Language Beyond Words: Mexican Spanish
Origin of Mexican Spanish
Spanish was introduced in the 16th century in connection with Spanish adventurers conquering Mexico and setting up colonial administration in Mexico City. No Spanish was spoken in Mexico before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. Indigenous languages dominated, the most prominent being Nahuatl (Aztec language), Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec and over 60 distinct language groups which existed. Many words, phrases, and even sounds borrowed from native tongues of indigenous languages.Words like tomate, chocolate, aguacate, coyote, mezcal are some which were loan words from Nahuatl and other languages.
During the colonial period Spanish spoken in New Spain (colonial Mexico) was influenced by Andalusian Spanish settlers from southern Spain and Canarian Spanish from the Canary Islands. During its development a simplified, koine form of Spanish developed, which was easier for second-language learners (indigenous people) to use. Spanish was not universally spoken so many indigenous communities continued using their native languages.
This lack of unity eventually caused a standardizing effect of Mexican Spanish in the region. Mexico has no de jure (legal) official language, but Spanish is the de facto national language, spoken by over 99% of the population. In addition to Spanish, the government officially recognizes 68 indigenous languages, which have the same validity as Spanish under the 2003 General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Peoples such as Nahuatl, Maya, and Mixtec. The 2003 General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Peoples granted these indigenous languages equal legal standing with Spanish.
Mexican Spanish, although not a standard as such, is commonly used in the United States of America as well in Canada and the Mexican communities that live there.
In the USA, Mexican Spanish is common in the Southwest on one part due to Texas’ independence from Mexico and on the other due to the migration waves from Mexico during the 19th and 20th century. Interestingly, Caribbean Spanish is more common on the US East Coast where there are many Puerto Rican communities.
Mexican Spanish differs from European Spanish in that it includes a number of words considered old-fashioned in Europe, and due to Mexico's historical past, many terms, especially botanic ones are based on a Nahuatl, Mayan or other native origin.
The Mexican Spanish alphabet is a 27-letter alphabet used in both Mexico and Spain, though pronunciation differences for letters like 'c', 's', 'z', 'j', and 'y' and the influence of indigenous languages in Mexico are notable. The main differences lie in pronunciation (e.g., seseo vs. distinción), the incorporation of indigenous words in Mexican Spanish, and regional variations in how sounds are articulated.
Alphabet:
A B C D E F G H I J K L Ll M N Ñ O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l ll m n ñ o p q r s t u v w x y z
Mexican Spanish Literature
Before the arrival of the Spanish, Mesoamerican cultures like the Aztecs and Mayas had their own rich literary traditions which were mostly oral, but also written using glyphs or pictographs.
Nezahualcóyotl was a poet and the ruler (tlatoani) of the city-state of Texcoco in pre-Columbian era Mexico.
“The battlefield is the place; where one toasts the divine liquor in war,
Where are stained red the divine eagles,
Where the tigers howl,
Where all kinds of precious stones rain from ornaments,
Where wave headdresses rich with fine plumes,
Where princes are smashed to bits.”
Popol Vuh, the K’iche’ Maya creation story is among the most famous story in Mayan culture.
In the Popol Vuh, the first set of twins, Hun-Hunahpú and Vucub-Hanahpú were invited to the Mayan Underworld, Xibalba, to play a ballgame with the Xibalban lords. In the Underworld the twins faced many trials filled with trickery; eventually they fail and are put to death. The Hero Twins, Hunahpú and Xbalanqué, are magically conceived after the death of their father, Hun-Hunahpú, and in time they return to Xibalba to avenge the deaths of their father and uncle by defeating the Lords of the Underworld. These pre-Hispanic narratives, though not in Spanish, deeply influence the themes and symbolism in later Mexican literature.
After the Spanish conquest, indigenous voices were often silenced, but a new hybrid literary tradition began to emerge written in Spanish, but often reflecting indigenous culture and Catholic influence.
Bernal Díaz del Castillo was a Spanish conquistador who participated as a soldier in the conquest of the Aztec Empire under Hernán Cortés and late in his life wrote an account of the events. In his later years, Castillo was an encomendero and governor in Guatemala where he wrote his memoirs called The True History of the Conquest of New Spain.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a nun and a writer, philosopher, and poet of the Baroque period. Her work championed women’s rights, reason, and art. Sor Juana is often called “the first feminist of the Americas.” Sor Juana, famously advocated for women’s education in her work Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz. A defense of women’s right to study secular and religious texts offering a unique look into her life and views.
After Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, the country underwent significant political and social changes that were reflected in its literature. During this time, Mexican literature became more nationalistic, and writers sought to establish a unique literary identity.
