Spanish in Uruguay | Learn Spanish online for free with VeinteMundos More VeinteMundos’ articles hier . Other languages spoken Portuguese – spoken by around 28,000 speakers not including those who speak the Portuguese dialect of Portuñol riverense (mix of Spanish and Portuguese) Italian and Standard German – over 20,000 speakers, due to immigration in the 20th century Because English is the language of commerce and because of Uruguay’s important economic advances it is spoken by much of the population as a second language Spanish dialects and variations Because of its smaller size there are fewer variations in accents acrros the country, but you can find Portuñol (or brasiliero), a mix of Spanish and Portuguese, in towns and cities along the border with Brazil. (Most linguists classify this dialect as a variety of Portuguese) Lunfardo – is an argot that developed in the suburb of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. One characteristic is the reversal of syllable order (tango – gotan). Some Tangos and Milongas today are still sung in Lunfardo. There are slight variations in Uruguayan Spanish spoken in Montevideo and in the rest of the country.

Geography and Climate Uruguayan territory is predominantly composed of plains and small hill ranges split by rivers and basins. The weather is temperate and humid with warm to hot summers and tropical air flowing down from Brazil. In the winter, polar air can make it cool to cold although it rarely goes below 0 degrees (Celsius) and it rarely snows. Weather changes can be abrupt since there are no mountains to shield from winds. Destinations in Uruguay Beaches and coast (Punta del Este, Cabo Polonio, Isla de Lobos) Montevideo (Old City, architecture, the Rambla) Colonia del Sacramento (its historic quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) Casapueblo River cities (Salto, Fray Bentos, Paysandu) Nature and countryside (Laguna del Sauce, Rio Negro) Wine orchards and estancias (ranches – Posta del Chuy) History & Politics Uruguay was first claimed by the Portuguese and in the 18th century taken by the Spanish resulting in an almost total annihilation of the indigenous population. It gained its independence with the fall of the Spanish monarchy in 1808 but spent the following 20 years fighting against Brazil and Argentina.

In the early 20th century liberal president Jose Batlle installed important social and economic reforms. The military dictatorship of 1973 gave Uruguay the nickname of the “torture chamber of Latin America”. Today Uruguay is one of the more stable and least corrupt countries in Latin America. ¿Sabías qué….? Uruguay is by far the smallest country, in terms of population, to ever win a World Cup. Famous People Jorge Drexler (musician, Al otro lado del Rio – Motorcycle Diaries Soundtrack) Eduardo Acevedo Díaz (writer, Soledad) Diego Forlán (footballer) Gerardo Matos Rodriguez (Tango Composer, La Cumparsita) José Enrique Rodó (writer, Ariel) Marcelo Bertalmio (movie director) Juan carlos Onetti (writer – No Man’s Land) China Zorilla (actress) Spanish Phrases For Visitors to Uruguay Uruguay | EmbassyAbuDhabi.com Uruguayan Money, Services & More Languages Spoken in Uruguay The people of Uruguay speak Spanish. The main national and official language of Uruguay is Spanish. Spanish is a Romance language and placed 2nd based on the amount of native speakers of 340 million.

We have produced a collection of regular Spanish tourist language phrases or words, which a visitor could use to get by in Uruguay. We highly recommend you master them from Spanish common phrases internet site. Top ^ Advice For Learning Spanish Language Conversation and much more conversation in Spanish - The secrets to learn Spanish is countless hours of conversation with folks who talks Spanish better than you. An hour of conversation (with corrections and Spanish dictionary for reference) is as beneficial as 5 hours in a Spanish classroom and 10 hours with a Spanish language training course on your own. Studying Spanish language for three or four hours each day for two weeks is much more beneficial for mastering Spanish than studying 1 hour on a daily basis for three months. It is no surprise that lots of Spanish learners taking language lessons in class and never remember it over time. The key to master the Spanish is intensity of of study. Start out with the 100 most common Spanish phrases and continue to come up with sentences with them. Learn just enough Spanish grammar so that you can do that and do it until you feel really comfortable with all of them. Continue learning these sentence in your head.

The other usage for your dictionary is that you can practice these sentences in Spanish while going about your day and never speaking with any one. Carry a pocket Spanish dictionary or an English-Spanish dictionary app on your mobile phone. Work out the Spanish pronunciation patterns. Start using Spanish audio and online courses for the first 100 phrases and basic grammar in Spanish language. Following the first 100 phrases in Spanish, focus on starting to be conversational. Research indicates that the most common 100 words in Spanish language account for 50% of all the spoken communication. The most common 1,000 phrases account for 80% of all spoken communication. “How do you say X?” in Spanish is an essential sentence you can possibly learn. Learn it early and use it often. Top ^ What do I require to learn Spanish language? Spanish language courses are offered as conventional language classes, audio tutorials and online courses. The traditional Spanish courses are comprised of dialogue textbooks, explanation of Spanish grammer and exercises. Regularly they come either in CDs or MP3s. Most of these courses are ideal for complete beginners or individuals with only minimal understanding of the Spanish language.

