¿Por qué en América SÍ se habla ESPAÑOL y en Filipinas NO?

Summary

This video explores why Spanish remains widely spoken in parts of Latin America but not in the Philippines, despite both regions being once colonized by Spain. It highlights historical factors such as the focus of Spanish colonial efforts, with the Americas developing a more widespread use of Spanish for governance and social mobility, while in the Philippines, Spanish was mostly limited to the elite and religious contexts. The video also touches on the American colonization of the Philippines, which led to the rise of English, leaving Spanish as a cultural and linguistic remnant, with a small number of speakers today and a notable influence on Filipino languages.

Takeaways

• 😀 Spanish was once spoken in many areas, but now is primarily spoken in Latin America and parts of the United States.
• 😀 In the Americas, Spanish was integrated into the daily life of the population, especially after the Spanish colonizers established cities and universities in the Spanish style.
• 😀 Spanish was the language of the elite in Latin America, but many indigenous people learned it to improve their social and economic standing.
• 😀 The United States territories like New Mexico, Texas, and California once belonged to Spain and Mexico, where Spanish was widely spoken before the U.S. took control.
• 😀 In the Philippines, Spanish was initially introduced by missionaries who wanted to evangelize the population, but it never became as widespread as in the Americas.
• 😀 The Philippines' geographic nature as an archipelago with many isolated islands hindered the spread of Spanish in the same way it took hold in the Americas.
• 😀 In the Philippines, Tagalog became more prominent than Spanish as missionaries translated the Bible into local languages and focused on spreading Christianity.
• 😀 Spanish was not adopted as the primary language in the Philippines because it was mostly used by the elite, while the majority of the population spoke native languages.
• 😀 The U.S. colonization of the Philippines introduced English as the official language, and over time, it replaced Spanish in most areas of life.
• 😀 Despite Spanish being replaced by English, Spanish influence remains in the Philippines through place names, surnames, and a small Spanish-based Creole called Chabacano.
• 😀 Today, Spanish is almost a forgotten language in the Philippines, with only around 4,000 speakers, while in Latin America, Spanish continues to thrive as a primary language.

Q & A

Why is Spanish spoken in many countries in America but not in the Philippines, even though both were once colonized by Spain?

The main reason is the different colonial objectives. In the Americas, Spain focused on building a new Spain, creating cities, universities, and an education system that used Spanish. In contrast, Spain's primary goal in the Philippines was evangelization, and the colonization process was more focused on converting people to Christianity, leading to less widespread use of Spanish among the general population.

How did Spanish spread across the southern United States and why did it eventually fade in some areas?

Spanish was spoken across much of the southern United States because these areas were once part of Spain or Mexico. However, after the creation of the United States, Spanish began to fade as English became the dominant language due to political and social changes, although some Spanish-speaking families continued to use the language.

Why did Spanish not remain widely spoken in the Philippines, even though it was once the administrative language?

Spanish was not widely adopted in the Philippines because the colonial focus was on evangelization rather than settlement and economic development. The missionaries who arrived in the Philippines focused on teaching native languages, such as Tagalog, rather than Spanish, which limited the spread of Spanish among the general population.

What role did geography play in the difference between Spanish usage in America and the Philippines?

Geography played a significant role, as America was a continuous landmass with more frequent and easier transportation routes, which facilitated the spread of Spanish. In contrast, the Philippines is an archipelago of islands, making it harder to establish a consistent presence and spread Spanish across the entire region.

Why did Spanish continue to be spoken by the elite in the Philippines during the colonial period?

Spanish was primarily used by the elite in the Philippines as a tool for social and economic advancement. The elite used Spanish to communicate with colonial authorities, access education, and gain power, while the majority of the population spoke native languages.

How did the role of Spanish change in the Philippines after the U.S. took control?

After the U.S. took control of the Philippines, English was promoted as the official language, displacing Spanish. Although Spanish saw a brief resurgence among the elite, English became the dominant language, especially after the Philippines gained independence in 1946.

Why is Spanish still considered an important part of the Philippines' linguistic heritage, even though it is no longer widely spoken?

Spanish remains an important part of the Philippines' linguistic heritage because it influenced the development of Filipino languages, particularly through loanwords. Additionally, many historical documents and literature from the Spanish colonial period were written in Spanish, including the works of national hero José Rizal.

What is Chabacano and why is it significant in the Philippines?

Chabacano is a creole language that developed from the mixture of Spanish and various Filipino languages. It is significant because it is the most notable surviving Spanish-influenced language in the Philippines, and it remains spoken by a portion of the population, particularly in areas like Zamboanga.

How did the Filipino elite react to the American colonial government and how did this affect language policy?

The Filipino elite rejected the American colonial government and continued to use Spanish, which led to a brief resurgence in Spanish language use. However, the U.S. government focused on promoting English, which eventually became the dominant language of government, education, and social status after independence.

What were the reasons behind the early focus on evangelization in the Philippines, and how did it affect the spread of Spanish?

The Spanish colonization of the Philippines prioritized evangelization because Spain's goal was to convert the local population to Christianity. As a result, missionaries taught and used native languages, such as Tagalog, more than Spanish, leading to limited adoption of Spanish among the broader Filipino population.