NEW FULL MEMBER OF NORTH AMERICAN ACADEMY CALLS FOR DOCUMENTING LANGUAGE AS USED IN THE UNITED STATES

 Education   Tue, October 18, 2011 11:11 AM
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NEW YORK CITY, NY - The North American Academy of the Spanish Language (ANLE) inducted renowned translator Leticia Molinero as full member (miembro de número) in ceremonies at Hunter College in New York City.  The event was graced by the presence of Humberto López Morales, Secretary General of the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language.

 

Following her address titled “Spanish of the United States: A new Point of Departure,” and the traditional response by ANLE President Gerardo Piña-Rosales, the new member received the diploma and medal from López Morales and the president.  The program took place on October 13, in Hunter College in New York City.

 

“The Spanish of information comprises the educated Spanish of the United States,” said Molinero.  “In very large measure, this Spanish is the product of translation; consequently, the communicative principles of translation directed at Hispanic Americans create the pathway for linguistic norms for Spanish of the United States.”

 

“The Academy,” she continued, “assumes the responsibility of standardizing it on the basis of specific translation criteria for the United States.  Furthermore, it recognizes the need to use non-traditional resources and criteria as authoritative sources for the development of a corpus based on texts translated by public and private sector entities and determining the notion of ‘correct’ based on the communicative capacity of Spanish in the national context.”

 

Because of the global influence of the United States, it is likely that the Spanish of this country will have repercussions on general Spanish in the Spanish-speaking world,” she added.

 

Molinero chairs the Committee on the Study of Linguistic Standards of Spanish of the United States.  “We are laying the groundwork for the development of the Corpus of the Spanish of the United States,” she said. “Our first task is the creation of a glossary of Americanisms and of a list of terms that we will submit to the leading Spanish language dictionary (DRAE) for designation as ‘US’.”

 

“We are aware that we are taking on unprecedented tasks that inevitably are going to force the limits of the Hispanic linguistic system,” added Molinero.  “We do not believe, however, that the adaptations, because of their similarity to English and American culture in general, are either negative or that they constitute losses to the ‘purity’ of Spanish.  We reject the notion of language purity, given that only dead languages are pure.  The history of Spanish demonstrates that it has always been enriched by contact with other languages.  In fact, it is the product of contact with other languages.”

 

In his response, ANLE president Piña-Rosales recalled that Molinero was named a corresponding member – the prior step to becoming a full member – in 2002 and that in 2007 she became chair of the Website Committee, that is, the portal of ANLE.  “The result is clear – a dynamic, extremely complete portal that is a faithful reflection of what our organization has become.”

 

Referring to Molinero’s view that the Spanish of the United States has repercussions in the general Spanish of the Spanish-speaking world, the president was categorical in his remarks to the audience at the Chanin Language Center in Hunter College:  “I have no doubt that that is the case, and I hope you do not as well.”

 

María Cornelio, Coordinator of the Translation and Interpretation Studies Program,  Hunter College, opened the ceremony with welcoming remarks, and the Secretary General of ANLE, Jorge Ignacio Covarrubias, introduced Molinero

CONTACT:
Jorge Ignacio Covarrubias
prensa@anle.us

Frank Gómez
press@anle.us
917.593.8764

 
.[photo shows Humberto López Morales, Leticia Molinero y Gerardo Piña-Rosales]