One of the major service providers these Spanish language courses is Linguaphone who also have courses for more than One hundred languages and consist of all audio courses, explorer courses for those who would like to learn the fundamentals, and in-depth courses for more serious students. The other service provider of language courses is Teach Yourself and Colloquial courses and they offer a number of languages. Spanish Audio Courses is frequently made of CDs or MP3s with limited printed content. All dialogues, exercises, instructions and explanations of %%are recorded and the focus of these courses is teaching you to comprehend and speak the language. Pimsleur language courses offers you genuine pronunciation in Spanish and a manageable amount of vocabulary. Computer Based Language Learning are available on CD-ROMs and DVDs. Each of these courses generally consist of dialogues, audio, exercises and tests in Spanish. Teach Me! and Transparent Language offer a wide array of language courses on CDs and MP3s with vocabularly and grammar exercises. What Language Spoken in Uruguay | EmbassyPretoria.com Uruguayan Money, Services & More Languages Spoken in Uruguay The people of Uruguay speak Spanish. The main national and official language of Uruguay is Spanish.

Spanish is a Romance language and ranked 2nd based upon number of native speakers of 340 million. We’ve created a selection of regular Spanish tourist language phrases or words, which a visitor can use to get by in Uruguay. We strongly suggest you learn them from Spanish basic phrases website. Top ^ Tips For Understanding Spanish Language Conversation and more conversation in Spanish - The key to learn Spanish is hours and hours of conversation with people who speaks Spanish much better than you. An hour or so of talking (with corrections and Spanish dictionary for reference) is as good as five hours in a Spanish educational setting and 10 hours with a Spanish language course by yourself. Studying Spanish language for three or four hours on a daily basis for two weeks is far more beneficial for mastering Spanish than studying 1 hour daily for three months. It is no surprise that a great many Spanish students taking language lessons in class and hardly ever remember it in the long term. The secret to learn the Spanish is intensity of of study. Begin with the One hundred most common Spanish phrases and attempt to make sentences using them. Learn just enough Spanish grammar so that you can do that as well as do it until you feel fairly at ease with all of them.

Continue practicing these sentence in your head. The other benefit from for your dictionary is you can practice these sentences in Spanish whilst going about your day and not conversing with anyone. Take a pocket Spanish dictionary or an English-Spanish dictionary app on your smartphone. Work out the Spanish pronunciation patterns. Make use of Spanish audio and online courses for the first 100 words and basic grammar in Spanish language. After the first 100 phrases in Spanish, give attention to becoming conversational. Research has revealed that the most everyday 100 words in Spanish language count for 50% of all the spoken conversation. The most everyday 1,000 phrases account for 80% of all spoken conversation. “How do you say X?” in Spanish is an essential sentence you can possibly learn. Study it early and then use it often. Top ^ What do I need to study Spanish language? Spanish language courses can be found as conventional language classes, audio tutorials and online courses. The traditional Spanish courses are made up of dialogue textbooks, explanation of Spanish grammer and exercises. Normally they are offered either in CDs or MP3s. Most of these courses are designed for complete beginners or individuals with only little knowledge of the Spanish language.

One of the leading suppliers these Spanish language courses is Linguaphone who also have courses for more than 100 languages and include all audio courses, explorer courses for individuals who would like to study the fundamentals, and in-depth courses for more serious students. The other provider of language courses is Teach Yourself and Colloquial courses and they offer a wide variety of languages. Spanish Audio Courses is generally made of CDs or MP3s with limited printed material. All dialogues, exercises, instructions and explanations of %%are recorded and the focus of these courses is teaching you to comprehend and speak the language. Pimsleur language courses gives you genuine pronunciation in Spanish and a manageable level of vocabulary. Computer Based Language Learning can be found on CD-ROMs and DVDs. Every one of these courses generally consist of dialogues, audio, exercises and tests in Spanish. Teach Me! and Transparent Language present you with a wide variety of language courses on CDs and MP3s with vocabularly and grammar exercises. Uruguayan Language English - -> espaï¿½ol (Spanish) Welcome - -> Bienvenidoï¿½(sg)ï¿½Bienvenidosï¿½(pl) Hello - -> ï¿½Hola! How are you?

