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| − | The '''Spanish language''' is a member of the [[Romance language]] family, the group of languages descending from [[Vulgar Latin]], the dialect spoken by the soldiers and provincial officials of the [[Roman Empire]]. Originally spoken in the northern regions of what is now [[Spain]], Spanish also draws some influence from the regional languages of its area. Spanish also draws heavy influence from [[Arabic]], due to the [[Moorish]] [[Umayyad|occupation]] of Spain lasting from 711 to 1492. This influence is specially in Nouns, most of them are the ones that begin with the arabic article "Al". | + | The '''Spanish language''' is a member of the [[Romance language]] family, the group of languages descending from [[Vulgar Latin]], the dialect spoken by the soldiers and provincial officials of the [[Roman Empire]]. Originally spoken in the northern regions of what is now [[Spain]], Spanish also draws some influence from the regional languages of its area. Spanish also draws heavy influence from [[Arabic]], due to the [[Moorish]] [[Umayyad|occupation]] of Spain lasting from 711 to 1492. This influence is specially in Nouns, most of them are the ones that begin with the Arabic article "Al". |
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| | Today, the majority of its speakers live outside of Spain, with large numbers in [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]. It is one of the most-spoken languages in the [[world]]. It is spoken as a first language by about 350,000,000 people, or by 417,000,000 if non-native speakers are included. The Spanish language is the second-most common language in the [[United States]], as well as the second-most natively spoken language in the world, after [[Mandarin Chinese]]. | | Today, the majority of its speakers live outside of Spain, with large numbers in [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]]. It is one of the most-spoken languages in the [[world]]. It is spoken as a first language by about 350,000,000 people, or by 417,000,000 if non-native speakers are included. The Spanish language is the second-most common language in the [[United States]], as well as the second-most natively spoken language in the world, after [[Mandarin Chinese]]. |
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| | *[[South America]] and continental [[Central America]] (with the exceptions of [[Portuguese]]-speaking [[Brazil]], [[French]]-speaking [[French Guiana]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]]-speaking [[Suriname]], and English-speaking [[Guyana]] and [[Belize]]) | | *[[South America]] and continental [[Central America]] (with the exceptions of [[Portuguese]]-speaking [[Brazil]], [[French]]-speaking [[French Guiana]], [[Dutch language|Dutch]]-speaking [[Suriname]], and English-speaking [[Guyana]] and [[Belize]]) |
| | *[[Hispanic]] populations in the [[United States]] | | *[[Hispanic]] populations in the [[United States]] |
| − | *former Spanish colonies in [[Africa]], eg Equatorial Guinea, Western Sahara. | + | *former Spanish colonies in [[Africa]], e.g. Equatorial Guinea, Western Sahara. |
| | *a distinct dialect is spoken in the [[Philippines]] | | *a distinct dialect is spoken in the [[Philippines]] |
| | * Non Officially, a great majority of Population speaks Spanish in Gibraltar, Andorra, and Northern Morocco. | | * Non Officially, a great majority of Population speaks Spanish in Gibraltar, Andorra, and Northern Morocco. |