News from the “Diccionario de la lengua española” by the RAE: a new update.
n December 10, 2024, the RAE (Royal Spanish Academy) presented the 23.8 update of its Diccionario de la lengua española in its online version. For those unfamiliar with the institution, this article will briefly review what the RAE is, its functions, provide an overview of publications from the institution that are interesting and useful both for learners of Spanish as a foreign language and for native Spanish speakers, and, of course, we will look at some of the novelties in this latest dictionary update, which, according to the institution's website, amount to 4,074.
The RAE (Real Academia Española, Royal Spanish Academy), located at 4 Felipe IV Street in Madrid, in the Retiro district, is a cultural institution whose main goal is to oversee the proper evolution and use of the Spanish language. Founded in 1713, its mission focuses on preserving and improving the Spanish language, as well as establishing grammatical and orthographic rules to guide its usage. Regarding the Dictionary, whose latest update we will discuss in this article, it compiles new words and expressions commonly used in the language, which, as a living entity, naturally adapts to the changing world we live in.
History of the RAE.
The Real Academia Española was founded by the writer and humanist Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco during the reign of Felipe V, with the aim of ensuring the unity and proper use of the Spanish language in an expanding social and cultural context. The creation of the RAE was inspired by the model of the Académie Française, which had been founded in France in 1635.
The first step of the RAE was the publication of its Diccionario de la lengua castellana, a monumental work that began to take shape in the 18th century and has evolved and been updated over the centuries. The RAE’s work extended beyond the dictionary, also developing orthographic and grammatical rules that established a common foundation for the Spanish language across all the territories where it was spoken.
What does the RAE do?
The main goal of the RAE is the maintenance and promotion of the Spanish language. This includes several aspects:
- Creation of dictionaries: The RAE is responsible for compiling and updating the Diccionario de la lengua española, a fundamental work for understanding and properly using the language.
- Orthographic and grammatical rules: The Academy is also responsible for regulating the spelling and grammar of Spanish, adapting them to the changes and needs of the language.
- Language research and study: The RAE conducts linguistic research and collaborates with other Spanish language academies worldwide to ensure the cohesion of the language throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
- Academic publications: The RAE publishes books and articles on linguistic aspects, both historical and contemporary, as well as on topics related to literature and culture in the Spanish language.
- Cultural dissemination: The RAE organizes conferences, seminars, and other academic activities to promote the knowledge of the Spanish language and its correct use in society.
The Pan-Hispanic Criterion: the ASALE.
The RAE does not work in isolation; it maintains close collaboration with other Spanish language academies. Together, they form the Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española (ASALE, Association of Academies of the Spanish Language), an organization that brings together the RAE and the Spanish language academies from Latin America, Equatorial Guinea (the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa), and the Philippines. Through this network of institutions, the RAE promotes the unity of the language and consensus on its rules and evolution.
Publications of the RAE.
The RAE has a wide range of publications, including fundamental works on the language as well as specialized texts on history, literature, and philology. The main publications of the RAE include:
Diccionario de la Lengua Española (DLE).
The Diccionario de la lengua española is undoubtedly the most well-known and emblematic publication of the RAE. It has been published in numerous editions since its first version in 1780. This dictionary is a work in constant update, aiming to reflect the use of the Spanish language in all its nuances, incorporating neologisms and recording the changes and transformations of the language.
Ortografía de la Lengua Española.
This work contains the orthographic rules that govern the use of the Spanish language. The latest edition was published in 2010 and establishes the rules for the correct spelling of words, punctuation, the use of uppercase and lowercase letters, among other aspects. This work is of vital importance for ensuring the orthographic uniformity of Spanish.
Gramática de la Lengua Española.
The Gramática de la lengua española, published in 2009, is another of the fundamental pillars of the RAE’s publications. This work is one of the most comprehensive and detailed available on the Spanish language. It is a manual that covers the most fundamental aspects of Spanish grammar, such as morphology, syntax, and semantics, with the aim of providing a reference for the correct use of the language.
Other specialized dictionaries.
The RAE has also published specialized dictionaries in various fields of knowledge, such as the Diccionario del estudiante, which is aimed at a younger audience and seeks to facilitate the understanding of words, or the Diccionario histórico de la lengua española, which traces the evolution of words over time.
The new update.
As stated, languages are living entities; the world changes more and more rapidly, and languages adapt to these changes. New words are necessary. The RAE collects them in its dictionary, which does not mean that all the words used in spoken and/or written language are in this Dictionary. In fact, there are words that I use in my colloquial language that do not appear in it. Here you can read something I have written about this. And here you can read the RAE’s publication about the new update.
Unlike other updates, in which I was struck by the inclusion of words like murciégalo, a variant of murciélago, what caught my attention this time was the inclusion of words that, I must admit, I thought had been part of this dictionary for a long time. Specifically, temporada, in the sense of a set of episodes of a series, for example. Temporada in Spanish also means a period of time distinguished by something in particular. But this meaning, referring to streaming platform series or even TV series, has been in use for a long time. Since the early days of the Internet, which is why it surprises me that it was only added this year.
And since we’re talking about series, spoiler is now part of the Spanish language, but, of course, adapted: espóiler. Blusero, rapear, capoeira, varietal, umami, and concepts like centro de salud (health center), unidad móvil (mobile unit), or voto castigo (protest vote) also surprised me. These are words and concepts that I have personally been using for years now.
In addition to the content update, the dictionary has changed its aesthetic in its online version. It wasn’t necessary, as I have been using it for a long time and it has always worked well. But yes, it looks nicer now.
Espóiler: I couldn’t find any link to the complete list of updates on the RAE’s website. If you find it, could you send it to me?
Links of interest.
RAE: https://www.rae.es/
Diccionario de la lengua española: https://dle.rae.es/
ASALE: https://www.asale.org/
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