Association of Academies of the Spanish Language facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | ASALE |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Madrid, Spain |
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Official language
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Spanish |
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President
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Santiago Muñoz Machado |
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General Secretary
|
Francisco Javier Pérez |
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Main organ
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Permanent commission |
The Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española; ASALE) is a special group. Its main goal is to help the Spanish language stay united, complete, and keep growing. It was started in Mexico in 1951. ASALE brings together all the different Spanish language academies from around the world. This association creates important books about the Spanish language. It also publishes special editions of famous Spanish literature.
Contents
History of ASALE
How ASALE Started
The idea for ASALE came from the president of Mexico at the time, Miguel Alemán Valdés. He wanted to make sure the Spanish language stayed strong and continued to grow. So, the first meeting of these academies happened in Mexico City. It took place from April 23 to May 6, 1951.
This meeting led to the creation of ASALE and its main working group, the Permanent Commission. The Royal Spanish Academy (Real Academia Española or RAE) was not at the first meeting. However, it did join the Permanent Commission. Since the second meeting in 1956, the RAE has always been a regular participant.
In 2000, ASALE helped create a school to study Spanish words. This was done with the Carolina Foundation. In the same year, ASALE and the RAE won the Prince of Asturias Award for peace. This award recognized their important work. A new academy for Equatorial Guinea was created in 2013. It officially joined ASALE in 2016.
Meetings of the Academies
The Association of Academies of the Spanish Language holds regular meetings called congresses. These meetings bring together representatives from all the member academies. They discuss how to best support and develop the Spanish language.
| 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 group did not participate |
| V | 24 July – 19 August 1968 | Quito | Ecuador | Groups from Cuba and Venezuela were not present |
| VI | 20–29 November 1972 | Caracas | Venezuela | |
| VII | 13–23 November 1976 | Santiago de Chile | Chile | Groups from Cuba and Mexico were not present |
| VIII | 20–27 April 1980 | Lima | Peru | The Cuban group did not participate |
| IX | 8–15 October 1989 | San Jose | Costa Rica | Groups 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 | 4–8 November 2019 | Sevilla | Spain | |
| XVII | 11–13 November 2024 | Quito | Ecuador |
What ASALE Does
ASALE works closely with the RAE on many important projects. Since 2001, they have worked together on the Dictionary of the Spanish Language (Diccionario de la Lengua Española). The 1999 edition of the Orthography (Ortografía), which is about how to spell and write Spanish correctly, was a true team effort.
Other joint projects include creating the Grammar (Gramática), which explains how Spanish sentences are built. They also put together the Dictionary of Americanisms (Diccionario de americanismos). This dictionary collects words and phrases used in Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas.
How ASALE is Organized
ASALE holds a big meeting every four years. It is led by a group called the Permanent Commission. This commission includes a President, who is also the head of the Royal Spanish Academy. There is also a General Secretary, who is one of the leaders from another academy. A Treasurer, chosen by the Royal Spanish Academy, handles the money. At least two other members from different academies also join. These members change each year.
At a meeting in Bogotá, Colombia, in 1960, an important agreement was made. The governments of countries with an academy in ASALE agreed to help pay for their own academies and for ASALE itself. This helps make sure the work of ASALE can continue.
Spanish Language Academies Around the World
ASALE is made up of many different academies from various countries. Each academy focuses on the Spanish language in its own region. Together, they work to keep Spanish strong everywhere it is spoken.
| 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 Lengua | 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 |
In 2015, ASALE held a meeting about Judaeo-Spanish, a language spoken by some Jewish communities. This led to plans for a new academy in Israel. A group of experts was formed in 2018. This group is working to become an official academy. If they succeed, they can then ask to join ASALE as a full member.
Even though Spanish is spoken by many people in places like Belize, Gibraltar, Andorra, Brazil, and Western Sahara, there are no current plans for them to have their own academies.
See also
- Autoridad Nasionala del Ladino – a group that used to regulate Ladino in Israel
- Cervantes Institute – a Spanish cultural organization
- Panhispanism – promoting unity among Spanish speakers
- List of language regulators
- International Conference of the Spanish Language
