Spanish Culture For my final paper, I will be discussing the culture of Spain. People that live in Spain are referred to as Spaniards. For the most part, the Spanish culture speak Spanish and might have some knowledge in the English language as well. The population of Spain is estimated to be around 47 million (“Spain” paragraph 1). The main two ethnicities/races of Spain include the composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types. Spaniards are guaranteed the freedom of religion; however, the majority of Spaniards are Catholic. It is very common in Spain to use physical contact when communicating with one another. In Spain, this is not considered an invasion of personal space because the Spaniards are accustomed to this communication habit. Bullfighting is obviously one of the more known customs of Spain than any other although with the new generation problems arise how humane the event is. “La siesta” is the balance between work and pleasure. The Spaniards get a few mid-day hours to eat lunch and rest. Lunch is the most important meal of the day in Spain and the nightlife is extended until four in the morning (“Culture & Customs in Spain” paragraph 1-2). Spanish culture has a vast artistic heritage. In the 20th century, some of the …show more content…
Spain’s importance of intimacy allows closer, more personal relationships with colleagues, friends and family members. The importance of masculinity creates a defined gender role for male Spaniards. The celebration of religious holidays in Spain allows the culture to attend to religious duties and also as recreational functions, such as La Tomatina (a giant Spanish food fight). Language is crucial to the Spanish culture because there are numerous regions in Spain that have twists to the language. For example, the biggest regional dialect is Castilian Spanish; however, the Basque, Galician and Catalan all coexist in Spain as
A language, much like a person, is molded over time by different experiences, and is influenced by the languages which surround it. History has taught us time and time again that all it takes is one action to change the course of a language. During the battle of Hastings, King Harold II was shot in the eye by the Norman invaders; resulting in the Norman-French language all but taking over English in the 11th century AD. This seemingly insignificant event would forever change the way that English is spoken. Similar to English, Spanish is from the Indo-European family of languages. Unlike English however, Spanish is derived from a category of the Romance Languages, of which it is the most widely spoken today. The Spanish language is also known as Castilian, which is the dialect from which Modern Spanish is derived, and originated in the Iberian Peninsula of Spain. Today, Spanish is the official language of: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Spanish has evolved, in a multilingual environment, over the course of the last 2000 years, beginning with Vulgar Latin, it evolved into medieval Castilian in the 8th century, it then became Early Modern Spanish during 15th century, finally it became Modern Spanish from the 16th century on.
is a very sports-minded country. Baseball, basketball, football, and hockey are the most watched along with many other sports. However baseball is known as “America’s favorite pastime”. In America, games are usually played within its country’s borders. If a game is played outside of the country they will call it a “world championship” or something of the like (American Behavior). The main sport for Spanish speaking countries is futból, which is also known as soccer. In Hispanic culture this sport is huge, everyone learns to play when a kid and continues to either pay or watch as an adult (Spanish Culture). Bullfighting and bicycling are also common in this culture. Hispanic cultures spreads through many different countries around Spain, therefore they would go outside country borders to play other teams for games (Understanding the Hispanic
Child rearing and family structure within the Hispanic culture is noticeably different than what is present in the mainstream Western culture of today. One apparent difference is in gender roles. There exists a vastly different expectation in Hispanic culture for males and females. The male is considered to be the independent breadwinner, and the head of the household. Accordingly, the female role is one of submission and provider of childcare. In contrast, it is more than acceptable in Western culture for a female to maintain a non-traditional role. Hispanic culture additionally differs from Western culture in the traditional makeup of the family. Within Hispanic culture the extended family plays a huge role
According to Gregory Rodriguez, in his book “Mongrels, Bastards, Orphans, and Vagabonds,” women played an integral part of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Women were important in the Spanish conquest of Mexico because many were given as gifts to establish political relationships, they were used to help convert the natives to Christianity, and through intermarriage, a new peoples emerged.
Clutter, Ann W., and Ruben D. Nieto. "Understanding the Hispanic Culture." Osu.edu. Ohio State University. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. .
