# Which country do you think of when you hear the word "Spanish"?



## The Umlaut

Which country do you think of when you hear the word "spanish"?

Hola, tal vez sea una pregunta tonta pero me puse a pensar, por ejemplo, la gente asocia los idiomas a un pais especifico:

German > Germany
French > France
Japanese > Japan
Russian > Russia

Pero el Español es un idioma hablado en muchos paises, por eso viene mi pregunta.


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## Mei

Hola a todos!

Cuando oigo hablar del español normalmente pienso en España, es donde vivo, pero si oigo hablar a alguien que tiene un acento que no es de España, siempre me pregunto, ¿de dónde será? 

Saludos

Mei


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## Tino_no

Yo también, aunque sea de México, siempre que oigo la palabra me imagino a España, aunque el español de españa es muy diferente al de este lado del charco


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## annettehola

Spanish: Spain, first and foremost, then South America.
German: Germany. Then Austria.
French: France. Then Canada.
Japanese: Japan.
Russian: Russia. Then Siberia.

Annette


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## cuchuflete

When I hear "Portuguese", my mind is bifurcated into images of Brasil and of Portugal.

Umlaut makes me think of German first, then Spanish
¿Güeno?


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## annettehola

What, Cuchu, does "Gueno" mean? Dass hab' Ich aber nie gehort. Tampoco en España. 

One more question: what does "Inuit" make you think about and where do you think it's spoken? Do you know? (No Google search, that's cheating!)
Annette


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## diegodbs

annettehola said:
			
		

> What, Cuchu, does "Gueno" mean? Dass hab' Ich aber nie gehort. Tampoco en España.
> 
> One more question: what does "Inuit" make you think about and where do you think it's spoken? Do you know? (No Google search, that's cheating!)
> Annette


 
Inuit makes me think about eskimos.

"güeno" is a mispronunciation of "bueno".


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## annettehola

Thanks! I learn and learn. Enjoyable!
Yes, "Inuit" is the Eskimos own name for themselves. It means "man."
Annette


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## Outsider

I don't really think of a single country when I hear the word "Spanish". I'm well aware that it's spoken in many places. So I answered "other".


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## Jonegy

In South America I would use the term "castillano" rather than "spanish" so I too voted for Spain


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## JLanguage

Mexico, just because so many of the Spanish-speakers in the US are Mexicans, as well as the proximity of Mexico to the US and its status as the largest (population-wise) Spanish-speaking country.

EDIT: For Spanish in contexts other than language, Spain definitely takes the cake.


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## GenJen54

To me, much depends upon the context.  Given the question in general, I voted for "Spain," since that is the country where one can encounter Spanish culture, eat Spanish food and meet Spanish people. 

If one is referring specifcially about language, I don't make a particular connection since a single language (and its variants thereof) can be spoken in many different countries.   For example, if a friend were to describe to me about her cousin that speaks Spanish, I think about Spanish as a language and not connect it to a country in particular. 

If my friend told me her cousin likes Spanish food, then I would think more specifically of the dishes I know about from Spain - in particular different types of tapas and paella.


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## annettehola

I agree with your point, GenJen. It's a good one. It's very true, that language and mental images need a context. No doubt about that. I was just wondering about one thing: You say that "if one is referring to language, I don't make a particular connection since a single language (and its variants) can be spoken in many different countries.)" Alright, GenJen, but what if it isn't? Don't you then think about the place where it *is *spoken? I mean, what if I were to tell you:"Hey, GenJen, my Greenlandish cousin sends her regards. She just sent this letter. Look! It's in Greenlandish!" What would you see for your inner eye? Snow? Icebergs? Seals? I would; actually!
Annette


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## blancalaw

Spanish would have to be from Spain, because in Mexico they speak Mexican, in Argentina they speak Argentine, in Colombia they speak Colombian... Soooo, do I speak Michigan?
Just kidding.  But many people here only think of Spain and Mexico when they think of who speaks Spanish, but I think of all 20 countries in the Americas and Spain.


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## SpiceMan

Si dicen "spanish" pienso en un angloparlante.
Si dicen español pienso en un extranjero. Un argentino no diría español.
Si dicen castellano pienso en Argentina primero, en el resto de los países de habla hispana, después. 

