10 Common Misconceptions about the Spanish Language and the people who speak it:

A Gringo’s Guide to what we think we know

© Spanish Plans www.spanishplans.org

In your notebook, answer True or False

1. Spanish is spoken the same everywhere.2. English is the official language of the U.S.3. New Mexico was once part of Mexico.4. Everyone in Mexico speaks Spanish.5. Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day.6. U.S. has a larger Spanish speaking population than Spain.7. A person who speaks Spanish is Spanish.8. A Mexican can be blonde, blue eyed.9. English is more common than Spanish worldwide.10. Taco Bell is Mexican food.

¿Cierto o Falso?

1. Spanish is spoken the same everywhere?

FALSO

Different countries have different accents, and even different words for things. Just like the English spoken in England is different from the English spoken in the U.S. What do Americans call a “lift”? What does it mean to “stand in queue” In Puerto Rico, you wait for a “guagua” while in Costa Rica you wait for a “bus”

¿Cierto o Falso?

2. English is the official language of the U.S.?

FALSO

So what is? Well, the US doesn’t actually have an “official” language. Currently, English is the most spoken language. Always a topic of debate whether we should declare English the official language, meaning all business must be conducted in English, US congress has only gone so far to declare it a “common, binding language”. Although 27 states have declared English the official language for the state.

¿Cierto o Falso?

3. The state of New Mexico was once part of México.

CIERTOThe states of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona, Colorado, and Texas were all Mexican territory until the Treaty of Guadalupe was signed in 1848. This was a result of the U.S. Mexican War, or as Mexico calls it, “The U.S. Invasion.” This territory accounted for half of Mexican territory at the time, so Mexico was twice the size it is now. In return, the US paid Mexico $18.25 million, less than half of what it had offered before the war started, and cleared Mexico of $3.25 of debt to Americans.

Belonged to Mexico

¿Cierto o Falso?

4. Everyone’s first language in Mexico is Spanish.

FALSO

There are still at least 68 indigenous languages alive in Mexico. The most popular, Nahuatl, is the language of the Aztecs. Like the U.S., the Mexican government has not declared Spanish to be an official language. About 6% of their population speak only their indigenous language.

¿Cierto o Falso?

5. Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day?

FALSO5 de mayo has nothing to do with independence. It is not even a national holiday in Mexico. It has more relevance as a commercial holiday in America. In Mexico, it is essentially only celebrated in the town of Puebla, where it commemorates the underdog victory of the Mexican army over the French in 1862… France later went on to win that war. Mexico’s actual Independence Day is September 16. The 15th and 16th are by far the biggest national celebrations in Mexico.

¿Cierto o Falso?

6. The U.S. has a larger Spanish Speaking population than Spain?

CIERTO1. Mexico 109,955,400 2. Colombia 45,013,674 3. United States 44,321,038 4. Argentina 40,677,348 5. Spain 40,491,051 6. Perú 29,180,899 7. Venezuela 26,414,815

Source: SpanishSEO.org

¿Cierto o Falso?

7. A person who speaks Spanish (as a native language) is Spanish?

FALSOA person from Spain is Spanish. A person who speaks Spanish is Hispanic, or latino. While this term includes everyone, the people identify with their own country. Therefore, a person from Mexico is Mexican and someone from Colombia is Colombian. Just like someone who is English is a person who is from England. An American is not English, unless they were born in England. Likewise, American is not a language. Be careful between Nationality and Language. They often do not match.

¿Cierto o Falso?

8. A Mexican can be blonde with blue eyes?

TRUE

While you may envision a Mexican to look a certain way, that is just a stereotype. All latinos, including Mexicans, come in all colors. There are plenty of light skinned and even black skinned Mexicans. You don’t have to look a particular way to be Mexican. The lighter skinned Mexicans likely have more Spanish blood as opposed to more indigenous blood or descent.

Like Mexicans and people from the United States, all Spanish Speakers look different.

¿Cierto o Falso?

9. More people speak English as a native language than Spanish worldwide?

FalseSpanish is the second most common language worldwide, only behind Mandarin Chinese. English follows in 3rd place.

¿Cierto o Falso?

10. Taco Bell is Mexican food.

False

Taco Bell is an American restaurant that serves American food. There is little to nothing authentic about the food they serve. A truly authentic Mexican taco would be on a soft corn tortilla, with bistec, cilantro, onion, and a squeeze of lime. At best, Taco Bell could be considered Tex-Mex food.