Spanish Fast Facts

Spanish Fast Facts:

• Spanish is one of the five most used languages in the world. The other four are English, Russian, French and Chinese.
• In terms of number of people that speak the language, Spanish is in second place in the world, after Chinese.
• The word “Spain” comes from the Phoenician isephanim, which means “coast or island of rabbits”.
• Some of the cultures that influenced in the formation of Spanish are the Tartessians, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Celts, the Visigoths, the Romans, and the Suevis.
• Spanish is the official language in the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela. But it is also widely spoken in: Andorra, Aruba, Australia, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Morocco, Netherlands Antilles, Philippines, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Virgin Islands, and Western Sahara.
• Some English words that come from Spanish include: alligator, Alcatraz, anchovy, apache, armada, armadillo, avocado, banana, bonanza, cafeteria, California, cannibal, canoe, canyon, cargo, chocolate, cigar, coca, Colorado, coyote, crusade, embargo, Florida, guerilla, hurricane, Montana, mosquito, Nevada, oregano, plaza, potato, rodeo, sierra, stampede, tapioca, tobacco, tornado, and vanilla. Google for more!
• Did you know that Spain was invaded in 711 A.D. by the Arabs who had a prosperous dominion over this peninsula for eight centuries? During the Arabic dominion, Spain prospered in agriculture, industry, commerce and art. And because of the tolerance practiced by the Arab conquerors the three main cultures inhabiting these lands (Christians, Muslims, and Jews) lived in harmony. Thus these centuries are commonly referred as the Age of the Three Spains.
• The reconquest of Spain was a dream of Christians since the early times of the Muslim dominion, and it was finally achieved in 1492 after the siege of Granada. The victory coincided with the discovery of America in this same year. The following years are known as the Spanish Gold Age.