Las palabras en español que provienen del árabe y que usas a diario quizá sin saberlo

BBC News Mundo

28 Jan 202306:10

Summary

TLDRThis script explores the significant influence of Arabic on the Spanish language, stemming from the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711. It discusses how religious practices in Islam, requiring Arabic, led to widespread Arabization. The script delves into the origins of Spanish words with Arabic roots, such as 'aceite' from 'Zayt', and the enduring impact of this linguistic blend evident in modern Spanish, including in place names and words with the prefixes 'A' or 'AL'. It also highlights the challenge of quantifying the exact number of Arabic loanwords in Spanish, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 4,000.

Takeaways

📜 The script discusses the influence of Arabic on the Spanish language, highlighting that many common Spanish words are of Arabic origin.
🏰 The term 'Al-Ándalus' refers to the historical region of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule, which includes modern-day Andalusia.
🌍 The majority of the people in Al-Ándalus did not speak Arabic but Amazigh or Berber languages, indicating the linguistic diversity of the region.
✝️ Religion played a key role in the spread of Arabic, as Islamic prayers and traditions had to be in Arabic, influencing the local population to adopt the language.
👥 The Muslim elites and authorities in Al-Ándalus were largely responsible for the widespread adoption of Arabic, affecting social status and opportunities.
🕋 Terms related to Islam, such as 'imam', 'Islam', and 'mosque', are rooted in Arabic, showing the deep integration of the language in religious practices.
📚 The linguistic influence of Arabic in Spain lasted until 1492, when Christian kingdoms reconquered the peninsula, but the linguistic mix was already well established.
🗣️ Arabic influence is not limited to Spanish but is also present in other Romance languages spoken in the territories, such as Galician and Catalan.
🔢 Estimates of the number of Arabic loanwords in Spanish vary widely, from 2,000 to 4,000, reflecting the complexity of tracing linguistic influences.
📈 The script provides clues for recognizing Arabic loanwords in Spanish, such as words starting with 'A' or 'AL', and gentilic names ending in '-i'.
🏙️ Many toponyms, or place names, in Spain and beyond have origins in Arabic, such as 'Medinaceli', 'Guadalajara', 'Calatayud', and 'Gibraltar'.

Q & A

What is the significance of the year 711 in the context of the Spanish language?
-The year 711 marks the beginning of the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, which led to the establishment of Al-Andalus and the introduction of Arabic influence on the Spanish language.
What was Al-Andalus and how does it relate to the Spanish language?
-Al-Andalus was the name given to the region of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule, which is now part of modern-day Andalusia. It is significant because it was during this period that Arabic had a profound influence on the Spanish language.
Why did Arabic become the language of significant influence in Al-Andalus despite the majority not speaking Arabic?
-Arabic became influential because it was the language of Islam, which was the dominant religion in Al-Andalus. Religious practices such as prayers and traditions had to be conducted in Arabic, thus giving it a prominent role.
How did the Muslim elites contribute to the spread of Arabic in Al-Andalus?
-The Muslim elites, being the majority of the authorities in Al-Andalus, promoted Arabic through religious practices, leading to a societal shift where conversion to Islam and adoption of Arabic became advantageous.
What is the linguistic legacy of the Muslim influence that lasted until 1492?
-The linguistic legacy includes a significant number of Arabic-derived words in Spanish and other Romance languages spoken in the territories, reflecting the long period of cultural and linguistic exchange.
How do historians and linguists determine the number of Arabic loanwords in Spanish?
-Estimates vary, with some studies suggesting around 2,000 and others up to 4,000 Arabic loanwords in Spanish. The difficulty lies in counting derivatives and words that have been significantly altered from their Arabic roots.
What are some examples of Arabic-derived words in Spanish that are mentioned in the script?
-Examples include 'aceite' (from Arabic 'Zayt'), 'almohada', 'azúcar', 'guitarra', 'alacrán', and toponyms like 'Almería', 'Guadalajara', 'Calatayud', and 'Gibraltar'.
Why is the word 'cifra' an interesting example of an Arabic influence in Spanish?
-The word 'cifra', meaning 'number' in general, comes from the Arabic word 'sifr', which means 'zero', illustrating how Arabic has contributed to mathematical terminology in Spanish.
How can one identify classic traces of Arabic in modern Spanish?
-One can look for words starting with the prefixes 'A' or 'AL', gentilicios ending in 'í' without gender distinction, and toponyms derived from Arabic words.
What are some toponyms in Spain that have Arabic origins?
-Examples include 'Medinaceli' (from 'madina' meaning 'city'), 'Guadalajara' (from 'wād' meaning 'river'), and 'Calatayud' (from 'qalaa' meaning 'fortress').
How does the influence of Arabic on Spanish compare to other Romance languages in the Iberian Peninsula?
-While the influence of Arabic is significant in Spanish, it also affected other Romance languages spoken in the region, such as Galician and Catalan, due to the shared history and cultural exchanges.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Arabic Influence on the Spanish Language

