What languages contribute to Spanish?

Answer 1

Spanish, as a Romance language, is a direct descendent of Vulgar Latin, that is the dialect/sociolect of Latin spoken by soldiers, merchants, and other common people in the Roman Empire. As such, most of its vocabulary and virtually all of its syntax and grammar comes from this now dead language. However it also has been influenced heavily by other languages, most notably Arabic. Arabic speaking "moors" ruled much of the Iberian Peninsula for more than seven centuries from 711 AD to 1492 AD. Spanish, and to a lesser extent Portuguese, adopted many words from Arabic during this time. Most nouns beginning with "al" such as "alfombra (rug)" or "albergue (shelter/hostel)" can be traced to Arabic. Spanish has also been influenced by other neighboring languages like French, Portuguese, Catalan, and Basque. In Latin America, indigenous Amerindian languages have provided many loanwords, if not so much in "standard" Spanish then certainly in local dialects. In recent years English has influenced Spanish. Technical terms such as "internet" are absorbed by Spanish speakers often without any spelling changes. Bilingual speakers in the United States often converse in a sometimes controversial mixed language known as Spanglish.

Answer 2

Spanish has been influenced by a variety of languages throughout its history, but the most significant contributions come from Latin, Arabic, and various indigenous languages of the Americas. Other languages have also influenced Spanish, such as French, Italian, and English, particularly through loanwords and cultural exchange.