Si no dicen nada pienso que son callados.


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## opsidol

Pienso en España por supuesto porque el nombre del idioma deriva del nombre del país. Si el idioma se llamara Mejicano, entonces supongo que pensaría en México!


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## JazzByChas

Acutally, BlancaLaw, you do speak "Michigan"  or at least the Michigan dialect of English.... 

I agree with GenJen also...Spanish is a language spoken, as has been said, in 20 countries in the Americas and Spain.  Castellano is from the original Spanish from Spain.  But "Spanish" could be from almost anywhere.  When I hear Spanish, I think of that which is from Spain, logically speaking.



			
				blancalaw said:
			
		

> Spanish would have to be from Spain, because in Mexico they speak Mexican, in Argentina they speak Argentine, in Colombia they speak Colombian... Soooo, do I speak Michigan?


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## annettehola

</IMG>*castellano**, na**.*(Del lat. _Castellānus_).*1.* adj. Natural de Castilla. http://forum.wordreference.com/U. t. c. s.http://forum.wordreference.com/*2.* adj. Perteneciente o relativo a esta región de España.*3.* adj. Dicho de una gallina: De cierta variedad negra muy ponedora.*4.* m. Lengua española, especialmente cuando se quiere introducir una distinción respecto a otras lenguas habladas también como propias en España.*5.* m. Dialecto románico nacido en Castilla la Vieja, del que tuvo su origen la lengua española.*6.* m. Variedad de la lengua española hablada modernamente en Castilla la Vieja.*7.* m. Señor de un castillo.*8.* m. Alcaide o gobernador de un castillo.*9.* m. *lanza* (ǁ hombre de armas provisto de dos cabalgaduras).*10.* m. Cierta moneda de oro *castellana* de la Edad Media.*11.* m. Cincuentava parte del marco oro, equivalente a ocho tomines o a unos 46 dg.*12.* m. coloq._ Ál._ Viento sur.*13.* f. Señora de un castillo.*14.* f. Mujer del *castellano* (ǁ señor de un castillo).*15.* f. Copla de cuatro versos de romance octosílabo.*castellana de oro.**1.* f. *castellano* (ǁ moneda de oro de la Edad Media).□ V. *horno **castellano**lanza **castellana**mulo **castellano**paso **castellano**rosal **castellano**verso de arte mayor **castellano*
*español**, la**.*(Del prov. _espaignol,_ y este del lat. mediev. _Hispaniŏlus_, de Hispania, España).*1.* adj. Natural de España. http://forum.wordreference.com/U. t. c. s.http://forum.wordreference.com/*2.* adj. Perteneciente o relativo a este país de Europa.*3.* m. Lengua común de España y de muchas naciones de América, hablada también como propia en otras partes del mundo.*a la *~*.**1.* loc. adv. Al uso de España.□ V. *capa **española**era **española**párrafo **español**pasta **española*


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## fenixpollo

When I see or hear the word "Spanish" in the context of language, a map of the Atlantic Ocean appears in my mind, and I simultaneously see all of the countries and regions and islands where Spanish is spoken.

If "Spanish" is used in a way that doesn't specifically refer to the language (ie. _Spanish people_, _Spanish food_, _Spanish music_), I think of España.

Blanca -- if you were to visit my neck of the woods and you spoke with a strong regional accent (especially if you were a _yuper_), then I would say that you were speaking Michiganese.  Just for the record, to say that people from Mexico speak "Mexican" is an insult because only an ignorant person would say it.

"Neither in French, nor in English, nor in Mexican." -- G.W. Bush, _when asked if he would answer a reporter's question._


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## Like an Angel

Qué loco, pensé que la pregunta sería, which country do you think of when you heard English?
Spanish = Spain that's why I prefer to say I speak Castilian (of course if I hear a people speaking Spanish I can realise which country is from because of his/her accent)
Portuguese = Brazil first, then I realise that Outsider is right  
French = France
German = Germany
Russian = Russia
Japanese = Well, I'm learning Japanese now so I can difference Japanese from Chinese better (I think), but I couldn't think about each one of them before  




			
				SpiceMan said:
			
		

> Si no dicen nada pienso que son callados.


