An overview from the Spanish language and cultural organization Instituto Cervantes shows that more and more people have Spanish as their mother tongue: 480 million to be exact. At the same time, the number of people who speak Spanish as a second language is increasing sharply. If you are struggling with Spanish words and grammar, you should know that the chances are high that you will make good use of what you are able to learn – and not only in Spain. You will find the most Spanish-speakers in a single country in Mexico, while the United States comes in second – President Trump actually has more Spanish-speaking subjects than Spain. And there will be more – with or without a wall. But even though Spanish is experiencing growth in the number of individuals who master the language, it is not asserting itself equally well on all fronts.
Instituto Cervantes (https://www.cervantes.es/default.htm) is an organization whose purpose is to spread knowledge about the Spanish language and culture. It was created by the Spanish state in 1991 and is represented in Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Australia – from Beijing in the east to Seattle in the west. Instituto Cervantes has a lot to offer for those of us who are interested in the Spanish language and culture. And it regularly conducts surveys to map the state of the Spanish language worldwide.
And the latest report is an uplifting read for the authorities in Madrid. Spanish is the official language of 20 countries, and almost eight percent of the world’s population speaks Spanish. Slightly more than 577 million people are estimated to speak Spanish so well that they can reasonably be described as Spanish-speaking. And the Spanish language is experiencing significant growth. More young people, in many European countries, choose Spanish instead of French or German as a foreign language no. 2. The group of people with what is described as a “certain competence in Spanish”, defined as speaking the language reasonably well, will amount to as many as 75 million people. In addition, there are many who are in the process of learning Spanish. According to Professor David Fernandez Vítores at the University of Alcalá, the latter group makes up about 21 million people.
According to the Instituto Cervantes, the increase in the number of Spanish speakers from 2017 to 2018 was estimated to be as much as five million. Most Spanish-speaking countries are, of course, located in South America, but the country that is experiencing the fastest growth in the proportion of Spanish-speaking people is actually the United States.
With or without a wall: Spanish is growing
President Trump was known for having a somewhat strained relationship with his neighbors in the south. During the election campaign, he promised his voters to build a wall along the more than 3,100-kilometer-long border with Mexico. This to prevent illegal immigrants from South and Central America from migrating to the United States. But with or without a wall: The use of Spanish will continue to increase in the USA.
The US Census Bureau has admittedly downgraded its forecasts for how large the country’s “Latino” population will be in 2050 from 138 million to 106 million. A reduction of 32 million compared to what the statisticians at the same agency had calculated before Trump took over as president. Nevertheless, it is possible that the United States will be the country in the world with the largest Spanish-speaking population in a few years.
The Latin American population has long been the fastest growing population in the United States. From 1970 to 2016, the group of Hispanic Americans grew more than 590 percent – mainly due to immigration from Central and South America. In comparison, the US population as a whole increased by 56 percent in the same period, again according to figures from the US Census Bureau.
But other factors also come into play. Instituto Cervantes states that there are about 41 million inhabitants in the United States who have Spanish as their mother tongue and a further 11.6 million who are considered bilingual Spanish-English. Because unlike most other immigrant groups, Spanish-speaking children rarely stop speaking their parents’ mother tongue – and they pass on Spanish to the next generation as well. According to David Fernandez Vítores, more than 70 percent of families with backgrounds from Spanish-speaking countries living in the United States use Spanish at home. In addition, Hispanic Americans as a group have relatively high birth rates.
The vast majority of Spanish speakers are found in the states of Arizona, Texas, Florida, California and New Mexico, but all major American cities have significant numbers of Latin Americans.
Not just good news
Worldwide, as mentioned, more than 480 million people have Spanish as their mother tongue. And Spanish speakers understand each other across national borders, although pronunciation and vocabulary vary somewhat. In comparison, there are 380 million people with English as their mother tongue. But, despite this, Spanish can’t quite compete in all aspects.
Take, for example, research and science. Among the 100 most cited scientific journals, English is a clear winner: the vast majority of research results published are presented in English. Spanish comes in sixth place, after Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and German.
It is not much better in the business world. Although Spain has extensive trade with other Spanish-speaking countries, English dominates world trade. Spanish-speaking countries together account for only 6.9 per cent of the world’s total product, which is the sum of all countries’ gross national product.
Instituto Cervantes as its spearhead
Instituto Cervantes is the spearhead of the Spanish authorities to spread Spanish language and culture. The French have their L’Alliance Française and Germany their Goethe-Institut which has impressive resources, so the competition is fierce. In addition, the Spaniards got started late – the Instituto Cervantes has existed for less than three decades. You can read about its history, purpose and more (in English) here: https://www.cervantes.es/imagenes/File/guias/guia_ic_2009-ingles-aus.pdf.
But if you are looking for resources to learn Spanish and understand Spanish culture better, then the offers the institute has many are well worth a look. Courses are offered for different levels; from beginners to people who have completed training as Spanish teachers. The department also offers a number of interesting lectures and online courses at an affordable price. You can also take various exams that give you proof of your competence in Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes, which may be particularly relevant if you are looking for a job where Spanish skills are crucial.
Harry B., Find Your Spain!
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