Cedillo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cedillo
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municipality
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| Country | Spain | ||
| Autonomous community | Extremadura | ||
| Province | Cáceres | ||
| Municipality | Cedillo | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 61 km2 (24 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 270 m (890 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 449 | ||
| • Density | 7.36/km2 (19.06/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
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Cedillo is a small town and a municipality (a local area with its own government) in Spain. It is located in the province of Cáceres, which is part of the Extremadura region. In 2018, about 449 people lived there. Cedillo is known for its unique history and the special language spoken by many of its residents.
Contents
Languages of Cedillo
Cedillo is very close to the border with Portugal. Because of this, the town has a fascinating mix of languages. While Spanish is the official language of Spain, many people in Cedillo have traditionally spoken a special kind of Portuguese.
Cedilheiro: A Unique Dialect
The Portuguese spoken in Cedillo is not like the standard Portuguese you might hear in Lisbon. It's an old dialect called Cedilheiro. This dialect arrived in the 18th century. It sounds similar to the Alentejan dialect of Portuguese, which is spoken in the nearby parts of Portugal.
Why Portuguese is Spoken Here
Most of the first people who settled in Cedillo in the 18th century were Portuguese colonists. They brought their language with them. For a long time, speaking Spanish in Cedillo was seen as a bit fancy or a sign of being richer. Children who went to school learned Spanish there. However, they would still speak Portuguese at home with their families.
Language Today
Today, most older people in Cedillo still speak Portuguese. Younger people tend to speak Spanish more often. However, many young people can understand both languages. Sadly, the unique Cedilheiro dialect is slowly disappearing. It is under pressure from the more widely spoken Spanish language.
See also
In Spanish: Cedillo para niños
