Names Given To The Spanish Language - Usage and Implications in Former Colonies

Usage and Implications in Former Colonies

Both names are commonly used in parts of the world colonized by Spanish speakers, such as Latin America and the Canary Islands. As in Spain, the implications are complex. The most common term used in Latin America is español, generally considered to be a neutral term simply reflecting the country the language came from. For people who use this term, castellano may possibly imply greater correctness as it sometimes does in Spain, or it may merely be an alien term, referring to a region in a far-off country.

However, some Latin Americans prefer the term castellano, especially in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. One reason for this is that many early Argentine settlers were Galician, for whom castellano had long been associated with the Spanish state in addition to Castile. Along with Basques or Catalonians, Galicians might perceive the term español as imperialistic and misrepresenting the language of Castile as the language of Spain.

Castellano may also be used to refer to the dialect of Spanish spoken in Castile while español would generally refer to Standard Spanish. In practice, usage tends to be a matter of local custom, rather than reflecting any philosophical or political position. However, the fact that Castile is now a region subsumed within modern Spain has been the decisive factor in the preferential usage of español in an international context.

Some constitutions avoid the issue by talking about "the national language".