The Official Languages Of Peru And Bolivia: A Cultural Insight

Peru and Bolivia are two countries in South America with a rich history of indigenous cultures and languages. While both countries have Spanish as their official language, they also recognise several indigenous languages as official.

Spanish is the official language in both Peru and Bolivia

In Bolivia, Spanish is recognized as the first official language, alongside as many as 40 other indigenous languages. According to the 2009 Constitution, Spanish and all indigenous languages are official languages of the state. The Bolivian government is required to use at least two languages in its operations, with Spanish being one of them, and the other varying according to the circumstances and needs of the territory in question.

Despite Spanish being the official language in both countries, there are several indigenous languages that are widely spoken. In Peru, Quechua is the most commonly spoken indigenous language, with approximately 8 to 10 million speakers across the country. It predates the Incan Empire and is still spoken by indigenous Peruvians today. Aymara is another important indigenous language in Peru, spoken by around 2% of the population, mainly in the areas surrounding Lake Titicaca and the border with Bolivia.

In Bolivia, the main indigenous languages are Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani. Quechua is primarily spoken in the Andes region, while Aymara is mainly spoken in the Altiplano region around Lake Titicaca. Guarani, on the other hand, is spoken in the southeast of Bolivia, on the border with Paraguay and Argentina.

Quechua is an official language in Peru and Bolivia

Quechua is the most spoken language in the Andes Mountains and other high areas of South America. There are around 8 to 10 million Quechua speakers in this region, including 13% of the total population of Peru. In Bolivia, 25.08% of inhabitants speak Quechua.

Quechua originated with the Inca Empire and is one of the Peruvian languages that spread across the country before the Spanish colonisation of Peru in 1532. It survived the Spanish conquest and the subsequent attempts to erase the language, partly because some Spanish conquerors learned Quechua to communicate with locals. Today, Quechua is still widely spoken in the Peruvian Andes and other parts of South America, including Bolivia, Ecuador, and Argentina.

The Quechua language is extremely difficult to speak, and it has many regional dialects that are not always mutually intelligible. However, it is a vital part of the cultural heritage of Peru and Bolivia, and efforts have been made to teach it in schools and preserve it for future generations.

Aymara is an official language in Peru and Bolivia

The Aymara people are an indigenous group living in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America, with a population of around 2.3 million. They are spread across northwest Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. The Aymara language is native to the Andes Mountains and is spoken by around 1.5 million people, primarily in the Altiplano region surrounding Lake Titicaca.

Aymara is one of the few Native American languages with over a million speakers. It is an official language in Bolivia and Peru, alongside Spanish and Quechua. It is also recognised as a minority language in northern Chile, where it is spoken to a lesser extent.

Aymara is an agglutinative and polysynthetic language with a subject-object-verb word order. It is written using the Latin alphabet and has three phonemic vowel qualities: /a i u/. The language has several dialects, including Northern Aymara, Southern Aymara, and Intermediate Aymara, which are all mutually intelligible.

The history of the Aymara people and their language is complex and spans centuries. The Aymara lived in the region for many centuries before becoming subjects of the Inca Empire in the 15th or 16th century and later, the Spanish in the 16th century. Despite subjugation and colonisation, the Aymara language and culture persevered.

Today, the Aymara continue to maintain their traditional beliefs and practices while also adopting aspects of Christianity. They have a rich cultural heritage, including music, dance, and unique clothing styles. Their traditional agricultural practices involve cultivating crops such as potatoes, quinoa, and corn, as well as herding llamas and alpacas.

The survival of the Aymara language and its official recognition in Peru and Bolivia showcase the enduring resilience and influence of indigenous cultures in the face of historical colonisation and modern globalisation.

Bolivia also has 34 other indigenous official languages

The official languages of Peru and Bolivia reflect the countries' shared history and their diverse populations. Both countries have Spanish as their official language, with Peru declaring it as their sole official language. Bolivia, on the other hand, has 34 other indigenous official languages alongside Spanish, according to its 2009 Constitution. These include Quechua, Aymara, Chiquitano, Tupi-Guarani, and Guaraní.

