Royal Spanish Academy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Royal Spanish Academy

Real Academia Española
Arms of the Royal Spanish Academy
Abbreviation	RAE
Formation	1713; 312 years ago (1713)
Founder	The Duke of Escalona
Purpose	Linguistic prescription and research
Headquarters	Madrid, Spain
Region served	Hispanophone regions and populations
Official language	Spanish
Director	Santiago Muñoz Machado
Main organ	Junta de Gobierno
Affiliations	Association of Spanish Language Academies

The Royal Spanish Academy (Spanish: Real Academia Española, or RAE) is Spain's official organization that helps keep the Spanish language strong and consistent. It is located in Madrid, Spain. The RAE works with other language academies in 22 Spanish-speaking countries. They all work together through the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language.

The RAE's main goal is to guide how the Spanish language is used. This helps make sure that people in different countries and regions can still understand each other when they speak Spanish. The RAE shares these guidelines in many books and publications.

The RAE's Special Motto

The Royal Spanish Academy has a motto that explains its purpose. The people who started the RAE believed that the Spanish language was already very good. Their goal was to make sure the language stayed "proper, elegant, and pure."

Their motto is Limpia, fija y da esplendor. This means "It purifies, it fixes, and it dignifies." The RAE uses an emblem of a fiery pot (a crucible) over a fire to show this idea. It means they work hard to make the language clear and bright. The founders wanted the RAE to be a helpful place that served the country. This idea of helping everyone became a key part of the RAE, making it different from other groups that were just for fun literary meetings.

A Look at RAE History

The RAE motto from an old publication.

The RAE building opening in Madrid with King Alfonso XIII, 1894.

The first rules of the Royal Spanish Academy from 1715.

The Royal Spanish Academy started in 1713. It was inspired by similar academies in Italy (Accademia della Crusca, 1582) and France (Académie Française, 1635). Its main goal was to make sure Spanish words were used correctly and clearly. King Philip V officially approved the RAE in 1714, putting it under the protection of the Spanish Crown.

The founder, Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco, who was a Duke, wanted to make sure that Spanish speakers would always be able to read classic writers like Cervantes. This meant keeping the language up-to-date while still preserving its original form.

How Spelling Rules Began

The RAE began setting rules for Spanish spelling in 1741 with its first book called Ortographía. Later editions changed the spelling to Ortografía. By 1844, these rules became official in Spain by royal order. Other Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas also started using them over time.

New spelling rules were introduced in 1959. Since 1951, the RAE has worked closely with other Spanish language academies. Together, they published the first joint spelling guide in 1999. The most recent rules for spelling are in the Ortografía from 2010.

The main building of the RAE opened in 1894 in Madrid, next to the famous Museo del Prado. A newer center for studies opened in 2007.

What the RAE Does

An expert from the RAE, Salvador Gutiérrez, explained that the Academy does not just make up rules. Instead, it studies how people actually use the language. It collects information and then presents it. The rules of a language often come from how people use expressions over time. He also stressed how important it is to read and write correctly.

The RAE's main goal is to make sure that as the Spanish language changes to fit what speakers need, it still stays united across the entire Spanish-speaking world. The Academy also wants to make sure the language keeps its special character that has developed over hundreds of years. It helps set and share the best ways to use Spanish correctly and helps the language shine.

To do this, the RAE studies the history of Spanish and how it is used today. It shares important writings, both old and new, that help people learn about the language. It also remembers famous writers from Spain and the Americas who have used the Spanish language wonderfully. The RAE works closely with other Spanish language academies around the world.

Who Are the Members?

Partial view of the library at the RAE.

The members of the Academy are called Académicos de número. They are chosen from very respected people in arts and sciences, including many famous Spanish writers. They are sometimes called "The Immortals," similar to members of the French Academy. These members are chosen for life by the other academicians. Each member has a special seat marked with a letter from the Spanish alphabet. Some letters have both an uppercase and a lowercase seat.

Countries with a Spanish language academy.

The Academy has always included members from Latin American countries, even though many Spanish-speaking nations have their own language academies.

Current Members of the RAE

A view of the front of the RAE building.

Famous Past Members

See Also

In Spanish: Real Academia Española para niños

• List of language regulators