{"id":14933,"date":"2024-06-18T11:09:14","date_gmt":"2024-06-18T11:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.korespa.com\/en\/?p=14933"},"modified":"2024-09-01T05:06:10","modified_gmt":"2024-09-01T05:06:10","slug":"the-origin-of-the-word-espana-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.korespa.com\/en\/the-origin-of-the-word-espana-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"The origin of the word Espa\u00f1a (Spain)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The origin of the word Espa\u00f1a (Spain) is Phoenician and dates from the second millennium BC. Its meaning has several hypotheses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word Spain comes from the Phoenician<\/a> \u00ab i-spn-ya<\/strong><\/em> \u00bb, a term whose use is documented from the second millennium BC, in Ugaritic inscriptions.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Phoenician civilization was strongly established in the Iberian Peninsula in the 5th century BC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, the Romans called the Iberian Peninsula Hispania.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Greeks called the same space with the name of Iberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Espa\u00f1a\"
Spain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But what does \u201d i-spn-ya<\/strong><\/em> \u201d mean in Phoenician?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Romans understood that, in its Phoenician origin, Hispania meant \u201cland with an abundance of rabbits\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are no sources that explain the meaning of \u201d i-spn-ya<\/strong><\/em> \u201c, however, through philological studies different theories have been developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Arte
Phoenician art. Galley Lady, 7th century BC. c.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Today, there are several more hypotheses that could explain the meaning of the Phoenician word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Isidore of Seville<\/a>, in the sixth century, thought that the name of Spain had its origin in \u201c<\/em> Ispani\u201d, the Phoenician-Punic name of the city of Seville<\/a>, which the Romans called Hispalis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abI <\/em>-spn-ya<\/em><\/strong> \u00bb could also mean the \u00ab land of the north<\/strong> \u00bb, since for the Phoenicians the coast of the Iberian peninsula was to the north of their route on the African coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Arte
Phoenician art. mushroom mouth jug<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Antonio de Nebrija<\/a> proposed that the origin could be the deviation of the word Hispalis<\/em><\/a>, meaning\u201cthe city of the west\u201d because<\/em>Hispalis is the main city of the peninsula. The Phoenicians and the Romans gave that name to the entire territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another hypothesis supposes that Hispalis and Hispania come from the names of two legendary kings of Spain, Hispalo<\/a> and his son Hispan<\/a>, son and grandson of Hercules<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, \u201cI-span-ya\u201d could also mean \u201d land where metals are forged<\/strong> \u201c, since the root of \u201cspan\u201d means to beat metals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, Hispania became \u201c<\/em> Spania\u201d and from there, to the name we know today as Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fifteenth century, the Catholic Monarchs began to call the Iberian Peninsula by the name of Espa\u00f1a (Spain).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The origin of the word Espa\u00f1a (Spain)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Silla
Mudejar chair, XV century<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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More information and references:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n