This is not found in French or Italian or Romanian. It's as if the Spanish reversed the letters in the word "le" and produced "el". How did this happen?
Origin of the word "El" in Spanish
As far as I know, it comes from Arabic. The Arabs use AL as an article. AL Hilal, AL Jaber etc.
I've heard that before too. Spanish has a lot of words of Arabic origin, while French has about the same amount of words of Germanic origin. I think it's something like 400 words.
Italian uses the pronoun "il" for masculine nouns (il negozio - the store). "El" is not that far from "il" in my opinion and does not seem strange.
Romanians use "-ul". The difference is that they put it at the end of the word: Negoţ - negoţul (commerce - the commerce) .
>>I think it's something like 400 words. <<
Hahahaha LAA, not by far the arabic words in Spanish are far FAR bigger in number!!!
Hahahaha LAA, not by far the arabic words in Spanish are far FAR bigger in number!!!
It seems "el" comes from latin "ille" but I've not found out if "el" as article or "el" as noun.
"El" as pronoun is definitely Latin. I guess LAA is reffering to the article.
<<Hahahaha LAA, not by far the arabic words in Spanish are far FAR bigger in number!!!>>
I think that is open to debate. But there was significant Arabic influence on the development of the Spanish language. I will not dispute that. Much of the words listed on Wik are speculations.
Nevertheless, Castellano is far, far, closer to Latin then it's more distant relative, French.
I think that is open to debate. But there was significant Arabic influence on the development of the Spanish language. I will not dispute that. Much of the words listed on Wik are speculations.
Nevertheless, Castellano is far, far, closer to Latin then it's more distant relative, French.
"El" as article and as pronoun come from "ille" according to RAEL. It sounded odd to me for the same word to have two origins.
Many of Spanish's arabic-loan words may be avoidable in usage.
For example:
Zanja (arabic origin)
Foso or Fosa (latin origin)
Fossatum (latin)
Hence, "Ditch".
etc.
Spanish is by FAR closer to Latin in various ways.....MOSTLY in Phonology. Along side with Logudorese of Sardinia.
For example:
Zanja (arabic origin)
Foso or Fosa (latin origin)
Fossatum (latin)
Hence, "Ditch".
etc.
Spanish is by FAR closer to Latin in various ways.....MOSTLY in Phonology. Along side with Logudorese of Sardinia.
Sincerely I prefer to avoid English words,
email = correo electronico
sandwich = emparedado
cd = disco compacto
pc = computadora/ordenador
mouse = raton
and a looong etc.
email = correo electronico
sandwich = emparedado
cd = disco compacto
pc = computadora/ordenador
mouse = raton
and a looong etc.
Yeah, Aldvs, it's funny how even when I'm speaking English, I will use certain Spanish words. Like I never say "rat", I say "Raton". I never say towel, I never say washcloth, I say "toallaita". It's a Chicano habit I guess.
<<Is Enough to tell that the huge majority of Costa Ricans don't look like most spanish people. >>
It's seems you are obsessed with Spaniars and you have the idea that in an American country only Spaniards have come as immigrants. We have received in the last 150 years important groups of immigrants from Asia mainly Chinese and even some Arabians, from Caribbean with African origin and in some grade Europeans (not Spaniards) like Italians and Germans. We constantly have immigrations from other Central American, South American like Colombia and Argentina and even from US. Some estimate almost a million of them in about 20 years have arrived. Our country is a melting pot today that's why you didn't find what you saw like to be in a Madrid street of course assuming that modern Spaniards have the same look that Costa Rica conquistadores.
By the way do you know if the people from Quebec look identical to French people today.
<<It was very different of when, I was in Argentina, where the people looked like spanish people.>>
What you possibly saw was more descendants of Italians not only from Spaniards.
<<; So he should conclude that those people have nothing in common with spain.>>
Yes we have, language, religion, names. That's important, at least for me.
<< Just to remind how spanish people look like in the streets of Madrid :
http://www.pvda.be/images/solidair2004/sol1104/P13belgapicture.jpg>>
I agree at least in those pictures but that's relative, I can show you lots of Spaniards that don't look like those persons, see these examples :
http://www.gijonasturias.com/hip04web4/t6.jpg
http://www.echanges85.com/site-echanges85/espagne/presentation
http://www.seminarioevangelico.org/fotos/evangelismo/chicas1.JPG
http://www.andaluciaimagen.com/La-Repompa-Cantaora-flamencoGitana-malaguena-nacida-en-el-barrio-del-Perchel---1937---Malaga-Andalucia-Espana_3941.jpg
http://www.hispamp3.com/images/artistas/isabelpantoja1.jpg
They don't look like the people in your picture either. They could pass for Latin American without any problem.
Anyway understand that I'm not saying that we are all white and that there are not mestizos or mulatos at all or that we are Spaniards, we don't want to be Spaniards or Italians or whoever, that's ridiculous but a simple fact, there was not an important mestisaje here so no matter how many mestizos you saw, Costa Rica was possibly the place in America with the lowest native population at conquista times and still today.
<< I saw some "pure" indians in Costa Rica, with traditional costumes, etc. Of course they didn't looked most of the population - as well as most spaniards won't. >>
Those are not Costa Rican natives, they are from Guatemala or Ecuador I'm not sure. If you want to see a real A.native here you have to go to reservations where I'm sure you didn't go in just a month.
