Castilian language
- noun
:
castellano
- The Castilian language is widely spoken in Spain.
Examples
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Many linguists consider the Castilian language to be the standard form of Spanish.
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He learned the Castilian language before traveling to northern Spain.
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The pronunciation in the Castilian language can differ from Spanish spoken in Latin America.
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Many people learn the Castilian language to communicate effectively.
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The Castilian language is the official language of Spain and is widely spoken across the country.
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Many people in Latin America learn Castilian as their first or second language.
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She studied the Castilian language to better understand Spanish literature.
Synonyms
2
1.0
A language spoken in Spain and many countries in Latin America
The standard form of Spanish spoken in Castile in Spain
A language spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'Castilian' names a particular variety of Spanish and 'language' denotes a spoken/written system, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to the Spanish variety of Castile (i.e. standard Spanish). The noun phrase follows the common 'X language' pattern found cross-linguistically, supporting immediate comprehension.
Etymology
Castilian language gets its name from Castile, an area in Spain where this way of speaking grew long ago. Because kings and leaders used it, it spread across Spain and today it often means 'standard Spanish'.