What Is The National Language In Venezuela? | USA Translate

What Language is Spoken in Venezuela?

The name Latin America refers to the countries in the Americas that speak a Latin-based language. The majority of countries in Latin America were colonized by Spain. The linguistic influence of Spain can still be observed in South America, where the majority of the population speaks Spanish. The Spanish language is not only used by the people but also by the governments of these countries. It is the official language in most of the countries of Latin America. But why is there a Venezuelan national language and which language is that?

Venezuela Unique Cultures

Located in northern South America, the country of Venezuela has always been home to indigenous people. They have their own unique cultures and languages. But after the colonization by Spain, the native language of the country changed. Indigenous languages are still spoken by different communities, but all the branches of government use Spanish. In major cities, English is also quite popular.

• Venezuelan Spanish:

The colonists that introduced the Spanish to the people of Venezuela came from Basque Country, Andalusia, Galicia, and the Canary Islands. The influence of the Spanish of Canary Islands is the most prominent on Venezuelan Spanish. The two accents have become quite similar. An outsider may find it difficult to differentiate between them. Italian and Portuguese immigrants also influenced the native language. German settlers also played a part in changing the Spanish of this region. However, Spanish has many dialects in Venezuela. The Zulian dialect is spoken in the north-west part of the country, especially in Zulia. The Caracas dialect is spoken in the capital city.

Romance Language

Spanish is a Romance language that originated from Latin in the Castile region of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a direct descendant of Vulgar Latin. It has many different varieties today. The variety spoken in South America has a lot of non-Romance words. In Venezuela, these words come from indigenous languages and from the African slaves who were brought over to the region by the Spaniards.

Spanish in European Countries

European countries, including Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, and France, changed the world through colonization. It wasn’t just the culture that was influenced, but even the governments changed. The rule of Spain over the Americas lasted for a long time, during which nearly ninety-nine percent of the indigenous tongues went out of use. Europe and its languages became the most influential forces in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Argentina, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, etc. Even the beliefs of people changed because of European influences. Read in our other blog post about the History of the Spanish Language.