Equatoguinean Spanish

Equatoguinean Spanish (Spanish: Español ecuatoguineano) is the variety of Spanish spoken in Equatorial Guinea. This is the only Spanish variety that is official in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is spoken by about 90% of the population, estimated at 1,170,308 for the year 2010 [1] (though population figures for this country are highly dubious), all of them second-language speakers. [2]

Contents

Phonology

This is the only Spanish dialect outside Spain which resembles more Spanish from Spain than American Spanish dialects. But there are some differences in pronunciation for those who speak it as second language. Descendants of German refugees who came to Equatorial Guinea after they were defeated in Cameroon also gave an accent to their Spanish.

See also

Comparison to the Caribbean dialect of Spanish

According to John Lipski, a comparison between the Spanish spoken in Equatorial Guinea and the Spanish spoken in the Caribbean does not hint at an influence of African languages on the Spanish spoken in the Caribbean, contrary to some earlier theories. Both varieties of Spanish are overwhelmingly different. The main influence in the Spanish spoken in Equatorial Guinea seems to be the varieties spoken by native Spanish colonizers.[3] In a different paper, though, Lipski admits that the phonotactics of African languages might have reinforced, in the Caribbean, consonant reduction already taking place in Spanish from southern Spain. [4]

References

  1. ^ "World Gazetteer". http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gpro&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-91&srt=pnan&col=dq&msz=1500. Retrieved 11 November 2011. 
  2. ^ Penny, Ralph (2002) [1991] (in English) A History Of The Spanish Language (2 ed.) p. 33 "Spanish is spoken by part of the population of Equatorial Guinea. Spanish is the language of education and the press, and is the only common language in an otherwise linguistically diverse country. However, those who speak Spanish use it as a second language, often acquired in adulthood and therefore not always in a fully native manner." 
  3. ^ A test case of the Afro-hispanic connection, by John Lipski
  4. ^ A new look at Afro-Hispanic Phonology: th case of Equatorial Guinea, by John Lipski
Official
Spanish · French · Portuguese
Indigenous
Annobonese · Batanga · Benga · Bube · Fang · Gyele · Kombe · Kwasio · Lengue · Seki · Yasa
Pidgin/Creole
Dialects and accents of Spanish (Castilian) by continent
Africa
Canarian* · Equatoguinean
Americas
(American)
Asia
Europe
(European)
Other / Neutral
  • Canarian Spanish can be considered both African and European Spanish citing respectively geographical or cultural arguments.