A Comparison of Spanish and English

by Heather GossWilkes University

Spanish is the third most commonly used language worldwide, behind only English and Chinese.

Spanish is considered to be the official language of twenty countries and Puerto Rico.

The United States has at least 40 million native Spanish speakers, which is about 10% of the world’s Spanish speaking population.

Spanish in Spain versus Spanish in other parts of the world do differ in pronunciation and use of indigenous words, however, they still retain fundamental cohesiveness.

Key Features of Spanish

Spanish English

- 18 consonant phonemes - 26 consonant phonemes

- Pronounced phonetically, - uses 8 additional vowels sounds with a silent /h/, /b/, and for a total of 13 vowel sounds /v/ sounding the same - diphthongs are used in - dialectal changes are indicated - Grammatical gender is both languages by vowel differences assigned to nouns - phonetic - many one syllable words - Shifts in consonantal classes languages because English supports final mark dialect change consonants - use the same- No irregular plural nouns alphabet - uses irregular verbs and nouns and no irregular verbs - vowels a, - places subject before the - No distinction between personal and e, i, o, u verb non-personal relative pronouns - prepositions frequently occur - Requires the trilled at the end of sentences. /rr/ and /ɲ/

How do Spanish and English compare?

Student: Maritza

2nd gradeattends an emotional support classroom level 6 ELL studentborn in New York City, New York and moved to York, PA at

the age of fourmother speaks fluent Spanish but uses English in the

home since moving to the United States ten years agoreading above grade level in L2knows and uses limited Spanish phrases and

inappropriate Spanish wordsmost errors occur in her oral and written

Case Study

4 errors in pluralizing nouns (added –s to make words plural)

11 errors in verb tense (added –ed to all verbs to make them plural)

10 errors in pronoun/verb agreement

25 Errors

Examples of Student Errors

making nouns plural

verb tense

pronoun verb agreement

runned hitted

goedbuyed

her iswe is

we was she go

deers

mouses

gooses

fishes

The Spanish language does not have irregular verb, but the English language does.

The simple present tense can have multiple meanings in Spanish. This could cause confusion when including past tense verbs.

The Spanish language pluralizes noun, adjective, and article, which could cause confusion when attempting to pluralize nouns in English.

The student may be over generalizing the English rules they have learned. (adding –ed for past tense and –s or –es to make a noun plural)

Why do these errors make sense?

direct, explicit instruction within context

exposure to plural nouns in a variety of ways

repeated practice of grammar skills (example: brainstorm a list of nouns and then together list the plural of each noun)

Mini lessons on exceptions to the rules (example: lessons on irregular verbs)

print rich environment with supporting visuals (example: opportunities to see and read magazines, comics,

newspapers, books, charts, etc. to relate the newly learned concepts)

Instruction for both oral and written language that is engaging (example: incorporate learning songs, games, and videos)

What does the student need?

Bilinguistics. (2007). Typical Development of Speech in Spanish in Comparison to English. Retrieved from

www.pediastaff.com/uploads/resources/abad_0707.pdf

Goldstein, B. & Iglesias, A. (1996). Phonological patterns in normally developing Spanish-speaking 3- and 4-year-olds of Puerto Rican descent. Retrieved from

www.pediastaff.com/uploads/resources/abad_0707.pdf

Language Capitals. (2011). The World of Spanish Language. Retrieved from http://www.language-capitals.com/spanish.php

O’Rourke, Erin. (2012). The Handbook of Hispanic Linguistics. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Wx0RP0_cPwC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=The+Handbook+of+Hispanic+Linguistics&ots=RZzYv9581P&sig=IEdXlWwE6lyRNhRR3uIFzrozUMk#v=onepage&q=The%20Handbook%20of%20Hispanic%20Linguistics&f=false

WIDA Consortium. (2009). The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet Grades 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/

References