Andalusians do not speak “badly.”
Take, for example, the phrase: “Llover ha llovido pero llover no ha llovido” (It has rained, but it hasn’t rained). In philosophy, this is called an antithesis. According to current standards of syllogism, syntax, and grammar, it might be considered anti-communicative; however, it remains perfectly clear exactly what is being expressed.
It is a form of precision and elegance within the Andalusian language that is quite the opposite of what we have been told.
Andalusian speech is not a distortion of Castilian. According to scientific analysis—how many scientific arguments exist to support such a claim? Well, none. We do not “eat” our words or letters; we are simply following the same trend initiated by all Romance languages when they branched off from Latin: shortening words to say the same thing with less sound. In this way, if one considers Castilian the “norm,” the same could be said of Castilian if compared to Latin.
“Castilian” is not the name of our language, even though it appears in the Constitution. There is no “Castilian” language, only Spanish. The Spanish language is the collection of all variants spoken within the Hispanic domain—from Latin America to the Philippines, and beyond.
Andalusian is the most advanced variety of the Spanish language. While every language and way of speaking is perfect for the place it is spoken—because it perfectly fulfills the needs of the people who created it—in Andalusian, what prevails is the economy of language. This is a distinctive trait of an advanced language (where understanding is achieved with fewer means employed by both parties).
In the domain of Romance languages derived from Latin, the most advanced was once French, which shortened words tremendously but then became stagnant. The phonic domain of French is seven syllables, which is why French verses are often fourteen (Alexandrine verses). Meanwhile, in standard Spanish, the normal phonic group consists of eight syllables, as in Don Quixote: “En un lugar de la Mancha…”—that is the natural way.
Andalusian sits between seven and eight, and the repercussions on our daily speech are meteoric. Our people live in the streets, and that means we train our communication continuously; that is why the Andalusian language has managed to go so far.
For example, take this riddle: —There are doce gatos (twelve cats/two blind men) on a roof. If I shoot one cat, how many are left?
If answered in standard Spanish (doce gatos), the answer would be eleven. But if answered phonetically in some areas of Andalusia, it can be understood as dos cegatos (two blind men), so the answer would be one blind man.
There is no broader linguistic register than Andalusian.
In Latin America, the speech derives from Andalusian, as more than 70% of emigrants were from Andalusia and Extremadura. It was taught by mothers, which is why the language is often called “mother tongue.”
There is not just one Andalusian dialect; there are several languages that integrate and shape it. The image of Andalusia is a cultural archipelago. Andalusia speaks very well and very diversely. Andalusians have a double vowel system; we have ten vowels. For each of the standard vowels, we have open vowels, which is why we save ourselves the final “s.”
For example:
- “No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy” (Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today) is nine words. In Andalusian speech, it could be: “Niño, faena hecha hoy no estorba” (Child, work done today doesn’t get in the way)—using only six words. Economy of language (mutual understanding through the shortening of words).
Flamenco is the greatest poetic-musical heritage.
Manuel Machado used to say, “The greatest poet in the world is Flamenco.” With 200,000 coplas living in the Andalusian memory—800,000 verses—they have almost never been written down. They have been transmitted through speech, through the unwritten word.
It has been a witness to our entire history, our mark of identity, our humor.
In any language, the genres where linguistic resources are most exploited are humor and poetry; in the latter, the quantitative weight is tremendous.
Andalusia is where lyric poetry was born in Europe, with the Mozarabic jarchas, and in every school of the Golden Age, there has always been an Andalusian presence. Take the Generation of ‘27: of all the poets that emerged, more than 90% were Andalusian.
It is understandable, as it is the region where the language is used best.
The lexical use of Andalusian in humor is incredibly complex.
Humorous coplas from times of hunger are abundant. This is called “Buffo Flamenco,” laughing even at death with black humor if necessary. In picaresque humor, women stand out as the best creators.
The heart of this humor is in Cádiz. The world is interpreted in two modes, called by the Greeks Apollonian or Dionysian. The world cannot be interpreted as a single entity but as a duality; but in Cádiz, a triple vision is given—a third way that comes from the word Panic, which in turn derives from the word Pan, who was a God (a semi-satyr with goat legs).
Carnival is absolute rebellion, proceeding from the Lupercalia festivals (panic, the triumph of absolute rebellion). Christianity adopted these festivals, placing them before Holy Week.
In the Courts of Cádiz in 1812, there were some parliamentarians who never spoke (parlar). Ironically, they were nicknamed “culiparlantes” (those who speak through their backsides).
Some Andalusian Authors
Roman Era
- Seneca
- Lucano
Arab Era
- Averroes
- Maimonides
- Ibn Hazm
- Al-Bakri
- Ibn Tufayl
Humanist School
- Juan Mal de Lara
- Juan de la Cueva
- Gonzalo Argote de Molina
- Rodrigo Caro
Golden Age
- Ana Caro de Mallén
- Cristobalina Fernández de Alarcón
- Pedro de Espinosa
- Luis Carrillo y Sotomayor
- Francisco de Rioja
- Luis de Góngora y Argote
- Vicente Espinel
- Fernando de Herrera
Romanticism
- Duke of Rivas
- José Cadalso
- Bécquer
Modernism
- Manuel Reina Montilla
- Patrocinio de Biedma y la Moneda
- Aurora Fuster Gallardo
Generation of ‘98
- Manuel Reina Montilla
- Manuel Machado
- Antonio Machado
- Juan Ramón Jiménez
Generation of ‘27
- María Luisa Muñoz de Vargas
- Luis de Góngora y Argote
- Juan Morales Rojas
- Federico García Lorca
- Rafael Alberti
- Vicente Aleixandre
- Luis Cernuda
- Emilio Prados
- Manuel Altolaguirre
- Dámaso Alonso
- Gerardo Diego
- Jorge Guillen
- Pedro Salinas
Generation of ‘36
- Miguel Hernández
- Luis Rosales
Other Authors
- Juan Quesada
- José Luis Muñoz
- Luis Cuevas López
- Antonio Gala
- Jesús Sánchez Adalid
- Juan Ramón Biedma
- Francisco José Jurado
- Lola de la Cámara
ANDALUSIA
Manuel Reina Montilla (1856-1905)
Brilliant skies, murmuring fountains, Dark eyes, songs and festive nights, Altars adorned with lilies bright, Sun-kissed faces, scented roses. Beautiful nights of splendid love, Seas of silver and light, serene breeze, Grilles full of spikenard and carnations, Serenades, and women most divine. Oriental gates, belvederes grand, The guitar and its mournful melody, Golden wines, orchards, and nightingales, Dazzling and placid poetry… Behold the people of the sun and love, The morning of the world: Andalusia!
Dedicated with all my affection to the great Professor of Spanish Language and Literature, Don José María Pérez Orozco.