The English were quick to borrow much of this technology to conquer many countries over the centuries. Even the very simple words that were once rooted in the Spanish vocabulary, such as "stockade" and "conquistador" were later adopted into the English military vocabulary. Both nations had "paradoxical interactions of Spain and England during the 16th and 17th centuries" (Brownlee, 2009) and as Trans-Atlantic exploration was ramped up by both nations, interaction between the two in the new world and in Central and South America began to influence the way both languages, especially English were evolving.
The common concerns of these empires, whose interests, history, and cultures are often seen as running relatively parallel during this time also played a major role in the development of the English language from Spanish roots. Any time two nation's interests converge, there undoubtedly will be a sharing linguistic traditions and development. International trade is a sector where the economic interests of different nations intersect to create both slow and rapid cultural and linguistic changes. Author Erichsen (2009) explains that many English words of Spanish origin that originated from the Caribbean region exerted their etymological influence through trade between countries. The vibrant mixture of Spanish, English, and other native cultures that exists in the Caribbean region today is the result of trade that started between these countries five hundred years earlier.
The gastronomical evidence is also worth examining. Like language, culturally unique foods and food technology are often spread through trade and other events economic in nature (Millward, 1996). Wherever different goods like food were being exchanged, language and linguistic influences were also being traded. The very names of certain foods like "avocado" and "banana" come from rich cultural backgrounds (Erichsen, 2009). The roots of these words can be traced back from English through Spanish, and eventually through to origins in other languages as well. Food is a great example of a catalyst for language change and development. Like other forms of cultural influence, gastronomical changes brought with them changes to language and culture.
Systematic Changes
Language, like many other complex forms of human interaction, is subject to both very rapid and very slow change. The latter type of change is nearly always more common, as rapid change usually only occurs at key points in a culture's history, when another invading culture or society changes the norms and the customs of another society in a very brisk way (Millward, 1996). These types of changes, while historically evident, occur much less frequently than the slow, systematic shifts that arise from the development of culture and language over decades or centuries. Like culture, language is an ever-moving form of communication. Development and changes occur very slowly, from generation to generation, as new words and linguistic structures and systems take the place of older, more traditional ones.
In the American southwest, these changes are evident in many of the cultural customs of both Americans and Mexicans. The entire southwest was once an economic engine for the country of Mexico and the westward expansion of the U.S. Even the English word "buckaroo," which is slang for "cowboy,"...
Language and Language Practices Language is the written and verbal method by which people communicate with one another. It employs sounds or written designs that are understood by others to create words, phrases, and sentences. Other species have language, as well, but it is not believed to be as complex as the language used by human beings (Bloomfield, 1914; Deacon, 1998). There are many facets to language, and there are nuances
Language Determines Thought: The Creation of Social Worlds Through Language As a set of symbols that has specific and shared meanings within society, language is perhaps the most dynamic and oft-used artifact and element of human culture. Through language, humans are able to express their thoughts and emotions, limiting or empowering an individual's thinking process. Language assumes numerous characteristics and functions, which potentially alters and at the same time, develop human
Language and Literacy Every workplace without exception relies on language as a primary means of communication. Therefore, all types of literacy are required in order for an organization to function properly. The different types of literacy range from multicultural awareness to written language to public speaking. For the purposes of this project, I examined and analyzed several different workplace environments for their usage of language and their different literacy demands. My
The reaction on the part of the community of language researchers has ranged between the grudging acceptance that some multiple word collocation do exist in the lexicon, and the lexicon re-conceptualized as incorporating elements from all levels of linguistic structure. "According to this second view idiomatic expressions represent one end of a continuum which places highly analyzable and semantically decomposable utterances at one end, and highly specified, semantically opaque
Apparently this view has much in its favor. When we compare modern English with some of those Indian languages which are most concrete in their formative expression, the contrast is striking. When we say "The eye is the organ of sight, the Indian may not be able to form the expression the eye, but may have to define that the eye of a person or of an animal is meant.
The Importance of Language in Understanding Culture Introduction One of the lesser known, but important, programs of the United Nations is to promote the preservation of the world's languages. The UNDESA has incorporated language into sustainability standards, in particular concerned about the preservation of the world's languages that are most at risk. Language, the group argues, represents a way of thinking for a people (UNDESA, 2016). By that logic, it is essential
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now