- -> ï¿½Cï¿½mo estï¿½ usted?ï¿½(frm)ï¿½ï¿½Cï¿½mo estï¿½s?ï¿½(inf) I'm fine, thanks. And you? - -> Bien gracias, ï¿½y usted?ï¿½(frm)ï¿½Bien gracias, ï¿½y tï¿½?(inf) Long time no see - -> ï¿½Cuï¿½nto tiempo!ï¿½ï¿½Tanto tiempo sin verte! What's your name? - -> ï¿½Cï¿½mo te llamas?ï¿½(inf) My name is ... - -> Me llamo ...,ï¿½Mi nombre es ... Where are you from? - -> ï¿½De dï¿½nde eres?ï¿½(inf)ï¿½ï¿½De dï¿½nde es usted?ï¿½(frm) I'm from ... - -> Soy de ...

The Languages spoken in Uruguay locations The Languages spoken in Uruguay Uruguay, known officially as the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, the Eastern Republic of Uruguay or the Republic East of the Uruguay (River), is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It is bordered by the countries of Argentina to its west and Brazil to its north and east, with the Atlantic Ocean positioned to the south and southeast. Uruguay is home to a population of 3.3 million inhabitants, of whom some 1.8 million live in the metropolitan area of its capital and largest city, Montevideo. With an area of approximately 68,000 square miles (176,000 square kilometers), Uruguay is geographically the second-smallest nation in South America after Suriname. Uruguay remained largely unpopulated until the establishment of Sacramento Colony (Colonia del Sacramento), one of the oldest European settlements in the country, by the Portuguese in 1680. Montevideo, the current capital of the country, was founded as a military stronghold by the Spanish in the early 18th century, signifying the competing claims over the region.

Uruguay ultimately won its independence between 1811 and 1828, following a four-way struggle between Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil. The country remained subjected to foreign influence and intervention throughout the 1800s, with the military playing a habitual role in domestic politics until the late 20th century. Today, modern Uruguay is a democratic constitutional republic, with a president who serves as both head of state and head of government. It frequently ranks as one of the most developed and prosperous countries (per capita) in Latin America. Languages Spoken in Uruguay: Introduction Uruguay is a very homogenous country from a linguistic standpoint. Spanish, which is the official or de facto language of the country, is also the first language of over 99 percent of the population. Uruguayan Spanish, like Argentine Spanish, has been somewhat modified by the Italians who migrated in large numbers to both countries. In general, the language of Uruguay is softer than that of Castile and some words are different from those commonly used in Spain. The gauchos have influenced the language, particularly in words dealing with their way of life. In addition to Spanish, there are a number of minority languages spoken by very small pockets of the population.

Some of these include Portuguese, Portunol, Italian, German, Russian and Plautdietsch. Of these, Portunol is by far the most popular, a language that blends Portuguese and Spanish that is unique to the country of Uruguay. The Spanish Language in Uruguay Montevideo street graffitti, Source The Spanish language in Uruguay, often referred to as Uruguayan Spanish or Uruguayan Castilian, is a variety of Spanish spoken in Uruguay and by the Uruguayan diaspora living in other countries around the world. Spanish was introduced to Uruguay with the arrival of the Spanish at the onset of the colonial period and since that time it has served as the official language of the country, spoken by an overwhelming majority of the population. Uruguayan Spanish is strongly influenced by the Italian language and its dialects due to the large number of Italian communities in cities such as Montevideo and Paysandú. The manner of speaking Uruguayan Spanish is quite different when compared to other countries in Latin America and in Spain because it is very similar to Italian.

Many Italian words are incorporated in the Spanish of Uruguay, such as the words nona cucha, fainá, chapar, parlar, festichola; and of Italian derivation (for example: mina derived from femmina, or pibe from pivello). The Spanish spoken in Uruguay is also influenced by the Portuguese of Brazil, albeit not as strongly as it is by the Italian language. The Portuguese influence is a variant of Rocha, with bilingualism or the fusion of Spanish and Portuguese, known as Portuñol. Another name for the Spanish language spoken in Uruguay is Rioplatense Spanish, a dialect of the Spanish language spoken primarily in the areas in and around the Rio de la Plata basin of Argentina and Uruguay, and also in Rio Grande do Sul. Certain features of this dialect are also shared with the varieties of Spanish heard in Eastern Bolivia and Chile. The usual word used to describe the Spanish language in this region is castellano (English: Castilian) and seldom español (English: Spanish). Although the variety of Spanish known as Rioplatense is usually referred to as a single dialect, it’s important to note that there are some distinguishable differences among the varieties spoken in Argentina, Bolivia and in Uruguay.

The language of Rioplatense Spanish is largely based in the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires and Rosario in Argentina, and in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, the three most populated cities in which the dialect is used, as well as their respective suburbs and the towns in between. Rioplatense is also found in other areas that are not geographically close to, but culturally influenced by those population centers (for example, in parts of Paraguay and in all of Patagonia). The Rioplatense dialect is the standard in audiovisual media in Argentina and Uruguay. To the north, and northeast exists the hybrid language of Riverense Portuñol, a blending of Spanish and Portuguese that we will discuss in the next section. Influences on Uruguayan (Rioplatense) Spanish The Spanish brought their native language to Uruguay during the Spanish colonization in the region. The Rio de la Plata basin region, originally part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, later had its status lifted to Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata in 1776.

