Three languages from America in contact with Spanish
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Dik Bakker
Abstract
Long before Europeans reached the American shores for the first time, and forced their cultures upon the indigenous population, including their languages, a great many other languages were spoken on that continent. These dated back to the original discoverers of America, who probably came from the West rather than the East. This article briefly sketches the arrival of those first Americans, and the languages that they introduced. Then three modern languages that developed out of these are discussed in some more detail, with respect to both sociolinguistic and grammatical aspects: Otomi, Quechua and Guaraní. Finally, an impression is given of what kind of linguistic changes the clash between these languages and Spanish, the official language in many of today's American countries, has brought about.
Abstract
Long before Europeans reached the American shores for the first time, and forced their cultures upon the indigenous population, including their languages, a great many other languages were spoken on that continent. These dated back to the original discoverers of America, who probably came from the West rather than the East. This article briefly sketches the arrival of those first Americans, and the languages that they introduced. Then three modern languages that developed out of these are discussed in some more detail, with respect to both sociolinguistic and grammatical aspects: Otomi, Quechua and Guaraní. Finally, an impression is given of what kind of linguistic changes the clash between these languages and Spanish, the official language in many of today's American countries, has brought about.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter 1
- Vorwort 7
- Wilhelm von Humboldts Beschäftigung mit den amerikanischen Sprachen: Kontexte und Perspektiven* 9
- Wearing its interculturalism on its sleeve: travels through Mexican language and culture 35
- Klassisches Aztekisch 51
- Otomí: eine kurze strukturelle und soziolinguistische Charakterisierung 99
- Zapotekisch (Oaxaca/Mexiko) 133
- Cabécar – a Chibchan language of Costa Rica 151
- Three languages from America in contact with Spanish 171
- Mosetén: eine Sprache im Wandel 197
- Guaraní 207
- Back Matter 231
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter 1
- Vorwort 7
- Wilhelm von Humboldts Beschäftigung mit den amerikanischen Sprachen: Kontexte und Perspektiven* 9
- Wearing its interculturalism on its sleeve: travels through Mexican language and culture 35
- Klassisches Aztekisch 51
- Otomí: eine kurze strukturelle und soziolinguistische Charakterisierung 99
- Zapotekisch (Oaxaca/Mexiko) 133
- Cabécar – a Chibchan language of Costa Rica 151
- Three languages from America in contact with Spanish 171
- Mosetén: eine Sprache im Wandel 197
- Guaraní 207
- Back Matter 231