José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi wrote El Periquillo Sarniento, the first novel written in Latin America
Ignacio Manuel Altamirano wrote Clemencia, which is often considered to be the first modern Mexican novel.
In the 20th and early 21st centuries, Mexican literature continued to evolve, responding to globalization, digital media, and the shifting socio-political landscape.
Octavio Paz was a poet, essayist, and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1990). His work explored identity, solitude, and Mexican culture.
Rosario Castellanos Figueroa was one of Mexico's most important literary voices in the 20th century. Throughout her life, she wrote about issues of cultural and gender oppression, and her work has influenced Mexican feminist theory and cultural studies. Balún-Canán is a deeply reflective and poignant exploration of the lives of indigenous people in Mexico, particularly in the context of social, political, and cultural oppression.
Juan Rulfo's Pedro Páramo is a masterpiece of magical realism, blending the spiritual and physical worlds of rural Mexico. It has been translated into more than 30 languages, and the English version has sold more than a million copies in the United States. Gabriel García Márquez has said that he felt blocked as a novelist after writing his first four books and that it was only his life-changing discovery of Pedro Páramo in 1961 that opened the way to the composition of his masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Mexican Spanish Art
Before the Spanish arrived, Mesoamerica was home to some of the most advanced civilizations in the world, and their art reflects a deeply spiritual and symbolic culture.
The Olmecs created colossal stone heads, while the Maya built intricate temples and created detailed stone carvings.
The Aztecs used frescoes and codices (folding manuscripts) to document history and religion.
Often ceremonial pots and figurines were created, particularly by the Zapotecs and Mixtecs.
The Maya and Zapotecs created vibrant woven textiles, often used in rituals and as symbols of status.
After the Spanish arrived in 1521, the art of Mexico was transformed through the fusion of European techniques and indigenous traditions. Catholicism played a central role in shaping the art of this era, leading to an influx of religious paintings, altarpieces, and frescoes in churches and cathedrals.
Miguel Cabrera: One of the leading painters of the period, known for his religious works that blended European techniques with Mexican motifs.
Juan Correa: A colonial-era painter who integrated Spanish baroque with Mexican traditions became one of the most prominent artists in New Spain during his lifetime.
The Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821) had a major impact on the country’s art scene. Artists began to focus on themes of national identity, independence, and pride in Mexico’s indigenous heritage.
During the Romantic period, art began to depict dramatic landscapes and historical scenes that emphasized the beauty and power of the Mexican landscape.
José María Velasco Gomez: Famous for his stunning landscape paintings, Velasco is considered one of Mexico’s greatest landscape artists.
The aftermath of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920) birthed a new wave of art that sought to define a national identity and represent the struggles of the working class and indigenous peoples.
The Mexican Muralist Movement became one of the most important art movements of the 20th century, drawing global attention. This movement was not just about aesthetics; it was about shaping Mexico’s future by using art to tell the story of its people.
Diego Rivera is known for his large-scale murals that explored Mexico’s history, revolution, and indigenous culture. His murals in Detroit and San Francisco also became famous globally.
David Alfaro Siqueiros is known for his dramatic and often political murals that depicted social struggles and revolution.
José Clemente Orozco, his murals were more tragic and focused on human suffering, the complexities of history, and the role of violence in revolution.
These artists transformed the walls of public buildings into massive, social and political commentaries, emphasizing themes like The Mexican Revolution, indigenous rights, and social justice.
As the 20th century progressed, Mexican artists began experimenting with new mediums and styles. The country’s art scene grew more diverse, incorporating surrealism, abstraction, and pop art while still maintaining a strong connection to Mexican identity and history.
Remedios Varo is a surrealist painter and was heavily influenced by European surrealism but brought her unique perspective, often blending Mexican folklore with dreamlike imagery.
Frida Kahlo is perhaps the most internationally recognized Mexican artist, Kahlo's deeply personal and symbolic paintings explored themes of identity, pain, and Mexican culture.
Chocolate, Avocados, and The Largest Pyramid
Mexico is the birthplace of chocolate! The ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations were the first to use cocoa beans as a currency and in making "xocolatl", a bitter drink. It wasn’t until Europeans got their hands on it that chocolate became sweetened with sugar and transformed into the treat we love today.
Mexico is the world’s largest producer of avocados, particularly from the region of Michoacán. It’s also where the world-famous guacamole originated. Every year, millions of avocados are consumed in Mexico, and it’s the main ingredient in various dishes.
The Great Pyramid of Cholula in Puebla is the largest pyramid in the world by volume. It’s even bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt! The pyramid was originally dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl and was built by the pre-Columbian civilizations of Mexico.