Up until the large wave of immigration to the region, which commenced in the 1870s, the language used in the Rio de la Plata region had almost no influence from other world languages, varying only slightly from one town to the next. The people of Argentina and Uruguay often say that their populations, much like those of the United States and Canada in North America, comprise people of relatively recent European descent, the largest immigrant groups coming from Italy and Spain. Several languages, and especially Italian, influenced the dialect of Spanish of the time, a fact owed to the diversity of settlers and immigrants to the greater Uruguay region. Between 1870 and 1890, the main influences on Uruguayan Spanish were the Spanish, Basque, Galician and Northern Italian settlers, and even some from France, Germany and other European countries, including several from Eastern Europe. Between 1910 and 1945, another wave of immigration to Uruguay was experienced, as people fled their home countries in war-torn Europe to start their lives anew. People from Spain, Southern Italy and in smaller numbers from across Europe settled in the region, bringing their own linguistic influence to what would become the Rioplatense dialect.

Jewish immigration, particularly from Russia and Poland, was also especially heavy between 1910 and the end of World War II. Another influence on Uruguayan Spanish was the English speakers—mainly from Britain and Ireland. Although not as numerous as the Spanish and Italians, these English speakers were very influential in industry, business, education and agriculture. English speakers were especially influential with the upper and upper-middle classes. Vocabulary and Usage Clarin newspaper, Source The massive wave of European immigration decimated the Native American populations before 1810, and also during the expansion into Patagonia after 1870. Despite this, the frequent interactions between Spanish speakers and the native-speaking Amerindians have left visible traces on the Uruguayan Spanish of today. Words form the Guarani and Quechua Indians and others were incorporated into the local Spanish dialect. Some of the Amerindian words that were incorporated into the Rioplatense Spanish dialect include: Guacho or Guacha. These words, from the Quechua Indians, today mean a “poor person, vagabond or orphan.” The term for the native cowboys of the Pampas, gaucho, may be related.

Pororo and Pochoclo. The word pororo means “popcorn” in Uruguay (and Paraguay), while the word pochoclo is the Argentine word for popcorn. There are many differences between standard Spanish and the Rioplatense or Uruguayan dialect. According to language experts, there are about 9,000 words in the Rioplatense vocabulary that are not used or, in many cases, not even understood in other Spanish-speaking regions. These include a number of terms from the basic or everyday vocabulary, such as certain words for fruits, clothing, foodstuffs, automobile parts and more, as well as local slang terms. Vocabularies in the regions where the Rioplatense dialect is used continue to diverge from Peninsular Spanish: Rioplatense Spanish tends to borrow technical words from American English, while Peninsular Spanish tends to borrow them from British English or from French. To give you an example of how the Rioplatense vocabulary varies from standard Castilian Spanish, below we have listed a few common terms (in English) with their corresponding Castilian and Rioplatense words: Peach. Castilian = Melocotón Rioplatense = Durazno Apricot.

Castilian = Albaricoque Rioplatense = Damasco Potato. Castilian = Patata Rioplatense = Papa Sweater. Castilian = Jersey Rioplatense = Suéter/pullover Bowtie. Castilian = Pajarita Rioplatense = Moño Car. Castilian = Coche Rioplatense = Auto Cell Phone. Castilian = Móvil Rioplatense = Celular Computer. Castilian = Ordenador Rioplatense = Computadora Hot Dog. Castilian =Perrito Rioplatense= Pancho Research surrounding Rioplatense Spanish has shown that the dialect has intonation patterns that closely model those of various Italian dialects. This correlates well with immigration patterns, as both Argentina and Uruguay received large numbers of Italian immigrants in the 19 and 20 centuries. One of the characteristic features of the Uruguayan speaking style is the voseo: the usage of the pronoun vos for the second person singular, instead of tú. Vos is used with forms of the verb that resemble those of the second person plural (vosotros) in traditional (Spain's) Peninsular Spanish.

The second person plural pronoun, which is vosotros in Spain, is replaced with ustedes in Rioplatense, as in most other Latin American dialects. In the old times, vos was used as a respectful term. In Rioplatense, as in most other dialects which employ voseo, this pronoun has become informal, supplanting the use of tú (compare you in English, which used to be formal singular but has replaced and obliterated the former informal singular pronoun thou). It is used especially for addressing friends and family members (regardless of age), but may also include most acquaintances, such as co-workers, friends of one's friends, etc. Languages of Uruguay: Portuñol Portuñol or portunhol is a dialect based on code-switching between Spanish and Portuguese. This dialect in Uruguay has resulted from prolonged contact between the inhabitants of Spanish-speaking Uruguayans and Portuguese-speaking Brazilians, primarily in the country’s border areas.

