tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post5272776611035201093..comments2023-10-19T11:36:49.184-04:00Comments on Life & Otherwise . . .: Fear-Based Nationalism, and the Spanish National Anthem...Jason Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643595412184843553noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-32273864458495942212011-05-30T14:07:33.617-04:002011-05-30T14:07:33.617-04:00That's a great post Jason, you say a lot of sm...That's a great post Jason, you say a lot of smart things here. I'd also add to your comments-- the national anthem already IS available in Spanish, in fact there's been a Spanish version since 1918! The US government itself commissioned a Spanish national anthem at the time as the latest (then) in a long series of indications of respect, toward the Latino people of the USA who had been absorbed into the country's borders since the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War.<br><br>Which leads to another point-- especially in the US Southwest, as well as in Florida and Puerto Rico, Spanish *is* one of the original languages of the country. More so even than English-- Spanish predates English by centuries here, the language of the cities at their founding, and it's been in continuous use for 500 years in many places. That's why, in the treaties following the Florida, Mexican and Spanish-American Wars, Spanish was given recognition by treaty and law as an equal language to English "in the public square"-- governments, schools, libraries, offices, professional enterprises have written and spoken Spanish equally. That's why the federal government itself commissioned the Spanish national anthem in 1918.<br><br>I've been in Arizona, California and Texas for many years, and the vast majority of people-- non-Latinos included-- speak Spanish and don't make a fuss about it. Using Spanish is as American as baseball and the 4th of July, as one of the original US languages, Spanish is a language that demands respect in public discourse. <br><br>Es una idioma para todo el mundo aqui y debe ser usado para todos propositos importantes. Y es facil de aprender!<br><br>I've used this argument myself with lots of opinionated (but not so well-educated) Americans who think that "the language of America is English." No, it isn't-- it's not the official, national or even common language. And where historical precedent is used to define a common language, English is only one of them-- Spanish has just as much of a claim, in fact in St. Augustine, Santa Fe and other places, Spanish is the *oldest* of the European languages in the United States. So it's earned the right to be considered an equal with English, certainly in the states where the historical tradition has made it the original language before English even came along.Kylenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-2689716593747636332008-01-21T19:36:00.000-05:002008-01-21T19:36:00.000-05:00Mindflame, you said Actually, I am surprised you d...Mindflame, you said <I>Actually, I am surprised you don't hate the Spanish version.</I><BR/><BR/>Let me be a bit clearer then: I don't hate it <I>because</I> it's Spanish, which was really the point, but I see what you're getting at: The Spanish version is a bit more overtly "Christian" I suppose, at least in that instance, but it's really kind of a non-issue in my opinion. Either way, a song <I>Or a motto on a coin or whathaveyou)</I> does not a Theocracy make, but it does show that there are those in this multi-cultural melting pot that believe in a god, while there are plenty of others who believe completely different...<BR/><BR/>After all, I didn't pick out the national anthem--I just have to listen to them singing it, and at least when it's in Spanish <I>(at least to me personally)</I>, it sounds a whole lot prettier...<BR/><BR/>:D<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by and sharing, though...Jason Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15643595412184843553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-25343045805881706352008-01-15T15:07:00.000-05:002008-01-15T15:07:00.000-05:00Most Hispanics in America have lately been using a...Most Hispanics in America have lately been using a newer version of the National Anthem in Spanish. I think that this is part of the issue because the lyrics seem to be farther from the original story the song is trying to tell. My skills are really basic and so I don't have any idea about subtle issues like that. <BR/><BR/>But it is always difficult business to translate something so it goes along with music. <BR/><BR/>Actually, I am surprised you don't hate the Spanish version. <BR/><BR/>"A Dios quien nos dio paz, libertad y honor," (to God who gave us peace ,freedom and honor)<BR/><BR/>Is more emphatically religious in my opinion than.. "Praise the Power that has made us a Nation", the line it is translating. <BR/><BR/>But the "let this be our motto in God we trust" part seems to be almost word for word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-17216980444515641562007-03-17T02:53:00.000-04:002007-03-17T02:53:00.000-04:00My favorite patriotic song is from South Park's mo...My favorite patriotic song is from South Park's movie "Blame Canada!"