In an ideal scenario, one could create a localized website for every country that you the exporter is looking to target and optimize the website for the different types of Spanish. But if that is not possible due to limited budget or resources, the following steps are worth keeping in mind:.
Tags: All posts , Markets , Languages. International Business and Technology Blog. How different is Spanish in Spain and Latin America? The Spanish language Once your company decides which is your priority target market, there are a few considerations to take into account when deciding your online strategy for a Spanish speaking website.
Countries with Spanish as official language How different is Spanish to English? Vocabulary Even though the language is largely the same, there are numerous examples of local differences and variations. Pronunciation Between all these million Spanish speakers there is also a myriad of accents, dialects and different pronunciations. But if that is not possible due to limited budget or resources, the following steps are worth keeping in mind: Target similar countries: The Spanish used in each country varies.
Nevertheless, some countries have a more similar grammar and vocabulary than others. This means one Spanish website could be localized for a region. Use general vocabulary: Even though there is no standardized version of Spanish, you can translate your content using generalized vocabulary. Try not to get too specific; use words which can be understood by most of the countries you target.
Keyword research: If you are not sure which translation of a term you should apply, research your keywords. Numerous tools can be used to identify the optimal words for search engines to find your website. Proofreading by locals: Proofreading by a local person from each market is essential to avoid misunderstandings or even offenses by using vocabulary with different meanings. In Spain, however, the Spanish language is called castellano Castilian , which refers the Castile province in central Spain where the language is said to have originated.
The influence of the people or countries around those speaking the language affects the vocabulary and the way of speaking as well. For this reason, someone from Barcelona would pronounce the name of their hometown as Barthelona. In Spain, it would sound like: la ta[th]a es a[th]ul In Latin America, you would hear: la ta[s]a es a[s]ul. Besides the differences in specific letter sounds, there are also differences in the general way people speak.
The more you are exposed to different accents, the easier they become to understand. Learn more. Another one of the differences between Spanish in Latin American and Spain is the different words used for the same objects. Or in Mexico, the call a swimming pool alberca , wheras everyone else calls it piscina. Spain is the only Spanish-speaking country where the pronoun vosotros and vosotras is used, giving Spaniards an extra ending to memorize for each tense.
This is one of the key differences between the two languages. However, there are some shared aspects that make the difference. Any native speaker of Spanish would be able to tell you if another speaker is from or learned Spanish in Spain or Latin America.
The reason has to do with phonetics:. Vosotros 2 nd person plural is unknown in America, where ustedes is used instead. Again, in some parts of Spain its use is normal, while in general in Spain, vosotros is preferred. Look at this conversation:. Muchas gracias. Claro que puedes traer a tu novio. We are going to the mountains. Of course, you can bring your boyfriend. Do you want to come with us? Pero no hace falta que me hables de usted. The origin is quite curious, as it was used reverentially in Spain.
Spanish people, in Medieval times, used vos with different conjugations from the current ones to address powerful people or authorities. Why was it lost in some areas, like Mexico or Peru? Because these areas were more connected in an economic way to the metropolis, Spain, while the other colonies were more disconnected and therefore, further from the evolutions of the language in Spain. Maybe this is one of the main distinctive differences.
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