Emerging over time as a sort of lingua franca for those living in these regions, where speakers lacked fluency in the other group’s language, portuñol can be described as a hybrid mixture of Spanish and Portuguese with a smattering of influences from indigenous languages. Portuñol speakers are concentrated in the border areas between Argentina and Brazil, Paraguay and Brazil, and Uruguay and Brazil. The most uniform and structured variation of portuñol, known as portuñol riverense or fronterizo, is spoken near the Uruguay-Brazil border, specifically in and around the area surrounding the twin cities of Rivera, Uruguay and Santana do Livramento, Brazil. Although most linguists consider portuñol riverense to be primarily a Portuguese-based dialect, other variants of portuñol retain more of a Spanish flavor. In the past few years, a number of literary works in portuñol have been produced, largely by Uruguayan and Brazilian authors. One of the most celebrated examples of portuñol literature is a novel entitled Mar Paraguayo by Wilson Bueno. The use of portuñol has also risen on the Internet, with websites, blogs and chat rooms dedicated to the dialect.

After Brazil adopted its first constitution in 1830, Portuguese continued to be spoken in the rural northern border region with Brazil, and the introduction of Spanish language public schools in the area progressed slowly. The local importance of Portuguese was considerable due to the smuggling of cattle and importation of tropical and subtropical fruit from nearby Brazil, which supplied the region with goods more effectively and considerably more conveniently than the reach of Montevideo. Montevideo book store, Source Over time, many lusismos (Portuguese words and expressions or their literal equivalents in Spanish) began to creep into the popular speech of Montevideo as rural migrants moved into the city from the North. Throughout the 1850s, tension remained high between Brazil and Argentina, and while both desired and even schemed to recover Uruguay for themselves, the promised support of British naval power prevented either from openly trying to challenge Uruguayan independence. During this tense time, Brazil obtained a number of special rights in Uruguayan affairs such as the extradition of runaway slaves and criminals, joint navigation on the Rio Uruguay and special tax exemptions for Brazilian cattle and salted meat exports.

The recently completed Atlas Lingüistico del Uruguay confirms the existence of a 25 kilometer-wide band across Northern Uruguay in which much of the population is either bilingual or speaks the local mixed Spanish-Portuguese dialect known as Portuñol. The proximity of the border region to Brazilian television stations has contributed to the tendency of the local population to maintain the dialect and some degree of literacy in Brazilian Portuguese. An additional reason for the growing mixed dialect is that traditionally, educational opportunities for Uruguayan residents have always been greater on the Brazilian side of the border. The continued existence of Portuñol may also be seen as an attempt by Uruguayans to reinforce a sense of national identity, particularly among young people, a sense of rebellion against the government’s policy of “correct Spanish speech” and as a way to feel separate from their powerful Argentine neighbors.

Several Uruguayan Ministers of Education have declared Portuñol to be a “vulgar” or “lower class dialect” and that the policy of the Ministry must be to ensure that both “standard" Spanish and Portuguese are taught and spoken well, whereas Uruguayan linguist Graciela Barrios, defends the use of the dialect and the language spoken by the younger generation in Montevideo. She has commented that “Behind the policies of managing the language, there are discriminatory attitudes. When the government accuses young people of 'deforming' the language, it is a sly way of saying - We don’t like young people. The language of the frontier region is our cultural patrimony and must not disappear.” The linguist Steven Fischer has predicted that Brazil will eventually cease to be a Portuguese-speaking country, but will rather speak only Portuñol, something that of course offends many in Brazil’s literary and intellectual establishment. There has also been a significant literary production in portuñol as well as regional comic book production, mostly in Uruguay and Brazil.

Nevertheless, as late as the military junta of the 1970’s, Uruguayan linguistic and educational policy had reached such negative attitudes toward the Portunol dialect that huge signs were placed in the border area calling upon parents to…”Speak Spanish = If you Love Your Children. Remember – they imitate you!” Uruguayan resentment against Argentina’s assumption that it speaks for the entire Rioplatense region is strong. Uruguayans are unhappy being taken for granted, but sometimes engage in self-pity and irony while at the same time mock the general ignorance abroad of their country. A popular patriotic song speaks of Uruguay as the country that “por el mapa no se ve” (that is not seen on the map). As with any other language, the Uruguayan-Brazilian Portuñol is very dynamic and heterogeneous, and there is a continuum of dialects which range from Rioplatense Spanish to the standard Brazilian Portuguese.

