| With more than 250 million native speakers worldwide, Spanish is the world's second most common language of study for Americans
A member of the Romance family of languages, Spanish has it roots in Latin. Over the centuries the language acquired elements and influences from the Moors, Goths, and many others, evolving into the modern language known as espaٌol or castellano.
In addition to being the official language of Spain, Spanish is also the official language of most countries in the Americas, being widely spoken from Mexico and the southern United States all the way to Chile and Argentina. There are, of course, noticeable dialectical differences in the Spanish spoken from country to country, mostly in the pronunciation of certain sounds and colloquial vocabulary, but the regional differences are not significant enough to prevent speakers from different countries from easily understanding one another.
The Spanish on the Pimsleur tapes represents a standard "educated" Spanish that will be easily understood by any native speaker. The native speakers on the recordings are from Latin American countries, but their pronunciation is clear and free of "giveaway" accents. By imitating their pronunciation you will develop a speaking ability that will make you understood practically anywhere in the Spanish-speaking world. |