Wednesday, December 8, 2010

LANGUAGES IN CHILE

The office language in Chile is Spanish. However, the indigenous people have their own sets of language which is considered as their native language.

The Mapuche usually speak Mapudungun language. Also, the Aymaras in the north speak Aymara Indian language and the inhabitants of Easter Islands speak Rapa Nui, a Polynesian language. Even though these groups of indigenous people speak their native languages, they do speak Spanish too but with Chilean slang. As a result, their Spanish might be different from the Spanish in Spain.

Other than the official language and the native languages, some immigrants such as the Germans, Italians, British and Koreans speak their own languages at home and Spanish outside of their homes.

Chileans are also exposed to English language as some of the people works in international firms where they come into contacts with foreign who speaks English where the Chileans don’t. However, Chileans are very appreciative when the foreigners try to speak Spanish no matter how little knowledge of Spanish language they have. Chileans love to speak to the foreigners and they don’t mind the poor communication between the foreigners and the locals compared to no communication at all.

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