
With over 572 million current speakers and 7.8% of the world by 2050, the principal language of Spain and Latin America shows no signs of tempering its growth.<15>
However, ironically, the United States may hold the key to the future of the Spanish language.
[Get your Spanish to English translation for your business.]
Immigration flows from Latin America continue to boost the number of Spanish speakers in the US as the use of the language by Hispanics diminishes at the same time.<16> As mentioned, the US only lags Mexico in Spanish speakers.
One result of these rich cultural and linguistic bonds between the US and Latin America is business between the two regions (like Florida mentioned previously) and fosters the need for Spanish to English translation services from time to time.
In sum, the weight of the native language spoken by songstress Shakira will continue to grow as an international language.
Conclusion
From Tallahassee to Tokyo, the Western Romance language that originated in the Castile region of Spain continues to fortify its relevance in global social, economic, and political affairs.
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