Hispanic lexicography in Paraguay

Abstract

In this paper we intend to explain the late development of Hispanic lexicography in Paraguay, a phenomenon attributable to a confluence of historical and linguistic factors. Paraguayan Guarani or Avá n̅e'e has survived for five centuries and is spoken today by seven million mestizos in Paraguay alone, establishing a profound bilingualism through its enduring coexistence with Spanish. Historically, the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in 1587, notably Antonio Ruiz de Montoya—a pioneering lexicographer of Guarani—marked a period where the colonizers actively learned Guarani for indigenous religious instruction, leading to an absence of overt linguistic conflict during the colonial era. Post-independence, there was a radical shifting in linguistic policies: Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, the first president, prioritized Guarani and pursued national production, whilst isolating the country; whereas his successor, Carlos Antonio López, promoted Castilianization to foster international trade relations. Subsequently, under Francisco Solano López— Carlos López’s son—, Guarani was reinstated as a vital military communication tool during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), yet this period was followed by a severe discrimination against the language. It was not until the administrations of the 1920s and 1930s, particularly under Eligio Ayala, that a concerted effort towards the harmonious coexistence of both languages was re-established, a linguistic equilibrium that persists to this day. We thus conclude that the future advancement of Spanish lexicography in Paraguay necessitates a thorough consideration of the intricate relationship of interference and complementarity between Spanish and Guarani.