Course Introduction: Spanish
Foreign Language Courses | Foreign Language II: Spanish
A Journey into the World of Spanish Speakers.
What comes to mind for Japanese people when they hear the word "Spanish"? For some, it is the Spain they studied in world history class. For others, it is a country somewhere in Latin America, the birthplace of music they sometimes hear. For sports fans, the list of athletes is endless, from soccer and tennis to baseball. Those interested in cuisine might think of Spanish paella, Mexican tacos, Argentinian barbecue, or Chilean wine. Bookworms might dream of one day reading Cervantes's "Don Quixote" or Garc¨ªa M¨¢rquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude." As for future travels, the list of places to visit is truly countless: Machu Picchu in Peru, the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia, the Sagrada Fam¨ªlia in Barcelona, and the Prado Museum in Madrid. If you wish to tour World Heritage Sites, you might want to make discoveries beyond your imagination in faraway lands, such as the Alhambra Palace built by the Islamic Nasrid dynasty in the southern Iberian Peninsula, the Gal¨¢pagos Islands in Ecuador where Darwin conceived his theory of evolution, or the churches in the Philippines that blend Spanish Baroque style with the artistic sensibilities of the local people.
What about the Spanish language itself? What impressions does it evoke? Its pronunciation is similar to Japanese, it has an attractive sound, and conversations between native speakers, while incomprehensible, somehow sound passionate. Spanish speakers are the people of the Spanish-speaking world. Their world is not limited to the 20 countries where Spanish is an official language. Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and it is also the third most used language on the internet, after English and Chinese. Meanwhile, in the United States, it is becoming the de facto second language in several states, including those in the South that were originally Mexican territory. Knowing Spanish has become necessary to understand modern America and enjoy its culture. The Spanish-speaking world¡ªspanning Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean, with historical ties reaching Africa and Asia¡ªis a world rich in diversity of culture, values, and identity, a world that is broad both physically and spiritually.
Learning Spanish is a journey to an unknown land: the world of Spanish-speaking people. And there is no doubt that this journey will lead to a deeper understanding of the world as a whole.
(Alberto Mill¨¢n Mart¨ªn, Full-time Lecturer)