Top 10 reasons why Top 10 reasons why spanishlinguist.us is a fanspanishlinguist.us is a fan

of theof the Real Academia EspañolaReal Academia Española

(RAE)(RAE)

More properly, theMore properly, the

Asociación de Academias de la Lengua EspAsociación de Academias de la Lengua Españolaañola

The RAE is truly internationalThe RAE is truly international

19 countries19 countries where Spanish is an official where Spanish is an official language have a national Academy.language have a national Academy. Only Equatorial Guinea doesn’t.Only Equatorial Guinea doesn’t.

The USA, Puerto Rico, and the Phillipines The USA, Puerto Rico, and the Phillipines each has its own academy as well.each has its own academy as well.

Every Academy has a vote in major Every Academy has a vote in major language decisions.language decisions.

The main RAE dictionary includes dialectal The main RAE dictionary includes dialectal variations.variations.

The RAE also publishes a The RAE also publishes a Diccionario de Diccionario de Americanismos.Americanismos.

The RAE is charmingly old-The RAE is charmingly old-fashionedfashioned

(some may interpret this as (some may interpret this as stuffiness)stuffiness) Academy Academy membersmembers are listed are listed

as as DonDon and and Doña.Doña. Member Academies in the Member Academies in the

international international AsociaciónAsociación are are listed in listed in chronological orderchronological order of of their founding, not alphabetical their founding, not alphabetical order.order.

Each member Academy has a Each member Academy has a quaint seal and motto. The quaint seal and motto. The original RAE motto is original RAE motto is “Limpia, fija, y da esplendor”; its seal is to the right.

The RAE The RAE websitewebsite rocks rocks

It is one of my two go-to on-line It is one of my two go-to on-line dictionaries, along with dictionaries, along with wordreference.com.wordreference.com.

Unlike wordreference.com, it has Unlike wordreference.com, it has etymologies for many words.etymologies for many words.

The RAE answers the public’s The RAE answers the public’s questions about Spanishquestions about Spanish

Their website has a link for Their website has a link for consultas lingüísticasconsultas lingüísticas..

They have answered questions for They have answered questions for me about:me about:the bizarrely meaningless the bizarrely meaningless la la or or las las in in

verbal expressions like verbal expressions like dárseladárselathe bogus origin stories of the the bogus origin stories of the

nicknames nicknames Pepe and PacoPepe and PacoThey respond promptly and They respond promptly and

thoroughly.thoroughly.

They occupyThey occupyprime Madrid real estateprime Madrid real estate

Calle de Felipe IV, 4Calle de Felipe IV, 4 Take a Take a tourtour!!

The The AcademiaAcademia of the USA of the USAis very activeis very active

Check out their Check out their websitewebsite.. Their headquarters is in NYC.Their headquarters is in NYC. Some members are immigrants, others were born in the Some members are immigrants, others were born in the

USA.USA. Their mission is to support the continuance of real Their mission is to support the continuance of real

Spanish (not Spanglish) in the USA. This includesSpanish (not Spanglish) in the USA. This includes ““Lengua viva” animations on Lengua viva” animations on YahooYahoo TV slots promoting proper Spanish on Univisión (“TV slots promoting proper Spanish on Univisión (“

Dígalo bienDígalo bien”) and ”) and MundoFoxMundoFox Newspaper Newspaper columnscolumns (I don’t have any links to the (I don’t have any links to the

columns themselves)columns themselves) A book, A book, Hablando bien se entiende la genteHablando bien se entiende la gente

The RAE’s books are seriously The RAE’s books are seriously usefuluseful

They publish dictionaries, grammars, They publish dictionaries, grammars, and spelling guides.and spelling guides.

I love their spelling guide, I love their spelling guide, Ortografía Ortografía de la lengua española.de la lengua española.It is the direct descendent of the RAE’s It is the direct descendent of the RAE’s

second publication, the 1741 second publication, the 1741 OrtographíaOrtographía..

It devotes 65 pages just to accent It devotes 65 pages just to accent marks!marks!

The RAE invented The RAE invented ¡¡ and and ¿¿

They thought it would be helpful to They thought it would be helpful to readers to know that an exclamation readers to know that an exclamation or question was starting.or question was starting.

In 1741 they proposed using In 1741 they proposed using !! and and ?? “as is”.“as is”.

They came up with the idea of They came up with the idea of inverted marks in 1754.inverted marks in 1754.

For more, see this post.For more, see this post.

The RAE isn’t afraid of The RAE isn’t afraid of controversycontroversy

They eliminated They eliminated chch and and llll as “letters” of as “letters” of the alphabet in 1994.the alphabet in 1994.

They took flak from Spanish speakers They took flak from Spanish speakers around the world, including Hugo Chávez around the world, including Hugo Chávez (who wanted to spelling his name with a (who wanted to spelling his name with a cheche) but the change was accepted anyway.) but the change was accepted anyway.

Ecuador was the only country whose Ecuador was the only country whose Academy voted against the change.Academy voted against the change.

Nicaragua, Panama, and Uruguay Nicaragua, Panama, and Uruguay abstained.abstained.

The Academy systemThe Academy systemhelps makes Spanish specialhelps makes Spanish special

French, Italian, Arabic, German, and French, Italian, Arabic, German, and Portuguese also have Academies.Portuguese also have Academies.

But the Spanish academy is the most But the Spanish academy is the most international and active!international and active!

In the 18In the 18thth century, English-language century, English-language notables including Jonathan Swift and John notables including Jonathan Swift and John Adams proposed an Academy system for Adams proposed an Academy system for English.English. Samuel Johnson opposed the idea, writing:Samuel Johnson opposed the idea, writing:

“To enchain syllables, and to lash the wind, are “To enchain syllables, and to lash the wind, are equally the undertakings of pride, unwilling to equally the undertakings of pride, unwilling to measure its desires by its strength."measure its desires by its strength."

Johnson won!Johnson won!