You made my day


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## annettehola

Bush????? I'm terrified now. The reason the poor boy would not speak neither French nor Mexican is, I'm sure, that he does not know how to articulate either. As for the refusal to answer in English, my guess is he wanted to avoid the question rather than the language.
Peace be with him - if he would only accept it.
Anyways, I wanted to add this observation: I am of the opinion, that "Spanish" as a name for an actual language is inexistent. It is the name for at least 3 things: 1) a nationality 2) a language 3) a culture. It is very simplified and does not fit reality. No such language actually exists here in Spain. Students here do not have classes in "Español." They have classes in "Castillano." And in Catalonia obviously also in Catalan, which is another language in Spain. As Galician is in Galicia, fx. I wish to avoid the discusion on dialect versus language. This is not what it's about. What it's about is this I think: Who gives names to nationalities? The people in the country? Or is it a denomination imposed from without? Or is it the result of internal political attitudes and conflicts? I think all of these options are possible. We call "the Spanish" Spanish" because they come from Spain. But it is necessary to distinguish between the name we give to a people's nationality, and the name they know their own language under. It's not the same thing. 
There are three parts of Denmark: 1) Sjaelland 2) Jylland 3) Fyn. The English names are: Sealand, Jutland and Funen. The first one is a terrible translation. Because: Sjael is Danish for Soul. So this part is Soulland. It always makes me sad when people with no knowledge of a certain language starts to make maps with their own translations. I think this is what is happening in the case of "Spanish."
Annette


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## ¿Qué?

I just think of Spain because that is where it is origanally from. I also believe that because of this... *Spa*i*n*=*Spanish*


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## Fibonacci

Jonegy said:
			
		

> In South America I would use the term "castillano" rather than "spanish" so I too voted for Spain



Y sin embargo, los españoles prefieren "castellano" (porque alegan que el catalán, el gallego y el vasco son igualmente "españoles"). "Español" is used instead in many places in Latin America.

Y como yo vivo en Colombia, y tengo el oído acostumbrado al español colombiano (aunque suene a paradoja, ¿pero no lo sería también "castellano colombiano"?) pues... por supuesto que marqué "other".


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## ewhite

Born and raised in New York City, I don't think of a foreign country when I think of Spanish. Its sounds and cadences have surrounded me all my life. 

Kind of like how I always thought that if I listened carefully enough to Yiddish, I would be able to understand it. The sounds just seemed so familiar.


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## MarX

The Umlaut said:


> Which country do you think of when you hear the word "spanish"?


I personally think of Spain.


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## raptor

First: Mexico (it's closer to Canada, and I am learning Mexican Spanish, not Castellano), second: Spain, third: South America (though I know much of it is Portuguese).


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## Yulia Alex

annettehola said:


> Russian: Russia. Then Siberia.



Siberia es territorio de Rusia, no?


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## Bilma

First Mexico. Then Spain.


There is not such languague called Mexicano or Mejicano. In Mexico we speak Spanish


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## Macunaíma

Argentina is the country that springs to my mind when I hear "Spanish" meaning "the Spanish language".


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## Sepia

annettehola said:


> What, Cuchu, does "Gueno" mean? Dass hab' Ich aber nie gehort. Tampoco en España.
> 
> One more question: what does "Inuit" make you think about and where do you think it's spoken? Do you know? (No Google search, that's cheating!)
> Annette



I wouldn't just say "Eskimos". Actually, the largest concentration of Inuit speaking people, approx. 55,000 if I am not mistaken, live on Greenland. Most of these speak the West-Greenland dialect of Inuit. 
It is claimed that this number exceeds all other Inuit-speaking populations together.

Was that good enough without search-machine? (I don't use Google ... And the proper word is "search-machine")


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## cherine

*I'm sorry this thread was brought to life again, when it's no longer valid, now that we have updated the forum's guidelines.*

*I'll put it back to rest. Thank you all for understanding, and for taking few minutes of your time to read the guidelines.*


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