Spanish language in the United States
The Spanish language is in the United States after English the second most common language. The number of speakers is officially more than 45 million. After Mexico, Colombia and Spain and ahead of lives, not counting illegal immigrants in the United States, the second largest Spanish -speaking population in the world. Around 2050, the U.S. could rise to # 1.
Overview
Puerto Rico ( Commonwealth of Puerto Rico)
In Puerto Rico, Spanish is the official language and is spoken by 93 % of the population as a first language. The Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico ( Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) is not a state in the U.S., but an outside area.
Florida
The Spanish-speaking population of Florida is predominantly Cuban descent. The majority of them left Cuba during and after the revolution. In addition, live in Florida so many Latinos Colombian descent, that we speak of Miami already as the second largest Colombian city.
Southwestern United States
See also: New- Mexico- Spanish
In the southwestern United States are found primarily Spanish speakers of Mexican descent.
Spanish is in New Mexico in addition to English language use ( in many states is not a language officially ). Also, there are some states like New Mexico, California and Texas Spanish-language forms, notices and signs.
Here was a form of language, the "Spanglish " ( originated from Spanish English) is called. In states such as Arizona, many Spanish words are found again in the everyday vocabulary.
Northeastern U.S.
Predominantly Puerto Ricans
Louisiana
In today the U.S. state of Louisiana, a Spanish dialect is spoken in four originally isolated villages along the Mississippi, which is related to the dialect in the Canary Islands. The people of this language islands Isleños call themselves and immigrated in the 18th century in this region.
Spanish local names in the United States
The states of California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah in the American Southwest, and Florida were colonized by the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century and after the independence of Mexico in 1810 were some of the States, nor to the middle of the 19th century Mexico. Therefore carry many cities, mountains, roads and rivers in these states (in part "talking" ) Spanish names, toponyms. Note the numerous place names, which go back to religious denominations. They date from the many missionaries among the first settlers and the generally strong Catholic faith of the Spaniards ago.
In addition, are also typical place names that are based on landscape features to meet:
- Arizona ( desert-like area ) Casa Grande ( Big House ), Guadalupe (after the Spanish town of Guadalupe ), San Luis (St. Louis )
- California ( according to the legend of California California # origin of the name ): Los Angeles ( The Angels ), San Francisco ( Saint Francis ), San Diego (St. James), Sacramento ( sacrament ), Fresno (ash), Coronado ( after the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado named)
- Nevada ( snowfall, the Snow ): Las Vegas ( The floodplains )
- Colorado (reddish colored) Pueblo (village), Durango (after the Spanish city of Durango ), Sangre de Cristo Range ( Holy Blood of Christ), San Juan Mountains (Holy John the mountains)
- Texas: El Paso (The Mountain Pass), San Antonio ( St. Anthony )
- New Mexico: Santa Fe (Holy Faith ), Las Cruces ( The Crosses ) Española (Spanish )
- Utah La Sal ( Salt ), Sanpete County (St. Peter district)
- Florida ( the Flowering ): Cape Canaveral (Anglicized from Cabo Canaveral: Cape reeds ), Santa Barbara Boulevard ( Holy Barbara Boulevard ), St. Augustine ( anglicised from the San Agustín: Saint Augustine), DeSoto County (named after the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto )
Rivers: Rio Grande ( Big River ), Colorado River ( color flow )