El Español en los proyectos de lengua universal

Abstract

Summary ‘One language for the world’ is the most perennial ideal in the history of humanity. Projects for a universal language have been multifarious. Its design typically depends on the dominant linguistic theories of the period in which such languages are conceived. The project by Bonifacio Sotos Ochando (1785–1869) of 1852 can be considered as the highest point reached by the tradition which harks back to the 17th century and tries to develop what is known as a ‘philosophical’ language or characteristica universalis. From 1860 onwards the projects for a universal language are, in general, a posteriori linguistic systems which look at historical grammars and languages in search for general principles and universal rules. Languages used for the design of such a posteriori projects are, for political and cultural reasons, European languages, mainly Romance languages. In this paper the focus is on Spanish. First, a classification of international language projects of is offered that, in some way, use Spanish. Second, the growing of Spanish language in the USA and its relationships with English is analysed. Third, the influence on Spanish by new technologies of communication is discussed. Finally, an analogy is drawn between the role of Latin in the 17th century and English in the 20th with regard to the search for an auxiliary international language.