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Association of Academies of the Spanish Language
A shield with a helmet on top and flowing ribbons around it, surrounded by the flags of the member states. On the shield is a flame down the middle with a castle on the top-left, map of Latin America on the bottom-left, Columbus' three ships on the top-right, and a lion on the bottom-right. Below is a ribbon reading "UNA ESTIRPE·UNA LENGUA Y UN DESTINO"
Países con Academia de la Lengua Española.svg
Countries where Spanish-language academies exist.
Abbreviation ASALE
Formation 1951 (1951)
Headquarters Madrid, Spain
Official language
Spanish
President
Santiago Muñoz Machado
General Secretary
Francisco Javier Pérez
Main organ
Permanent commission

The Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española; ASALE) is an entity whose end is to work for the unity, integrity, and growth of the Spanish language. It was created in Mexico in 1951 and represents the union of all the separate academies in the Spanish-speaking world. The association publishes reference works on the Spanish language and commemorative editions of Hispanic literature, among other publications.

History

Through the initiative of then-president of Mexico Miguel Alemán Valdés, the first congress of academies convened with the purpose of maintaining the integrity of and fostering the further growth of Spanish. The meeting was held from 23 April to 6 May 1951 and resulted in the creation of the association and its permanent commission. The Royal Spanish Academy (Spanish: Real Academia Española or RAE) was not present at the initial meeting but participated in the permanent commission. Ever since the second congress convened in 1956, the RAE has been a regular participant.

In 2000 the association organised the School of Hispanic Lexicography and the Carolina Foundation to promote Spanish lexicography, and together with the RAE, the association earned the Prince of Asturias Award for peace.

An academy for Equatorial Guinea was created in 2013 and joined the association in 2016.

Congresses

List of Association of Academies of the Spanish Language congresses
Number Date City Territory Notes
I 23 April – 6 May 1951 Mexico City Mexico The RAE was not present
II 22 April – 2 May 1956 Madrid Spain
III 27 July – 6 August 1960 Bogotá Colombia
IV 30 November – 10 December 1964 Buenos Aires Argentina The Cuban delegation did not participate
V 24 July – 19 August 1968 Quito Ecuador Delegations from Cuba and Venezuela were not present
VI 20–29 November 1972 Caracas Venezuela
VII 13–23 November 1976 Santiago de Chile Chile Delegations from Cuba and Mexico were not present
VIII 20–27 April 1980 Lima Peru The Cuban delegation did not participate
IX 8–15 October 1989 San Jose Costa Rica Delegations from Cuba, Honduras, and Paraguay were not present
X 24–29 April 1994 Madrid Spain
XI 15–19 November 1998 Puebla de Zaragoza Mexico
XII 12–15 November 2002 San Juan Puerto Rico
XIII 21–24 March 2007 Medellin Colombia
XIV 21–25 November 2011 Panama City Panama
XV 23–25 November 2015 Mexico City Mexico
XVI 27–30 March 2019 Córdoba Argentina

Works

The collaboration between RAE and the other academies was expressed in the coauthorship, since the 22nd edition published in 2001, of the Dictionary of the Spanish Language (Spanish: Diccionario de la Lengua Española), and the 1999 edition of the Orthography (Spanish: Ortografía) was considered a true pan-Hispanic work. Joint projects include the editing of the Grammar (Spanish: Gramática) and the compilation of the Dictionary of Americanisms (Spanish: Diccionario de americanismos).

Organization

The association convenes every four years, led by a Permanent Commission composed of a President (position held by the Director of the Spanish Royal Academy), a Secretary General (one of the directors of the other academies), a Treasurer (chosen by the Spanish Royal Academy), and at least two board members drawn from the associated academies, whose nomination rotate annually. During the Third Congress of Academies, held in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1960, an agreement was reached whereby the governments of countries with a member in the association would be obliged to provide financial support to their respective academies and the greater association.

Academies

Country Name in Spanish Name in English Founded
Spain Real Academia Española Royal Spanish Academy 1713
Colombia Academia Colombiana de la Lengua Colombian Academy of the Language 1871
Ecuador Academia Ecuatoriana de la Lengua Ecuadorian Academy of the Language 1874
Mexico Academia Mexicana de la Lengua Mexican Academy of the Language 1875
El Salvador Academia Salvadoreña de la Lengua Salvadoran Academy of the Language 1876
Venezuela Academia Venezolana de la Lengua Venezuelan Academy of the Language 1883
Chile Academia Chilena de la Lengua Chilean Academy of the Language 1885
Peru Academia Peruana de la Lengua Peruvian Academy of the Language 1887
Guatemala Academia Guatemalteca de la Lengua Guatemalan Academy of the Language 1887
Costa Rica Academia Costarricense de la Lengua Costa Rican Academy of the Language 1923
Philippines Academia Filipina de la Lengua Española Philippine Academy of the Spanish Language 1924
Panama Academia Panameña de la Lengua Panamanian Academy of the Language 1926
Cuba Academia Cubana de la Lengua Cuban Academy of the Language 1926
Paraguay Academia Paraguaya de la Lengua Española Paraguayan Academy of the Spanish Language 1927
Bolivia Academia Boliviana de la Lengua Bolivian Academy of the Language 1927
Dominican Republic Academia Dominicana de la Lengua Dominican Academy of the Language 1927
Nicaragua Academia Nicaragüense de la Lengua Nicaraguan Academy of the Language 1928
Argentina Academia Argentina de Letras Argentine Academy of Letters 1931
Uruguay Academia Nacional de Letras National Academy of Letters 1943
Honduras Academia Hondureña de la Lengua Honduran Academy of the Language 1949
Puerto Rico Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language 1955
United States Academia Norteamericana de la Lengua Española North American Academy of the Spanish Language 1973
Equatorial Guinea Academia Ecuatoguineana de la Lengua Española Equatoguinean Academy of the Spanish Language 2013
Israel Academia Nacional del Judeoespañol en Israel National Academy of Judaeo-Spanish in Israel 2020

Although Israelis mainly speak Hebrew, Arabic, English, and Russian, an ASALE conference on Judaeo-Spanish held in 2015 led to plans for the creation of an Israeli branch. A group of academics was founded by ASALE in 2018 and submitted to the government of Israel for recognition. The National Academia of Judaeo-Spanish in Israel will then have the ability to petition to join as a full member, likely in 2019. There are no plans for Belize, Gibraltar, or Andorra to have their own academies, despite each having a majority Spanish-speaking population either as a first or second language. There is also a substantial Spanish population in Brazil and Western Sahara.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española para niños

  • Autoridad Nasionala del Ladino – a defunct Israeli body that regulated Ladino
  • Cervantes Institute – a Spanish cultural institution
  • Panhispanism – promotion of unity among Spanish speakers
  • List of language regulators
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