This paragraph delves into the historical and linguistic impact of Arabic on the Spanish language. It begins by highlighting familiar words in Spanish that are of Arabic origin, such as 'azúcar' (sugar), 'sorbete' (sherbet), 'guitarra' (guitar), and 'alacrán' (scorpion), emphasizing the prevalence of such words. The script explains that this influence stems from the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD, which led to the establishment of Al-Ándalus, a region encompassing modern-day Andalusia. Despite the majority of the population speaking Amazigh or Berber languages, the Arabic language became the most influential due to religious reasons, as Islamic prayers and traditions are in Arabic. The script outlines how a small number of Arab-speaking elites managed to Arabize the local population through religion, leading to the adoption of many Arabic words into the Spanish language. It also mentions the lasting effect of this linguistic mix, which extended beyond Spanish to other Romance languages spoken in the region, such as Galician and Catalan. The paragraph concludes by discussing the ongoing debate among historians and linguists about the exact number of Arabic loanwords in Spanish, ranging from 2,000 to 4,000, and the difficulty in counting them due to the derivation of new words from the original Arabic ones.

05:01

🏙️ Arabic-Origin Place Names in Spain

The second paragraph focuses on the legacy of Arabic in the toponymy of Spain, providing examples of cities and geographical features whose names have Arabic roots. It begins by mentioning Medinaceli, a Spanish city whose name is derived from 'madina', meaning 'city' in Arabic. The script then discusses the word 'wād', which means 'river' in Arabic and is the root of the names of cities like Guadalajara in Spain and Mexico. The name of the city of Calatayud in Zaragoza comes from 'qalaa', meaning 'fortress', and the paragraph also highlights the origin of the name Gibraltar, which is derived from 'yabal', signifying 'mountain'. These examples illustrate the deep integration of Arabic into the Spanish landscape and the lasting imprint it has left on the country's geography and culture.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Arabismos

Arabismos refers to words of Arabic origin that have been adopted into the Spanish language. In the context of the video, it highlights the significant influence of Arabic on Spanish, with examples such as 'azúcar' (sugar), 'sorbete' (sherbet), 'guitarra' (guitar), and 'alacrán' (scorpion). The term is central to the video's theme, which explores the linguistic impact of the Arab presence in the Iberian Peninsula.

💡Al-Ándalus

Al-Ándalus is the Arabic name for the region of the Iberian Peninsula that was under Muslim rule from 711 to 1492. It is part of what is now known as Andalusia in Spain. The video script uses this term to discuss the historical context in which Arabic became a dominant influence on the local languages, including Spanish.

💡Amazigh

Amazigh, also known as Berber, refers to the indigenous people of North Africa and their languages. The script mentions that most of the people in the region did not originally speak Arabic but Amazigh or Berber languages. This term is relevant to understanding the linguistic diversity of the region before the Arab conquest.

💡Religion

In the video, religion is highlighted as a key factor in the spread of Arabic language and culture. The script explains that because Islamic prayers and traditions are in Arabic, the local population had to learn or adapt to Arabic to integrate into society, especially under Muslim rule. This led to the integration of Arabic words into the local languages.

💡Imam

Imam is an Arabic term that has been incorporated into Spanish and other languages. It refers to the leader of a Muslim community or the person who leads prayers in a mosque. The script uses 'imam' as an example of an Arabic word that has become part of the Spanish vocabulary due to the influence of Islam.

