Castrapo (a portmanteau word of castelán and trapo, meaning rag
Retrieved:) is a term used in the region of Galicia to refer to a local variety of the Castilian language that uses a lot of code-switching, vocabulary, syntax and expressions directly from the Galician language although they do not exist or have equivalents in Standard Spanish. This way of speaking is mainly prevalent in the densely populated urban areas of Galicia and is sometimes stereotyped as "the way Galicians politicians speak".
Origin
The phenomenon of Castrapo traces back its origins to the imposition of the Castilian language in Galicia and the attempted
Castilianization of the region after it was absorbed by the Kingdom of Castile (also known as the
Doma y castración del Reino de Galicia; "Domination and castration of the Kingdom of Galicia" by
Galicianism authors such as Castelao). The Galician language lost its officiality during the era known as the
Seculos Escuros (Dark Centuries), and it was no longer studied at schools, used by religious organizations or any administrative entity. It became a de-facto spoken language by the
Galicians and its use was reduced to family situations and private life although it has always stayed the most commonly-spoken language in Galicia.
Some Galicianism intellectuals like Manuel María viewed Castrapo as a threat to the Galician language by Castilianization.
Definition and usage
The standard Galician dictionary published by the Royal Galician Academy defines it as a "variation of the Castilian language, distinguished by the abundance of words and expressions taken from Galician language".
[ castrapo in RAG]
Some Galician reintegrationism groups, which advocate for the unity of Galician-Portuguese as a modern single language, may also use the word Castrapo to refer disapprovingly to the current standard form of Galician that is regulated by the Royal Galician Academy, which they consider to be too hispanicization and artificially distanced from modern Portuguese.
Examples
The phrase
Close the window would be
Pecha a ventana. In
Standard Spanish, it would be Cierra la ventana; in Galician, it would be Pecha a fiestra/ventá/xanela; and in Portuguese, it would be Fecha a janela.
Phonology
Final unstressed and are frequently raised to and in the Castilian that is spoken in rural Galicia.
See also
Bibliography
External links
