I chose to investigate the languages of Spain because I found the lingual diversity in such a small area to be intriguing. I thought it was interesting how the languages of Spain changed throughout its history to form the languages that are used today. In learning our music for this tour we learned a little bit about the different languages in Spain, but before taking the class I didn't know much other than that there were multiple Spanish languages we would be singing in.
In the class I learned that the languages of Spain are Castillian, Galego, Euskera, and Catalan. Castillian is spoken throughout much of Spain, though there are several different dialects. The languages of Galego and Catalan are related to Castillian. These three languages evolved from Latin mixed with moorish influences. Galego is more closely related to Portuguese and Catalan is more closely related to French. Nobody really knows where Euskera came from. While travelling in Spain I found that the Catalan people were the most likely to speak English well. It seemed like they would rather speak English to me than Castillian, which makes sense because of their cultural and regional pride. We often sang "Segalariak," one of our pieces in Euskera, in public because it was the only Spanish piece we had memorized. We often got complimented on our Euskera. Many people came up to us thinking we spoke the language. I felt really bad because I just looked really confused and asked if they spoke any English. In Salamanca we sang this piece in a little cafe at the University and one of the guys who worked there complimented our Euskera and told us the Euskera word for "thank you." I was a little slow to catch on because he was trying to explain in Castillian, but he was very patient and understanding. I found Euskera to be more percussive and have harsher consonants than the other Spanish languages. The choir struggled with the two different types of "s" sound present in the language. They sound very similar to our American ears and it was difficult for us to master them in the short time between meeting with the local choir director and performing our concert. Erika Herrmann
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(By Madeline Wright- this time for real)
1. On our tour, Carthage choir had the privilege of hearing and seeing Castillian, Galego, Euskera, and Catalonian used in everyday life. I naturally find linguistics interesting. As a kid, I would make up code-languages with my siblings, and I studied French in high school. It seems only logical that I would choose the topic of language for our trip. 2. I knew from our class the languages that we would come in contact with. I also knew that Castillian, being the most-used language, could be useful throughout our journey. However, besides knowing which language came from where, I knew very little about what made them so very different. 3. I looked a little further into the differences between each language, and chose Euskera as my favorite. Firstly, nobody knows where it comes from originally. Secondly, it died out under Franco. The people of the Basque country have a generational gap. The parents of the citizens of our generation have been forced to forget Euskera. Meanwhile, their children are being taught to speak it in school and everyday life. It's like a cultural hiccup. Lastly, I find the phonetics interesting. "Tx" sounds like "ch", and can be found all over the vernacular. 4. While before the trip, I had the idea that Euskera had died out, in Beasain I learned that there were secret places where it was kept alive. Comparable to our own "speak-easies" in the 20s and 30s, there were groups that converted basements and hidden areas to places where Basque culture could be celebrated away from the sight of Franco. We got to have dinner in and experience one in Beasain after our concert. Upon arriving, much of the choir was hesitant as we were led down a narrow corridor and staircase in an unfamiliar and inconspicuous building. Once down the steps, however, we were surprised to find around us the heritage of their choir and a very welcoming crowd. Another experience that set out to me to describe Spain well was while I was at a bar in Barcelona. The bartender didn't speak very much English, and nobody I was with could be called anything close to a speaker of Castillian. However, we managed to communicate to him that we were singers. After understanding this, he asked for a demonstration. And of course, we obliged! It led to a regular at that particular bar picking up a guitar and playing music with us for an amount of time that I can't measure. I think this, more than much else, represents the potential in Spain. If we can connect with them to celebrate art without having a common language, couldn't the regions come together to do the same? 5. Overall, I found Galego sounded to me the closest to Castillian of the languages we experienced. The hardest for me to understand was Catalonian, but that might simply be due to the length of time we spent in Basque country. After meeting the American student at the University of Salamanca, I can't express how appealing the notion of moving there sounded. Alas, I still don't speak a lick of Castillian. I might make that my next academic conquest, in hopes of returning. |