Standard Spanish or neutral Spanish is a linguistic variety, or lect, that is considered a correct educated standard for the Spanish language. Standard Spanish is not merely Spanish adjusted to fit in prescriptive molds dictated by a linguistic overseeing authority, but also a form of language that conforms to the literary canon and cultural tradition. Most aspects of this standard variety, from grammar and prosody to phonetics and lexicon, are therefore different, to some degree, from everyday common usage.
Read more about Standard Spanish: Introduction, Origins, The Old Colonies and The Real Academia Española, Cultural Colonialism, Present-day Issues
Famous quotes containing the words standard and/or spanish:
“[The Declaration of Independence] meant to set up a standard maxim for free society, which should be familiar to all, and revered by all; constantly looked to, constantly labored for, and even though never perfectly attained, constantly approximated, and thereby constantly spreading and deepening its influence, and augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people of all colors everywhere.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“The hangover became a part of the day as well allowed-for as the Spanish siesta.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)