The Spanish tilde as a visual semiotic marker of Pan-Hispanism

Abstract

ABSTRACT Diacritical marks are strongly present and frequently used in many spellings of the world’s languages. Their main functions are phonological and prosodic, and can eventually become identity and semiotic markers as well. This study examines the tilde of Spanish grapheme <ñ> in current commodified language use to convey the Pan-Hispanic ideology. The diachronic and diatopic development of Pan-Hispanism in Spanish-speaking communities is analyzed, examining from a semiotic perspective the presence of the tilde in four logomarks of relevant Pan-Hispanic institutions and events. Findings of interviews with the creators of the brand logo and an in-depth study of the sociocultural, political and economic aspects of the organizations represented, indicate that social practices related to Pan-Hispanism could be associated and emblematized by the tilde in visual branding.