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Regional variations in the Spanish Language

So you’ve just been given the task of translating your healthcare organization’s information pamphlet about flu shots into Spanish. But you know that your area serves immigrant families from Cuba, Mexico and some from Honduras, just to name a few countries! What kind of Spanish is best to use so that all patients understand the message? Is it possible for one variety of Spanish to resonate with all of these individuals? We’ll discuss some of the regional differences in Spanish here and show you how best to decide which variety of Spanish to use.

In the United States, you’ve probably noticed some mild regional differences in the English that people use. For example, someone originally from the South might call all soft drinks “sodas,” while someone on the West Coast might call these drinks “pop.” On the East Coast people may refer to “sneakers” as opposed to “running shoes” or “tennis shoes.” Whatever the differences, regional variations in grammar and vocabulary also exist in Spanish-speaking countries and are carried over to some extent in immigrant communities.

One element that varies between regional versions of Spanish is the use of grammar. Most Spanish dialects have an informal and a formal use of the second person singular (“you”). The words used for this term vary in dialects of Spanish. In some regions, tú is replaced by another pronoun, vos . Another example is that Spanish spoken in Spain often uses the word vosotros as the plural of tú (the singular familiar "you"), but in Latin American Spanish, ustedes is usually used. Also, in Spain, tú is informal and used with friends, but usted is formal (used with older people, for example). However, in parts of Central America and Colombia, the formal usted is also used to signify a closer personal relationship, like from child to parent and parent to child. Other countries like Cuba use the word tú in very formal situations and usted is rarely used.

Slang, pronunciation, and vocabulary vary in different regions, too. "Avocadoes" and "chili peppers" are called aguacates and chiles in Mexico, but they’re called paldas and ajies in South America. A "kite" is called papalote in Mexico but barrilete in Argentina. The use of suffixes is also different depending on the region. A lápiz means a pencil or crayon everywhere, but a lapicero is a pencil holder in some areas, a mechanical pencil in other areas and a ball-point pen in others. Another difference is the word for “computer.” In Spain it is ordenador but in Latin America it’s computadora. These particular differences are about as common as the differences between British and American English.

These dialects are mostly mutually comprehensible across Spanish-speaking groups. It used to be that material was translated specifically for different Spanish-speaking audiences. However, with media like Univision and major Spanish newspapers reaching all types of groups and making them familiar with other varieties of Spanish, this is no longer so necessary. When translating into Spanish for LEP populations in the United States, it’s safest to use “Neutral Spanish,” sometimes known as Latin American Spanish. This form tends to disregard local grammatical and vocabulary differences in order to standardize the language.

Another reason to use this neutral form of Spanish is that an organization can’t always be sure of all of the backgrounds of its target audience. Making an assumption that an audience is all from Mexico and should therefore will best understand Mexican Spanish leaves out any other immigrant group that happens to be in the audience. They will probably understand Mexican Spanish, but it might cause readers some hesitation or puzzlement over certain terms they’re not used to reading. Unless you’re absolutely sure of the demographics of your audience, it’s better to use a more neutral form of Spanish. The clients you serve will thank you for it!


	viaLanguage Translation Articles Regional variations in the Spanish Language So you’ve just been given the task of translating your healthcare organization’s information pamphlet about flu shots into Spanish. But you know that your area serves immigrant families from Cuba, Mexico and some from Honduras, just to name a few countries! What kind of Spanish is best to use so that all patients understand the message? Is it possible for one variety of Spanish to resonate with all of these individuals? We’ll discuss some of the regional differences in Spanish here and show you how best to decide which variety of Spanish to use. In the United States, you’ve probably noticed some mild regional differences in the English that people use. For example, someone originally from the South might call all soft drinks “sodas,” while someone on the West Coast might call these drinks “pop.” On the East Coast people may refer to “sneakers” as opposed to “running shoes” or “tennis shoes.” Whatever the differences, regional variations in grammar and vocabulary also exist in Spanish-speaking countries and are carried over to some extent in immigrant communities. One element that varies between regional versions of Spanish is the use of grammar. Most Spanish dialects have an informal and a formal use of the second person singular (“you”). The words used for this term vary in dialects of Spanish. In some regions, tú is replaced by another pronoun, vos . Another example is that Spanish spoken in Spain often uses the word vosotros as the plural of tú (the singular familiar "you"), but in Latin American Spanish, ustedes is usually used. Also, in Spain, tú is informal and used with friends, but usted is formal (used with older people, for example). However, in parts of Central America and Colombia, the formal usted is also used to signify a closer personal relationship, like from child to parent and parent to child. Other countries like Cuba use the word tú in very formal situations and usted is rarely used. Slang, pronunciation, and vocabulary vary in different regions, too. "Avocadoes" and "chili peppers" are called aguacates and chiles in Mexico, but they’re called paldas and ajies in South America. A "kite" is called papalote in Mexico but barrilete in Argentina. The use of suffixes is also different depending on the region. A lápiz means a pencil or crayon everywhere, but a lapicero is a pencil holder in some areas, a mechanical pencil in other areas and a ball-point pen in others. Another difference is the word for “computer.” In Spain it is ordenador but in Latin America it’s computadora. These particular differences are about as common as the differences between British and American English. These dialects are mostly mutually comprehensible across Spanish-speaking groups. It used to be that material was translated specifically for different Spanish-speaking audiences. However, with media like Univision and major Spanish newspapers reaching all types of groups and making them familiar with other varieties of Spanish, this is no longer so necessary. When translating into Spanish for LEP populations in the United States, it’s safest to use “Neutral Spanish,” sometimes known as Latin American Spanish. This form tends to disregard local grammatical and vocabulary differences in order to standardize the language. Another reason to use this neutral form of Spanish is that an organization can’t always be sure of all of the backgrounds of its target audience. Making an assumption that an audience is all from Mexico and should therefore will best understand Mexican Spanish leaves out any other immigrant group that happens to be in the audience. They will probably understand Mexican Spanish, but it might cause readers some hesitation or puzzlement over certain terms they’re not used to reading. Unless you’re absolutely sure of the demographics of your audience, it’s better to use a more neutral form of Spanish. The clients you serve will thank you for it!