What has happened up to here: highlights of the Spanish Language Congress – 28/03/2019

The Congress of the Spanish Language – this is the second time that the international meeting is held in Argentina; the precedent was in 2004 – it runs until Saturday, March 30th on the theme "America and the Future of the Spanish Language: Education and Culture, Technology and Entrepreneurship", and brings together more than 250 writers, academics, experts and professionals from the Spanish-speaking world and representatives of 23 academies of the language, this debate around this slogan.

Below, some of the moments lived up to now:

Language, common heritage of the union

President Mauricio Macri on Wednesday led the opening of the VIII International Congress of the Spanish Language at the Teatro Libertador San Martín de Córdoba. In the act, in addition to provincial leaders and various national authorities, such as the governor of Cordoba, Juan Schiaretti, were present the Spanish kings Felipe VI and Letizia Ortiz, who have been in the country since Sunday. The director of the Royal Spanish Academy, Santiago Muñoz Machado, and the director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, as well as Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, the Spanish writer Carme Riera and Argentine translator and author Santiago Kovadloff also participated.

Macri emphasized in this context the fact that Argentina is the first country to host the Congress twice, this time as part of Argentina's worldwide reintegration efforts. It is a "recognition of the path of integration into the world we have undertaken," he said. And he valued the common heritage represented by the language, although he chose a particular metaphor when he said, "Imagine if we were talking here in Argentina, and Peruvians, Peruvians, and Bolivians, Bolivians, and we needed translators to talk to the Uruguayans. "

The president also affirmed that "through the language, he was marked forever a destiny, that of uniting us in an indestructible way"

The furcios of the opening which became viral in the networks

The main characters of the opening ceremony of the International Congress of Languages ​​made mistakes that did not go unnoticed. On the one hand Mauricio Macri mentioned "the first round of the world" (when the correct use is "the first") and then he was the king of Spain Felipe VI, who named Jorge Luis Borges "José Luis Borges". And he added "our also for the universal, remains written that the language is not only an instrument of communication, but a tradition and a destiny".

The jokes in the networks did not wait and they were both at the center of criticism, especially Spanish king, who has become a trend on Twitter. The two users in Spain and Argentina laughed at Felipe for confusing the name of one of the greatest representatives of Hispanic literature and even launched dozens of misnamed writers in response to the monarch's blooper, whose video has also become viral in the last hours.

Mario Margas Llosa against López Obrador

The Peruvian Nobel is the most convincing figure of Congress and sparked controversy during his inaugural speech, when he confronted Mexican President Manuel López Obrador, in front of the country with the largest number of Spanish speakers.

The author of The city and the dogs He stated that before the arrival of the Europeans, "America was a tower of Babel" for the diversity of its thousands of languages ​​that he appreciated, and stated that "the controversies generated by the Conquest disappear with regard to the language … Nobody discusses the importance for America of uniting in one language the extraordinary diversity that has characterized this continent ".

In this line, he quotes the letter that López Obrador addressed to the King of Spain and the Pope asking him to forgive the abuses of the Conquest: "Why Mexico, which was incorporated in the western world five centuries ago and For 200 years Independent and sovereign, it still counts millions of poor, marginalized and exploited Indians – it's an issue that virtually all Latin American presidents can ask themselves, "he said. , stressing that this problem "is still topical".

In this context, he stressed: "Lopez Obrador does not seem to be aware that many Indian mbadacres were not committed during the colony, but during the republicsin this country where we are, for example. "

Visions and tensions on the use of inclusive language

Inclusive language is one of the most controversial topics among language specialists this year.

At the previous congress, Elena Pérez, Dean of the Faculty of Languages ​​of the University of Córdoba, venue of the meeting, had already stated that the language is resistant to changes, struggles and the extension of rights. "Those who use everyday language appropriate the language and update it.In this sense, the Academy is lagging behind because its role is to preserve a regulation that over time eventually fossilize. there, in this tension, an interesting fight takes place, "said this specialist, appeared at the Festival of the Word earlier this week.

Some tables and documents dealt with this issue, including that of the journalists Jorge Fernández Díaz and Soledad Gallego-Díaz, legendary Spanish journalist and first woman head of the newspaper El País in Madrid, since June 2018. Moderated by Claudia Piñeiro, both have discussed the ideology of language and changes to networks, in addition to badyzing the consequences of the obvious resistance of the RAE to a greater openness.

In this sense, Gallego-Díaz said: "I do not believe that language can be imposed, it has a development that has nothing to do with impositions, but an inclusive language reflects the structures of the world. a society and, in today's society, a power structure that places women in a secondary position, although I believe that language does not impose itself, what is tried with inclusive language is to show inequality, it is not a linguistic but political movement"And he added, referring to the way El País tackles the problem:" We do not want to integrate inclusive language, but we try to study what is happening with women. "

"I do not know any worried women because the Royal Academy approves the inclusive language, they do not care about it, they will use it or not according to their needs," Piñeiro said.

Dissent and a countergongreso in parallel

In addition to the official activities, a kind of counter-congress takes place these days regarded as "a place of resistance" compared to what is interpreted as an attempt to convert Castilian into a uniform language and also brings together Ibero-American writers and scholars. Previously, another group of publishers and authors had opposed a request in networks, approved by some 500 signatures, that withstand the event with a monarchical presence.

"We are against any colonial gesture or will under the guise of an innocent celebration of the word that erases diversity, "said Sofía De Mauro, from the Faculty of Philosophy and Human Sciences at the National University of Córdoba, member of the committee that organized the parallel paper meeting

Consulted on this point, Martín Caparrós, questioned by Clarín, had stated a few days before the Congress that he considered unnecessary aggression between the two parties and the evidence of the existence of one " paranoid thought "typical of the Argentines: (The fight)" is a loss of gunpowder among the chimangos, that there are all the congresses who want, but that they join, tolerance should prevail", said the writer and columnist.

Sabina and Les Luthiers get ready to go on stage

There is still much to see: conferences and round tables as well as shows, such as the one given on Thursday night at Luthiers outdoor from 21h or that Joaquín Sabina will offer Friday.

The Luthiers will be presented at the entrance of the Ciudad Universitaria, on Avenida de la Reforma; Marcos Mundstock, Jorge Maronna, Carlos López Puccio, Horacio "Tato" Turano, Martín O "Connor and Tomás Mayer Wolf will be present. Marcos Mundstock, one of its members, will give a presentation on Friday at the San Martín de Córdoba Theater.

Sabina, meanwhile, will be presented as part of the Festival of the word: Night of Cordoba, which will include a block of folklore, another humor and another quartet.

GO