💡Almería

Almería is a city in Spain that is mentioned in the script as an example of a place name with Arabic origins. The term is used to illustrate how Arabic influence extended not only to the language but also to the toponyms of the region.

💡Cifra

The word 'cifra' in Spanish means 'figure' or 'number' and comes from the Arabic word 'sifr,' which means 'zero.' The script uses 'cifra' to demonstrate how Arabic has contributed to the Spanish lexicon with words that have evolved to take on new meanings.

💡Álgebra

Álgebra is a term derived from Arabic that has been adopted into Spanish and other languages. It refers to the branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for their manipulation. The script points out 'álgebra' as another example of the scientific and mathematical vocabulary that has Arabic roots.

💡Gentilicios

Gentilicios are adjectives that describe people or things from a particular place, often ending in '-i' in Spanish. The script mentions 'qatarí,' 'pakistaní,' and 'iraquí' as examples of gentilicios that have come into Spanish from Arabic, characterized by their ending in '-i' rather than masculine or feminine forms.

💡Topónimos

Topónimos are place names derived from words in another language. The script discusses several Spanish place names, such as 'Medinaceli,' 'Guadalajara,' 'Calatayud,' and 'Gibraltar,' which have origins in Arabic words, showcasing the lasting impact of Arabic on the geography of Spain.

💡Zayt

Zayt is an Arabic word meaning 'oil,' from which the Spanish word 'aceite' is derived. The script uses 'aceite' to illustrate the process of lexical borrowing and the formation of derived words in Spanish, such as 'aceitoso' (oily) and 'aceitera' (oil mill), which are examples of the linguistic integration of Arabic into Spanish.

Highlights

Arabic words such as 'azúcar', 'sorbete', 'guitarra', and 'alacrán' are examples of arabismos in the Spanish language.

There are thousands of arabismos in Spanish, showing the significant influence of Arabic on the language.

Spanish differs from other Romance languages like French or Italian due to the influence of Arabic.

The conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Muslim armies in 711 marked the beginning of Arabic influence in Spain.

The region known as Al-Ándalus, part of present-day Andalusia, was named after the Muslim conquest.

Most people in Al-Ándalus spoke Amazigh or Berber, not Arabic, which raises the question of how Arabic became so influential.

Religion played a key role in the spread of Arabic, as Islamic prayers and traditions had to be in Arabic.

The majority of the elites and authorities in Al-Ándalus were Muslim, influencing the population to convert to Islam for social benefits.

A few hundred or thousand Arabic speakers managed to arabize the region through religion.

Words related to Islam, such as 'imam', 'Islam', and 'mezquita', have Arabic roots.

The Muslim influence lasted until 1492 when Christian kingdoms conquered the peninsula, but the linguistic mix was already established.

Arabismos are also found in other Romance languages spoken in the territories, such as Galician and Catalan.

There is no consensus on the exact number of arabismos in Spanish, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 4,000.

Arabismos can be difficult to count due to the derivation of words from the original Arabic, like 'aceite' and its derivatives.

The word 'cifra', meaning numbers in general, comes from the Arabic word 'sifr', which means zero.

The term 'álgebra' is also an arabismo, showing the influence of Arabic in mathematics.

Influence from other languages must be considered, as similar-sounding words do not necessarily indicate an arabismo.

Classic traces of Arabic in modern Spanish can be identified by words starting with 'A' or 'AL', like 'aceite', 'azúcar', and 'almohada'.

Gentilicios without masculine or feminine forms ending in 'i', such as 'qatarí', 'pakistaní', and 'iraquí', are another legacy of Arabic.

Toponyms or place names derived from Arabic words, like 'Medinaceli' from 'madina', meaning city, are a clear inheritance.

The name 'Guadalajara' in both Spain and Mexico comes from the Arabic word 'wād', meaning river.

The city of Calatayud in Zaragoza comes from the Arabic 'qalaa', meaning fortress.

Gibraltar's name comes from 'yabal', meaning 'mountain', another example of Arabic influence on place names.