The Bolivian government's recognition of these indigenous languages is significant. In their day-to-day operations, they use Spanish alongside another indigenous language depending on the circumstances and needs of the territory in question. This policy ensures that the country's indigenous languages are not only preserved but also actively used in official contexts.

The variety of indigenous languages in Bolivia can be attributed to the country's diverse geography, which includes the Andes Mountains, the Amazon rainforest, and urban areas. Each of these regions has its own distinct set of languages and dialects. For example, Quechua is primarily spoken in the Andes region, while Aymara is mainly spoken in the Altiplano around Lake Titicaca. Chiquitano is spoken in the central part of the Santa Cruz department, and Guarani is used in the southeast, bordering Paraguay and Argentina.

The survival and continued use of these indigenous languages in Bolivia are notable, especially considering the historical context of Spanish colonisation in the region. The Incas, the original inhabitants of Peru, were conquered by Spanish colonisers, and their civilisation was destroyed. However, the colonisers could not eradicate the Inca languages, and both Aymara and Quechua persisted and remain widely spoken today.

Bolivia's commitment to preserving and promoting its indigenous languages is evident in its educational system. Following the National Education Reform of 1994, all thirty indigenous languages were introduced alongside Spanish in the country's schools. Additionally, Bolivia's national anthem has been translated into six indigenous languages: Aymara, Bésiro-Chiquitano, Guaraní, Guarayu, Quechua, and Mojeño-Trinitario.

Peru has over 72 indigenous languages and dialects

Peru is a multilingual country with Spanish as its official language. However, there are over 72 indigenous languages and dialects spoken by people from specific regions of the country, especially in the coastal region. Some of these languages have been used for hundreds of years and are still spoken by a large number of people today.

The Amazonic region of Peru, for example, has become a melting pot of indigenous languages and Spanish. The majority of the people living in this area speak both Quechua and Spanish, and many speak an additional indigenous language. In this area, Amazonic Spanish is spoken only by mestizos (those of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry), while pure Amerindians use their own language and Quechua.

The types of Spanish spoken in Peru are generally classified into two groups: Andean and coastal Spanish, which differ in phonology, vocabulary, and grammar. The dialects of the former group are characterized by the retention of many Quechua words and features, while those of the latter exhibit more lexical and grammatical features from other languages such as Aymara, Quechua, and African languages.

The departments of Ancash, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Cusco, Huancavelica, Junín, Pasco, and Puno, native speakers use Andean Spanish (Spanish: español del altiplano). This dialect is characterized by its heavy use of Quechua and Aymara loanwords. The intonation pattern is also distinctive, with syllables pronounced more clearly and with higher notes at the ends of sentences.

The coastal dialect can be heard in Lima Province (Lima City), Callao Province (Callao City), Ica Province (Ica City), Ilo Province (Ilo City), Pisco Province (Pisco City), Nazca Province (Nazca City), Arequipa Province (Arequipa City), Moquegua Province (Moquegua City), and Tacna Province.

The most common variety of Peruvian Spanish is generally known as Andean-Coastal Spanish or Castellano de la Costa (Spanish from the coast). This variety has some features that set it apart from standard Spanish. It tends to be spoken more slowly than in other parts of Latin America, and speakers tend not to aspirate the "h" (pronouncing "hoy" [today] like "oi" instead of "oy"). Speakers in Lima may also pronounce the "ll" sound almost like an English "sh" sound.

The equatorial region has its own variation of Spanish, quite different from the rest of the country. For instance, "s" is pronounced with a "sh" sound instead of an "s" sound due to the influence of people from Ecuador or Colombia living in this region. Additionally, the accent and pronunciation of words have changed considerably due to the many immigrants from other Andean countries living in this region.

While Spanish is the dominant language in Peru, with over 80% of Peruvians speaking it as their first language, the country's rich blend of cultures and people is also reflected in the numerous indigenous languages that are still spoken today.

Frequently asked questions