Nevertheless, it has one variant which is the most used, and could be taken as a case study: this variant is geographically located on the area having the cities of Rivera and Sant'Ana do Livramento as its center, and expanding over a strip of several kilometers parallel to the border, including territory of both nations. Most language experts classify Portuñol as a variety of Portuguese, but there is no total consensus. Despite the lack of consensus, it can be safely said that Portuñol is a very rich language, in the sense that it has a great amount of synonyms and more precise words to express specific meanings, besides having a larger phonetic richness. However, it's wrong to say that Riverense Portunol is merely a mix between two languages which doesn't follow strict grammatical rules. The origins of Portuñol can be traced back to the time of the dominion of the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal. In those times, the ownerships of those lands were not very well defined, passing back and forth from the hands of one crown to the other. Portuñol was not only influenced by Portuguese and Spanish, but also, in a few cases, the native languages as well.

In terms of phonology, the Portunol language does not possess a formally defined orthography. It should also be noted here that not all Portuñol-speaking persons use the same pronunciation for the same words (as is the case with most languages). As mentioned previously, Both Argentina and Uruguay attracted many immigrants from Spain, Italy, the Canary Islands, and Central and Eastern Europe. Uruguay, although much smaller, was more successful in establishing free institutions, achieving a high level of education for many of its citizens, preserving essential liberties, promoting social welfare and serving as a haven for refugees. Winning the world cup in soccer several times, and defeating its arch rivals on the playing field, has helped cement a strong sense of national identity in Uruguay, and a way to set them apart from their much larger “nemesis,” Argentina. Although only spoken by a minority of the population, Portuñol is one additional element that makes Uruguay a distinctive nation in its own right with a long and proud history.

Guarani | About World Languages By Irene Thompson | Updated December 11, 2015 by Irene Thompson Tapeguahê porãite – Welcome Guaraní (avañe’ẽ) belongs to the Tupi-Guaraní family of South America. It is spoken by 4.6 million people in Paraguay, Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil ( Ethnologue ). These languages are spoken by people who inhabit a vast area in the Amazon forest in Brazilian states and Paraguay in the south, and from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Andes of Bolivia and Peru in the west. Despite their geographical spread, the differences between the languages is relatively small, making it possible for the Portuguese Jesuits to develop a língua geral ‘common language’ which could be understood by everyone. The history and meaning of the name Guarani is a subject of dispute due to lack of historical records. Prior to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors, the Guarani people referred to themselves as Aba ‘men’. The term Guaraní was originally applied by early Jesuit missionaries to refer to natives who had accepted conversion to Christianity. Status Guaraní enjoys official status in several South American countries: Bolivia.

Guarani shares official status along with Spanish, Aymara , and 34 other indigenous languages. Paraguay. Guarani shares official status with Spanish. Around two-thirds of the Paraguayan population speak Guaraní. Paraguay’s constitution is bilingual, and school textbooks are typically half in Spanish and half in Guaraní. The two languages are considered equal.The linguistic situation in Paraguay, however, is quite complicated because almost nobody in Paraguay speaks ‘pure Spanish’ or ‘pure Guaraní’. Rather most people code-switch between Spanish and Guaraní. At one extreme, better educated and more urbanized people tend to speak Spanish with a small amount of Guaraní. At the other extreme, less educated and more rural indigenous people tend to speak Guaraní with many Spanish words. This latter mix is called Jopará . It is estimated that over half of Paraguay’s rural population speaks Jopará . Speakers of Guaraní who are not fluent in Spanish have restricted opportunities for education and employment. Argentina. Guaraní is the second official language, along with Spanish, of the Argentine province of Corrientes .

Ethnologue identifies several mutually intelligible varieties of Guaraní: Eastern Bolivian Guaraní spoken by 33,700 in Bolivia Western Bolivian Guaraní spoken by 7,000 in Bolivia Guarani Ava spoken by 15,900 people in Brazil, and Paraguay Guaraní Mbiyá spoken by 15,000 in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay Paraguayan Guaraní spoken by 4.6 million in Paraguay Structure Top Sound System All syllables in Guaraní consist either of a vowel or a consonant plus a vowel. Guaraní words are either oral or nasal — a phenomenon called nasal harmony. A Guaraní word is nasal if it has at least one of the nasal vowels or consonants /ĩ, ẽ, ɨ᷀, ã, ũ, õ, ᵐb, ⁿt, ⁿd, ᵑg, m, n, ɲ, ŋ/ in its stem. Nasal harmony influences the choice of prefixes , and to a certain extent, enclitics .

