Extremaduran people
Encyclopedia
Extremadurans are an ethnic group
living in Extremadura
, between the centre and the south-west of Spain
.
Extremadura
has usually been, and still is, the poorest part of Spain
, although the gap between Extremadura
and other places in Spain
has been reduced. Its landscape (and the landscape of the surrounding territories) is dominated by the dehesa
, a kind of man-made pastureland wooded with some holm oaks, used for the grazing of livestock.
The way people from all over Extremadura
speak has some features in common with southern dialects of Spanish
, such as the speech from Andalusia or Murcia
. In northern Extremadura these southern features merge with some Leonese
features, forming the Extremaduran language
, which is nowadays seriously endangered. In the rest of Extremadura there may be just a few remains of Leonese
influence in the southern Spanish dialect which is spoken. Although some leonese features of the northern Extremaduran language
are endangered and are seen as quite exotic even within Extremadura
itself, the southern features of Extremaduran speech are very much alive all over Extremadura
.
There are some towns or villages in Extremadura where Portuguese
is spoken, such as Olivenza
, Cedillo
and Herrera de Alcántara
. Olivenza
and Cedillo
belonged to Portugal
until two centuries ago, but Herrera de Alcántara
never did.
In three villages located in a small valley of the northwestern part of Extremadura
near the border with Portugal
, the Fala language
is spoken, which is a Romance language from the Galician-Portuguese
subgroup mixed with Extremaduran
.
Historically, Extremadura has long been one of the poorest regions in the country. As a result, many of its people left to Latin America
during the colonial era (1492-1820s), leaving a mark on Latin music in the Americas ever since.
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
living in Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
, between the centre and the south-west of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
has usually been, and still is, the poorest part of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, although the gap between Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
and other places in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
has been reduced. Its landscape (and the landscape of the surrounding territories) is dominated by the dehesa
Dehesa (pastoral management)
Dehesa is a type of wooded pastureland found in the Iberian peninsula, used for the grazing of livestock...
, a kind of man-made pastureland wooded with some holm oaks, used for the grazing of livestock.
The way people from all over Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
speak has some features in common with southern dialects of Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, such as the speech from Andalusia or Murcia
Murcian Spanish
Murciano, more popularly known as panocho, is a variant of the Peninsular Spanish, spoken mainly in autonomous region of Murcia and the adjacent Comarca of Vega Baja del Segura in the province of Alicante on the Mediterranean coast.It is considered a southern dialect of the Spanish language,...
. In northern Extremadura these southern features merge with some Leonese
Leonese language
The Leonese language is the endonym term used to refer to all vernacular Romance dialects of the Astur-Leonese linguistic group in the Spanish provinces of León and Zamora; Astur-Leonese also includes the dialects...
features, forming the Extremaduran language
Extremaduran language
Extremaduran is a Romance language, spoken by several hundred thousand people in Spain, in an area covering the north-western part of the autonomous community of Extremadura and adjoining areas in the province of Salamanca....
, which is nowadays seriously endangered. In the rest of Extremadura there may be just a few remains of Leonese
Leonese language
The Leonese language is the endonym term used to refer to all vernacular Romance dialects of the Astur-Leonese linguistic group in the Spanish provinces of León and Zamora; Astur-Leonese also includes the dialects...
influence in the southern Spanish dialect which is spoken. Although some leonese features of the northern Extremaduran language
Extremaduran language
Extremaduran is a Romance language, spoken by several hundred thousand people in Spain, in an area covering the north-western part of the autonomous community of Extremadura and adjoining areas in the province of Salamanca....
are endangered and are seen as quite exotic even within Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
itself, the southern features of Extremaduran speech are very much alive all over Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
.
There are some towns or villages in Extremadura where Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
is spoken, such as Olivenza
Olivenza
Olivenza or Olivença is a town in the autonomous community of Extremadura, situated on a disputed section of the border between Portugal and Spain...
, Cedillo
Cedillo
Cedillo is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2008 census , the municipality has a population of 518 inhabitants.- Languages :...
and Herrera de Alcántara
Herrera de Alcántara
Herrera de Alcántara is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 293 inhabitants....
. Olivenza
Olivenza
Olivenza or Olivença is a town in the autonomous community of Extremadura, situated on a disputed section of the border between Portugal and Spain...
and Cedillo
Cedillo
Cedillo is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2008 census , the municipality has a population of 518 inhabitants.- Languages :...
belonged to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
until two centuries ago, but Herrera de Alcántara
Herrera de Alcántara
Herrera de Alcántara is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 293 inhabitants....
never did.
In three villages located in a small valley of the northwestern part of Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
near the border with Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the Fala language
Fala language
Fala is a Romance linguistic variety commonly classified in the Portuguese-Galician subgroup, with some traits from Leonese, spoken in Spain by about 10,500 people, of whom 5,500 live in a valley of the northwestern part of Extremadura near the border with Portugal...
is spoken, which is a Romance language from the Galician-Portuguese
Galician-Portuguese
Galician-Portuguese or Old Portuguese was a West Iberian Romance language spoken in the Middle Ages, in the northwest area of the Iberian Peninsula. It was first spoken in the area bounded in the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean and the Douro River in the south but it was later extended south...
subgroup mixed with Extremaduran
Extremaduran language
Extremaduran is a Romance language, spoken by several hundred thousand people in Spain, in an area covering the north-western part of the autonomous community of Extremadura and adjoining areas in the province of Salamanca....
.
Historically, Extremadura has long been one of the poorest regions in the country. As a result, many of its people left to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
during the colonial era (1492-1820s), leaving a mark on Latin music in the Americas ever since.
See also
- ExtremaduraExtremaduraExtremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
- Nationalities of SpainNationalities of SpainNationalities of Spain can refer to:*A Spanish constitutional designation of certain subnational political entities *Spaniards, as a people from Spain.*A member of a foreign nationality living in Spain....
- Languages of SpainLanguages of SpainThe languages of Spain are the languages spoken or once spoken in Spain. Romance languages are the most widely spoken in Spain, of which Spanish is the country's official language...
- Extremaduran languageExtremaduran languageExtremaduran is a Romance language, spoken by several hundred thousand people in Spain, in an area covering the north-western part of the autonomous community of Extremadura and adjoining areas in the province of Salamanca....
- Fala languageFala languageFala is a Romance linguistic variety commonly classified in the Portuguese-Galician subgroup, with some traits from Leonese, spoken in Spain by about 10,500 people, of whom 5,500 live in a valley of the northwestern part of Extremadura near the border with Portugal...
- Extremaduran cuisineExtremaduran cuisineExtremadura, Spain is known for the different ways of preparing the Iberian pork and the mutton. The main characteristics of the traditional Extremaduran cuisine were its simplicity, its lack of clutter and its low cost. It is also a cuisine reflecting a generous spirit, for many of its...
- Music of ExtremaduraMusic of ExtremaduraExtremadura is a region in Spain near Portugal. Its folk music can be characterized by a melancholy sound, and Portuguese influences, as well as the predominance of the zambomba drum , which is played by pulling on a rope which is inside the drum. There is also a rich repertoire of gaita music...