<BR/><BR/>Spanish is important to our country's heritage, but not so important that it should take equal footing with English. I've seem some pretty silly arguments on the promotion of Spanish, but also some ok ones. I'm not afraid of Spanish though. American English is very adaptive. English in general tends to absorb other languages rather than be uprooted by them. It is infectious. Eventually, there will be an "American" language that will be part Spanish, part Chinese, and part everything else with English as its base (just as French, Gaelic and Norse are at the base of the current language).fcsuperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09631601009349459890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-24710143130785234332007-03-16T22:37:00.000-04:002007-03-16T22:37:00.000-04:00Why thank you, Kyle! Aren't you a dear! :DI never ...Why thank you, Kyle! Aren't you a dear! :D<BR/><BR/>I never knew about the 1918 commission of the anthem in Spanish! It's amazing how little is left out of these chain "patriotic" emails! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!<BR/><BR/>And Darkind--LOL!!! All I picture now is a cavemen jumping up and down very <I>Braveheart</I> style... LOL!Jason Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15643595412184843553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-3108802697836516362007-03-16T06:25:00.000-04:002007-03-16T06:25:00.000-04:00Well, if you want to talk about historical precide...Well, if you want to talk about historical precident, Spanish or even languages like Amerind which is the progenitor language of all the native American languages (and dates back about 13,000 years) don't hold a candle to grunts and hand gestures. And that is a language I think we apparently all seem to know, what with all the screaming and waving the finger... So here is a translation of the national anthem into the earliest language spoken in the US. Note that the items in parenthesis are to be acted out, not spoken:<BR/><BR/>(Stand at the border of the country with red and white stripes of mud adorning your face and torso, as well as your blue beadwoven bandana and loincloth and wait for someone to wander up. Then sing:)<BR/>AAAAAAAAGH!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!! WOOOOOOOOT!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!<BR/>GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!! WAAAAAAAAH!! GRAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!<BR/>(Make a mad face and stomp the ground. Wave fists or a spear if available, while singing the following chorus)<BR/>GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! AAAAAAARRGH!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA!!! WOOOOOOOOOOT!!!<BR/>(Puff out the chest, widen the eyes as much as possible. If the 'intruder' has not run away, repeat anthem at a higher volume, preferably with the aid of your countrymen.)Darkmindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183628945441876070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20581097.post-89137527396103022612007-03-16T04:47:00.000-04:002007-03-16T04:47:00.000-04:00That's a great post Jason, you say a lot of smart ...That's a great post Jason, you say a lot of smart things here. I'd also add to your comments-- the national anthem already IS available in Spanish, in fact there's been a Spanish version since 1918! The US government itself commissioned a Spanish national anthem at the time as the latest (then) in a long series of indications of respect, toward the Latino people of the USA who had been absorbed into the country's borders since the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War.<BR/><BR/>Which leads to another point-- especially in the US Southwest, as well as in Florida and Puerto Rico, Spanish *is* one of the original languages of the country. More so even than English-- Spanish predates English by centuries here, the language of the cities at their founding, and it's been in continuous use for 500 years in many places. That's why, in the treaties following the Florida, Mexican and Spanish-American Wars, Spanish was given recognition by treaty and law as an equal language to English "in the public square"-- governments, schools, libraries, offices, professional enterprises have written and spoken Spanish equally. That's why the federal government itself commissioned the Spanish national anthem in 1918.<BR/><BR/>I've been in Arizona, California and Texas for many years, and the vast majority of people-- non-Latinos included-- speak Spanish and don't make a fuss about it. Using Spanish is as American as baseball and the 4th of July, as one of the original US languages, Spanish is a language that demands respect in public discourse. <BR/><BR/>Es una idioma para todo el mundo aqui y debe ser usado para todos propositos importantes. Y es facil de aprender!<BR/><BR/>I've used this argument myself with lots of opinionated (but not so well-educated) Americans who think that "the language of America is English." No, it isn't-- it's not the official, national or even common language. And where historical precedent is used to define a common language, English is only one of them-- Spanish has just as much of a claim, in fact in St. Augustine, Santa Fe and other places, Spanish is the *oldest* of the European languages in the United States. So it's earned the right to be considered an equal with English, certainly in the states where the historical tradition has made it the original language before English even came along.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com