With more than 300 million native speakers in 21 countries, Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the world - surpassed only by Chinese, and followed by English.
In addition to this impressive number are millions who use Spanish as a second language, and those who study it for professional reasons. This is the case with the three young people with whom Granma International spoke.
Twenty-three year old Elio Cheng is studying to earn his Masters in Cuba and opted to study the language since “China’s relations with the Hispanic world are expanding, studying Spanish and being a translator has a promising future.
Angolan Reginaldo Bruno is taking a preparatory Spanish class before undertaking studies in accounting. He was emphatic about the language, saying, “It serves me well to communicate with people and is essential to my studies. At first it seemed a bit difficult, but I have learned a great deal since entering the department.”
And finally Rocío, a young Vietnamese woman who hopes to study Social Communication in Cuba, who said, “I think the educational system is very good and that is why I chose to study in Cuba. Cuban culture is very different for Asians, but I like it.”
These three are but a small sample of those who travel to Cuba to learn a language which has gained importance not only because of its many speakers.
Dr. Lidia Cuba, deacon of the Spanish for non-Spanish Speakers Department at the University of Havana (FENHI), commented, “Given what Latin America represents in the economic, political and social arenas, Spanish has acquired decisive strength, beyond the fact that it is one of the official languages in many international forums. This also speaks for the importance this language has in the world.”
Founded just eight years ago, the FENHI, with its 68 professors, is the country’s leading center providing Spanish language instruction to non-native speakers.
As of July, 2014, 918 students had earned degrees, and although the faculty was originally focused on Chinese students, the student body now includes young people from Canada, Germany, Angola, Japan, Antigua and Barbuda, Norway, the United States, and Vietnam. A number of Colombians are also studying in the department to become teachers of Spanish as a second language.
The FENHI offers undergraduate studies and a post-graduate program to earn a Masters in Linguistic Studies of Spanish as a Foreign Language, as well as pre-doctorate coursework for non-native Spanish speakers.
Along with these rigorous academic programs, the university offers challenging courses of a shorter duration, through the Department of Language and Communication, which since 1985 has focused on this task - previously functioning as the Spanish department within the School of Foreign Languages. Some 43,000 students have taken courses here, including tourists and those interested in perfecting their language skills, and earning academic credits, as they pursue other areas of study.
Cuba’s variety of Spanish is taught at the FENHI, without neglecting the myriad others. Over the last few years, the institution has collaborated with the University of Cadiz in Spain to produce two books on Cuban Spanish.
Likewise, the center has established cooperative agreements with universities in Mexico, Zimbabwe, Norway, China, Colombia and the United States. Interest in the school’s offerings has increased in the U.S. and early registrations for summer courses from this country are up.
April 23, the FENHI will celebrate Spanish Language Day with not only tributes to Miguel de Cervantes, but also a series of activities in which students will take the lead - dramatizing excerpts from Don Quixote, reciting some of José Martí’s verses, in addition to participating in contests and an international fair.
Leaders of the school recognize that the center must develop new strategies to reach out to broader audiences, and are working to ensure greater visibility for the institution online. Complementary courses are being added, focusing on literature, culture and vocabulary development. While much remains to be done, there is a great deal to be proud of.
