Spanish: 7–10 Sequence / Levels 9 and 10 / Understanding / Language variation and change
Content description
Examine ongoing changes in Spanish as a language of local and international communication, considering the power of language to both influence and reflect culture
Elaborations
identifying Spanish words borrowed from different languages across time and through political, historical and social changes, for example, words of Arabic origin that start with the prefix al-, such as almanaque, alcachofa, algodón, álgebra and alcohol, and some common interjections also derived from Arabic, such as ¡hola!, ¡ojalá!, ¡olé!
identifying the movement of language elements across and between times and contexts, such as words from indigenous languages adopted into Spanish and then exported to other languages, for example, words of Náhuatl origin such as aguacate, chocolate, cacao, chile, chicle and guacamole
noticing components of Spanish language that reflect particular cultural histories and influences, such as technological and scientific terms derived from classical Latin and Greek, for example, continente,vegetación, bacteria, biología, protocolo and mecánico
reflecting on the power of language in terms of their own experience, for example, by identifying comments from friends, teachers or public figures that have influenced or affected them
understanding the power of language to influence people’s actions and beliefs, such as the language of persuasion in political speeches or community appeals, for example, puede hacer su donación a la...,ofrezca tu tiempo voluntariamente despué del terremoto en Chile
