ABSTRACT
Linguistic geography is the sub-discipline of geography that focuses on the spatial manifestation of language. The region has been multilingual for centuries but with a specific and bifurcated linguistic geography; Galician is primarily spoken in the countryside, whereas Castilian is primarily spoken in cities. Residents of Galicia learn the state lingua franca, Castilian, and Galician, the national language. Use of the Galician language is the main factor differentiating Galicians from other Spaniards. The language is an important identity marker, one that many Galicians are proud of. At the time of Spanish incorporation, people in the region were already speaking a dialect of Latin that came to be known as Galician, after the name that the Romans had given the region. While most Galicians feel an attachment to the continued survival of the Galician language, less than half of the population uses it on a frequent basis.