Most noticeable would be the shift from speaking ancestral native languages to speaking Spanish. Just as well, Spanish architectural influence can be seen through the gorgeous tiled roofs, proud steeples, and light yellow-orange interiors of their churches and homes. The Spaniards also left an environmental impact, such as the introduction of Spanish horses and other Spanish plant and animal species, which, in turn, sparked the famous “cowboy culture” of the Southwest. This “blended” Spanish and indigenous Mexican culture is commonly known as “Hispanic” or “Latino.” Today, this culture is still very much alive and can be seen all throughout both Arizona and the Southwest as a whole. One can clearly see the cultural impact of both the Mexicans and Spanish, through the architecture, restaurants, traditional foods, and the religious traditions and ceremonies celebrated by Mexican people in the region, such as The Day of the Dead and Cinco de Mayo. Also, there are many Spanish-named streets, towns, cities, and
In my Spanish 103 class, I have learned a lot about the Hispanic culture. I have looked at the similarities and differences in Hispanic and US culture. In this essay, I will be seeing the similarities and differences in holidays in each culture. Specifically Christmas, Easter, Holy Week, and specific holidays to each culture. I will show how each culture celebrates it then compare and contrast each holiday.
There are a lot of similarities and differences in holidays of Spanish-speaking countries and the United States (US) including the types of holidays, dates they are celebrated, and traditions. donQuijote said, “In Spain there are many regional and national holidays which means that there is a Spanish festival or Spanish fiesta being celebrated somewhere in Spain every month of every year. Every town, city and region has its own traditional holidays or Spanish fiestas in honor of a patron saint, founder or important historical event.” (“Spanish Fiestas”.)
Culture is customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. It includes behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, values, and norms that is shared by a group of people to sustain their lives. Mexican culture is influenced by their familial ties, gender, religion, location and social class, among other factors. Today life in the cities of Mexico has become similar to that in neighboring United States and Europe, with provincial people conserving traditions more so than the Mexican living in the city. In the United States Mexican includes any person of Puerto
Music comes in many shapes and forms, and has been a magical element of inspiration and encouragement throughout time. The art of music derives from many different things, such as culture and traditions. One such type of music is mariachi music, deriving from Mexican culture and traditions. Mariachi music is often an upbeat rhythm, consisting of a band of up to six to eight violins, two trumpets and a guitar. Unlike modern music and other music bands alike, mariachi bands lack in numbers when it comes to band size. Though they are small, their music brings great significance and life to the places they perform and the people that they touch with their joyous music. In this paper, I will be comparing the culture and style of mariachi music to twentieth century modern music.
The Hispanic culture has many various factors, but in order to understand the Hispanic culture one must understand what culture is. According to Jarvis (2000) culture is broken down into four characteristics. Teachings learned from birth through language and socialization. The sharing of these learned practices with individuals of the same group. These ideologies are adapted to current environments and other related factors. Finally, culture is influential and constantly
Folklore is a collection of stories passed down from generation to generation that includes Legends, Myths and Fairy tales. Legends are a semi-true story, which has been passed on from a person to another person that has an important meaning. Myths are a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon. A Fairytale is a children's story about magical which they have imaginary beings and lands. Hispanic Folklore is the traditional is mostly about beliefs, legends, customs and stories of the community of the hispanic culture. Hispanic or latino culture encompasses the traditions, language, religious beliefs and practices, legends, music and history.
In this Essay, I will enlighten you about the “Dia de los Muertos” in the Spanish culture. It will contain the history of the holiday, the events that go on during it, and the food eaten on that day. One thing that you must remember is that Dia de los Muertos traditions vary from town to town because Mexico is not culturally monolithic.
In conclusion, the Christmas season in Spain is a more holy and traditional event than in the United States. If you were in Spain during this season you would be likely to see large feasts among family and friends, people worshipping in the streets, and children swinging and singing Christmas songs. Gifts are given at this time, but the Spanish people view it more as a time of worship and family togetherness. Although they generally spend less money on the Christmas season in Spain, it is as just as an important of a holiday as it is in America.
Spain, the third largest country in Europe, has a strong history and diverse culture dating back to when the Iberians first inhabited the land. The country lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and the land ranges from mountains to meadows. Over hundreds of centuries, many different civilizations have inhabited the land influencing the people there today. From the Visigoths and Celts to the Romans of the Middle Ages, Spain has received a rich history and background. One of the strongest of its cultures is the food. All of these cultures brought a particular type of food and combined and blended with the food that exists there today. Spain is very popular for olives, vineyards, and citrus fruit. Another well-liked food is garlic, including varieties of peppers and spices. Once spice specifically—golden saffron—is essential in many recipes, including the Spanish Paella. There are many distinguished Spanish foods that encompass the daily life and culture of the country.