<<This guy looks European - He is tanned as I am when Summer. He could be Costa Rican - But Most Costa Rican durig one month of travel in the whole country I saw didn't looked like him. >>
That's the point, I've seen Costa Ricans like him. Personally I found him very dark to be European but I could be wrong.
It's seems you are obsessed with Spaniars and you have the idea that in an American country only Spaniards have come as immigrants. We have received in the last 150 years important groups of immigrants from Asia mainly Chinese and even some Arabians, from Caribbean with African origin and in some grade Europeans (not Spaniards) like Italians and Germans. We constantly have immigrations from other Central American, South American like Colombia and Argentina and even from US. Some estimate almost a million of them in about 20 years have arrived. Our country is a melting pot today that's why you didn't find what you saw like to be in a Madrid street of course assuming that modern Spaniards have the same look that Costa Rica conquistadores.
By the way do you know if the people from Quebec look identical to French people today.
<<It was very different of when, I was in Argentina, where the people looked like spanish people.>>
What you possibly saw was more descendants of Italians not only from Spaniards.
<<; So he should conclude that those people have nothing in common with spain.>>
Yes we have, language, religion, names. That's important, at least for me.
<< Just to remind how spanish people look like in the streets of Madrid :
http://www.pvda.be/images/solidair2004/sol1104/P13belgapicture.jpg>>
I agree at least in those pictures but that's relative, I can show you lots of Spaniards that don't look like those persons, see these examples :
http://www.gijonasturias.com/hip04web4/t6.jpg
http://www.echanges85.com/site-echanges85/espagne/presentation
http://www.seminarioevangelico.org/fotos/evangelismo/chicas1.JPG
http://www.andaluciaimagen.com/La-Repompa-Cantaora-flamencoGitana-malaguena-nacida-en-el-barrio-del-Perchel---1937---Malaga-Andalucia-Espana_3941.jpg
http://www.hispamp3.com/images/artistas/isabelpantoja1.jpg
They don't look like the people in your picture either. They could pass for Latin American without any problem.
Anyway understand that I'm not saying that we are all white and that there are not mestizos or mulatos at all or that we are Spaniards, we don't want to be Spaniards or Italians or whoever, that's ridiculous but a simple fact, there was not an important mestisaje here so no matter how many mestizos you saw, Costa Rica was possibly the place in America with the lowest native population at conquista times and still today.
<< I saw some "pure" indians in Costa Rica, with traditional costumes, etc. Of course they didn't looked most of the population - as well as most spaniards won't. >>
Those are not Costa Rican natives, they are from Guatemala or Ecuador I'm not sure. If you want to see a real A.native here you have to go to reservations where I'm sure you didn't go in just a month.
<<This guy looks European - He is tanned as I am when Summer. He could be Costa Rican - But Most Costa Rican durig one month of travel in the whole country I saw didn't looked like him. >>
That's the point, I've seen Costa Ricans like him. Personally I found him very dark to be European but I could be wrong.
Good work on those pictures Tito Puente, lol.
<<; So he should conclude that those people have nothing in common with spain.>>
Latin America, or take Mexico as one example, was as Hispanicized as Spain was Romanized. The people of Mexico are about half Spaniard. Much in the way of cuisine was introduced by Spain, which was to the native staples like maize, beans, and chile. Mexican music is of Spanish origin, not native. Mariachis use guitars and acordians. We inherited the Spanish language from Spain. The Catholic religion, and European customs and etiquete. Mexico bears very little trace of the ancient civilizations which once inhabited the land, although we are proud of their legacy and their achievements.
Mexico is about as Aztec or Mayan as France is Celtic.
When I was a boy I often romanticized the culture and civilization of the brave Azteca, and the wise Maya. I still admire their achievements. But after travelling and staying in Mexico and Central America, amongst the native Maya there, I realized how completely different our two cultures were. To them, I was like a Spanish conquistador. I looked European. I towered over them, being that most of their men were no more than 5'5, and we didn't share the same language or culture. They were very hospitable though, and I found it strange that they ate black beans instead of pinto beans, and their tamales were green husks, like they were made from bannanas.
<<; So he should conclude that those people have nothing in common with spain.>>
Latin America, or take Mexico as one example, was as Hispanicized as Spain was Romanized. The people of Mexico are about half Spaniard. Much in the way of cuisine was introduced by Spain, which was to the native staples like maize, beans, and chile. Mexican music is of Spanish origin, not native. Mariachis use guitars and acordians. We inherited the Spanish language from Spain. The Catholic religion, and European customs and etiquete. Mexico bears very little trace of the ancient civilizations which once inhabited the land, although we are proud of their legacy and their achievements.
Mexico is about as Aztec or Mayan as France is Celtic.
When I was a boy I often romanticized the culture and civilization of the brave Azteca, and the wise Maya. I still admire their achievements. But after travelling and staying in Mexico and Central America, amongst the native Maya there, I realized how completely different our two cultures were. To them, I was like a Spanish conquistador. I looked European. I towered over them, being that most of their men were no more than 5'5, and we didn't share the same language or culture. They were very hospitable though, and I found it strange that they ate black beans instead of pinto beans, and their tamales were green husks, like they were made from bannanas.