How long has the spanish language been around?

The history of the Spanish language goes back a long way, making it difficult to pin down an exact date for its "birth." Here's a breakdown:

* Roots: Spanish is a Romance language, meaning it evolved from Latin, brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Roman Empire.

* Vulgar Latin: Over centuries, Latin spoken by common people (Vulgar Latin) diverged into regional dialects.

* Castilian: Around the 9th century, the dialect spoken in the Castile region of Spain began to gain prominence and influence. This became the foundation of modern Spanish.

* Official Recognition: The "official" emergence of Spanish as a distinct language is often associated with the 13th century, when the Castilian dialect became the language of the Spanish court.

So, while it's hard to give an exact year, the evolution of Spanish language has been happening for over 1000 years, with its roots tracing back to the time of the Roman Empire.