Spanish: a worldwide language for a worldwide community

GLENN LANDBERG/THE ARBITER

As students go through high school, most have the option to learn a second language that can help them later on in their careers. When I was in high school, we had two languages to choose from: French, and Spanish. Two languages with very similar roots, Latin. However, talking with my fellow students made it abundantly clear that the definite majority was involved in some way with the Spanish department.  Here at Boise state, the Spanish department is a major player in the decision of students who take a college level foreign language class.  With a total of 21 faculty teaching it this semester, Spanish is by far the most popular language at Boise State.

Spanish is by far the most spoken language in the western hemisphere. With a total of 453 million speakers worldwide, Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world after mandarin Chinese and English.  Descending from the same family as the Latin used by the Romans, Spanish became very widespread during the colonial period, when it was spread to the natives of the new world. Spoken in almost 60 countries and the official language in more than 20, Spanish is easily one of the dominating languages of the world.

The Spanish department at Boise State employs these figures in preparing students who take its courses. The subject is by far the most taught subject in the Modern Language department, with over 20 faculty teaching Spanish this semester, not including any guest speakers that the department has invited to teach. The department offers a Spanish major, as well as a minor, and see most student pass through one of its courses in their schoolwork, and many double major with Spanish. Oddly enough, there are not many students who major solely in Spanish.

“We see a lot of double majors with Spanish in such fields as business, criminal justice, and construction management,” Fatima Cornwall, adviser and teacher of Spanish, said. “We also see a large number of minors with secondary education majors.”

the department uses a total immersion technique to enhance the learning of its students, and to help prevent a problem switching from an English taught class in the lower division to a total immersion in the upper division.

“Our philosophy is that classes should be done mostly in Spanish, and instructors should have English blocks during classes,” Cornwall said. “For example, a 101 class will start out with ten minutes of Spanish, then ten minutes of English to make sure the students understand what is going on, then another ten minutes of Spanish and so on until the end of the class.”

Ron Hurrle, a mass communications major who is enrolled in Spanish 101, thinks that immersion is the best way to learn a new language. “ My instructor teaches mostly in Spanish, and it helps the students get into a certain frame of mind,” Hurrle said. “It lets students realize what a real speaker sounds like, and the type of preparation they will need.”

Spanish also has a regional characteristic. For example, Spanish speakers in Spain speak a different vocabulary those that speak Spanish in Latin America. While in high school, I remember being told about how when scheduling my classes, I should never switch Spanish teachers, as one might not teach the same thing as another.  However, for Spanish instructor Izaskun Kortazar there really isn’t a problem switching between the two. “The difference is mostly in the vocabulary, and the pronunciation,” Kortazar said. “Things like sentence structure and conjugation stay the same, so its easy for a student to adapt to one version of Spanish or the other.”

Cornwall agrees. With the classes she has taught and the students she has advised, she has had little trouble. “I don’t think there is a  problem. Spanish is the same in terms of grammatical usage and sentence structure. It’s a main problem with vocabulary, but even that can be easily fixed,” Cornwall said.

Hurrle wont have that problem at all. ““I take a combined class, which gives us a taste of what areas will speak, and what cultures pervade.” Hurrle said.

I also wondered about whether it was difficult for those who speak Spanglish to learn traditional Spanish. Spanglish, a combination of Spanish and English that Native speakers growing up in the United States tend to speak, is actually a benefit in the classes instead of a hindrance.

“It adds more to the class, and its really good for the American students because they learn new vocabulary, and in conversation, they can add on cultural themes,” Kortazar said.

Spanish is a worldwide language that will enhance any major, especially those business related. Every year, the Idaho Trade commission sends a request for a Spanish student to work as an intern in its Guadalajara offices.  Idaho is a major trading partner with Mexico, and business majors wanting to live locally might find the prospect intriguing.

The Spanish language encompasses the globe with resources available for any college student just coming out into the world. From Business majors to secondary education, Spanish can enhance any job prospect with its unique culture, as well as its versatility.  As the most popular language taught on the BSU campus, knowing even a little Spanish benefits in the long run. For Hurrle, Spanish has opened his eyes to the world around him.

“Spanish has given me an option with my studies. Even if I do not continue with the Spanish program, I know I will be able to take away memories of my experience to help me where ever I go,” Hurrle said.

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