For example, the postpositions pe, ta turn into me, nda after nasal words. Vowels Guaraní has six oral vowels. All vowels have nasal counterparts. In the table below, nasal vowels are marked with a tilde . Approximant ʋ /ᵐb, ⁿt, ⁿd, ᵑg/ are prenasalized stops , a combination of nasal plus stop , that behave phonologically like single consonants /ɟ/ has no equivalent in English /ʔ/ = sound between vowels in uh-oh /ɣ/ has no equivalent in English /ɲ/ = first n in canyon /ŋ/ = ng in song /ɾ/ is produced with a single tap of the tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge , e.g., in the Spanish word pero ‘but.’. /r/ is produced with the tip of tongue vibrating vibrating against the alveolar ridge , e.g., in the Spanish word perro ‘dog.’ /ʋ/ has no equivalent in English Grammar Guarani is an agglutinative polysynthetic language. The term polysynthetic refers to languages that have a high ratio of morphemes per word and which typically permit noun incorporation .

A word in a polysynthetic language can express a meaning which would require a sentence in many other languages. Guaraní uses postpositions instead of prepositions, e.g., Paraguay pe ‘in Paraguay’. Nouns and pronouns Guarani nouns are not marked for gender, number or case. There is no definite article in Guaraní, but the colloquial variety uses of two Spanish articles la for singular, e.g., la ava ‘the man’ and lo for plural, e.g.,’lo mitã ‘the boys.’ The plural marker kuéra is used for some pronouns, e.g., ha’e ‘he/she,’ ha’ekuéra ‘they.’ Postpositions precede the plural marker, e.g., hendive ‘ with him/her,’ hendivekuéra ‘with them.’ Guaraní distinguishes between inclusive (including hearer) and exclusive (excluding hearer) first person plural pronouns, as shown in the table below ( Wikipedia ). Top Guaraní became a written language relatively recently. Prior to the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the language did not have a writing system. The first written texts in Guaraní were written by Jesuit missionaries who used the Latin alphabet to represent the language.

The first Guaraní-Spanish dictionary was printed in 1639, and the first grammar in 1722. The script was standardized in 1950, although some disagreement about some of the letters still persist. The modern Guaraní alphabet is an adapted version of the Roman alphabet. Its orthography is largely phonemic (i.e., each letter represents a phoneme, a sound capable of differentiating word meaning). Tilde is used to mark nasalization of vowels, while ‘ represents a glottal stop . A a Uruguayans - Introduction, Location, Language, Folklore, Religion, Major holidays, Rites of passage Uruguayans RELIGION: Roman Catholicism; some Judaism; Afro-Brazilian churches; evangelical Protestantism 1 • INTRODUCTION The Portuguese, based in Brazil, migrated south into Uruguay in 1680 where they founded a colony called Colonial de Sacramento. In 1726, Spain established a fort in nearby Montevideo (mohn-teh-vih-DAY-oh), the present-day capital of Uruguay. After a struggle between the two colonial powers, Uruguay fell under Portuguese control. It later became a province of Brazil.

Uruguay was granted full independence in 1828, through an agreement between Argentina and Brazil. After independence, power alternated between two major political parties. They were called the Colorados (Reds) and the Blancos (Whites). A violent civil war lasted from the mid-1830s to 1851. In the late 1960s, economic difficulties and the activities of a terrorist group known as the Tupamaros led to political instability. In 1973, a military dictatorship assumed control of the government. Democracy was restored in 1985. 2 • LOCATION Uruguay is located between Brazil and Argentina on the Atlantic coast of South America. Its terrain is characterized by gently rolling hills and natural grasslands. A high proportion of Uruguay's territory is suitable for agriculture. Most of Uruguay's grasslands are currently used for grazing. The total population of Uruguay is over 3 million people. Uruguay does not have a native population. Since 1830 the Uruguayans have been ethnically European, descended mainly from Italians or Spaniards. 3 • LANGUAGE The official language of Uruguay is Spanish.

In regions close to the Brazilian border, a Spanish-Portuguese dialect called Portuñol (or Portuniol) is spoken. 4 • FOLKLORE There are conflicting legends explaining the name given to Uruguay's capital, Montevideo. Both originate in Ferdinand Magellan's visit to the region in 1520. According to one legend, a sailor on Magellan's ship saw land and shouted, "Monte vide eu" —"I see a hill." The other version is based on a Spanish phrase found on early maps: "Monte VI de E.O.," or "The sixth hill from east to west." 5 • RELIGION Most Uruguayans are Roman Catholic. There is a sharp separation between church and state. Many religious holidays have even been given secular names. Christmas, for instance, is widely referred to as Family Day. Similarly, Easter Week is known as Criollo Week. 6 • MAJOR HOLIDAYS Perhaps the most celebrated holiday in Uruguay is Carnival. This is a week-long celebration that marks the beginning of Lent (in February). There is a series of street parades, as well as drinking, feasting, and dancing. Many of Uruguay's festivals celebrate its cattle-raising heritage.

