Spanish

Did you know that Spanish is the third most spoken language on the internet? And it’s not just the internet that loves it; Lakesiders do too! About 46% of the students here at Lakeside Middle School take Spanish. In raw numbers, that’s 133 students (give or take one or two). Some may claim that so many students take Spanish because “it’s easy,” or because it’s “overrated.” They couldn’t be more wrong.

Actually, that’s not entirely true. Spanish is easy to learn. According to babbel.com, it’s rated in the top three easiest-to-learn languages for English speakers, due to a wide range of cognates, words that are mostly the same in both languages, and somewhat similar verb tenses. The other thing that makes Spanish simple to learn compared to other languages is how phonetic it is. Reading comes smoothly after simply memorizing the sounds of the twenty-seven-letter alphabet. And the alphabet isn’t completely new, either; the only different character from the English alphabet is ñ! 

None of this, of course, is to discredit Spanish. The appeal of this language comes from its powerful combination of simplicity and usefulness. 450 million folks worldwide speak the language. Right here in the United States, more than a tenth of the population speaks Spanish, according to Forbes.com. It can be used across continents, from North America to South America, in Europe, and even a bit in Africa!

It is also important to note the rich culture that Spanish encapsulates. It’s spoken widely in so many different countries (more than twenty in all), and each has its own culture and traditions. Take Siesta time in the afternoon in Spain. It’s used as a nice, relieving break in the middle of the day, where one can enjoy a nap. Imagine how nice that would be! Also, consider Spanish music. I’m not just talking about things like the Macarena. I’m talking about Spanish pop hits, protest music, and old-school ballads. The Spanish language has a beautiful rhythm to it. While some may claim that French is a gentle, flowing language, that Latin is a complex, rich language with deep undertones, or that Chinese is full of intricacies, Spanish music is wonderfully versatile. The words can be driving and sharp, with strong, crisp accents on the vowels and emphatic consonants. At the same time, the words are soothing, with gently rolled sounds and phrases that flow right into each other, blending together seamlessly.

All in all, Spanish should not be underestimated. It’s a beautiful language with a long, full history and millions of speakers worldwide. It’s not a language for dumb or lazy people; in fact, it is a language for people who are determined to make good use of their linguistic skills without an over-the-top time commitment. It’s not hard to learn, but incredibly useful and fun to learn. It’s one of the best languages out there. And, for all my Spanish speakers/learners: ¡Gracias por leyendo este artículo!