During Easter Week (in March or April), a Cowboy Festival (Fiesta Gaucha) is held in Montevideo. Rodeo competitions are the main event. 7 • RITES OF PASSAGE Major life transitions, such as birth, puberty, and death, are marked by rituals appropriate to each Uruguayan's religion. 8 • RELATIONSHIPS To say goodbye, most Uruguayans have adopted the Italian ciao or addio in place of the Spanish adios . It is proper to kiss someone both when saying hello and upon departing. When invited to an Uruguayan home, one may be offered mate, an herbal tea. Traditionally, mate is drunk through a silver straw, called a bombilla, from a carved gourd (hollow fruit). 9 • LIVING CONDITIONS Montevideo is a modern city, with high-rise apartments and office buildings. Many of the poorer residents, however, live in small homes or shacks on the outskirts of the city. In rural areas, Uruguayan cowboys, called gauchos, live in simple communal housing on farms where they work. Other rural dwellers live in adobe homes. 10 • FAMILY LIFE Marriage in Uruguay can be formalized through a civil ceremony.

Families in Uruguay are relatively small compared with other countries in the region. Most urban families choose to limit the size of their families. In rural areas, however, there is less access to birth control, and women typically have more children. 11 • CLOTHING Urban Uruguayans wear modern Western dress. Today's youths favor jeans and T-shirts. Suits and ties are appropriate attire for businessmen. Uruguay's gauchos (cow-boys) proudly wear the distinctive clothing of their ancestors. They sport baggy pants called bombachas . Wide-brimmed black hats offer protection from the midday sun. Woolen ponchos are used for warmth in the evenings. 12 • FOOD Not surprisingly for a cattle-ranching country, beef figures prominently in Uruguayan cuisine. Churrasco, or grilled steak, can be said to be the national dish. Also very popular are chivitos: hot steak sandwiches, topped with bacon, eggs, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Recipe 4 pounds osso buco (veal shanks), cut into six pieces 6 carrots, peeled 6 ears of sweet corn, husked 1 squash (medium size), cut into 6 pieces, unpeeled 1 cup chopped celery 6 white potatoes, peeled 6 zucchini Directions Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add all ingredients to boiling water in the following order: the meat, then carrots, onion, green beans, corn, squash, and celery. Then add potatoes, zucchini, and corn. Add parsley and salt to season the stew. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain off most of the liquid. Serve the meat and vegetable in bowls with a little of the broth. Mustard, mayonnaise, tomato, onion, or pepper sauce may be served as accompaniments. Recipe courtesy of the Embassy of Uruguay. The Uruguayans have also adapted traditional Spanish dishes. A Uruguayan version of puchero, Spanish meat stew, is sometimes cooked with blood sausage. 13 • EDUCATION Uruguayans have a literacy rate (percentage of the population who can read and write) of over 97 percent.

Children receive six required years of elementary education. These are followed by six years of secondary schooling, divided into two three-year stages. 14 • CULTURAL HERITAGE Perhaps the most celebrated Uruguayan poet was Juan Zorrilla de San Martin (1855–1931). A more recent writer of international acclaim is Juan Carlos Onetti, a contemporary novelist. Uruguay's musical tradition reflects a historical Spanish influence. As in Argentina, the tango is a popular dance form. Candombe, an Afro-Brazilian music and dance form, is also popular. 15 • EMPLOYMENT Agriculture is the driving force behind the Uruguayan economy. Sheep and cattle ranching are the most important agricultural activities. Many urban dwellers find work in industries related to the processing of agricultural products. These including canning, brewing, and the leather industry. Montevideo businesses offer jobs as waiters, taxi drivers, and shopkeepers. Unemployment, however, is a major problem. Many Uruguayans resort to such jobs as street vending and tailoring. 16 • SPORTS Uruguayans love soccer (futbol), both as spectators and participants. They are equally passionate about horses. Rodeos are always well attended.

Horse racing is also very popular. Like Argentina, Uruguay also has a passion for polo. 17 • RECREATION Many Uruguayan families flock to the beaches on weekends for rest and recreation. The coastal forests provide numerous sites for camping and fishing. Montevideo has a varied night life. Restaurants, cinemas, and musical shows are widely attended on weekends. 18 • CRAFTS AND HOBBIES Uruguayans excel in producing handcrafted leather goods auch as belts, hats, boots, and purses. Montevideo has a well-known handicraft cooperative called Manos de Uruguay (Hands of Uruguay). Members of the cooperative spin and dye wool, knit sweaters, and also make ceramic crafts. 19 • SOCIAL PROBLEMS Unemployment is high, typically ranging from 10 to 15 percent. There is also a serious lack of housing. 20 • BIBLIOGRAPHY Finch, Martin. Uruguay. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Clio, 1989. Haverstock, Nathan A. Uruguay in Pictures. Minneapolis, Minn.: Lerner Publications Co., 1987. Morrison, Marion. Uruguay. Enchantment of the World Series.

Chicago: Children's Press, 1992. WEBSITES

Question: What is the official language of Uruguay?
Answer: Spanish