A team of experts carried out a meticulous research process with various sources to select the Cubanisms representative of the Spanish of the Island.
EFE (via 14ymedio), Havana, 29 June 2025 — The Cuban Language Academy has completed a project to incorporate 100 Cubanisms into the next edition of the Spanish Language Dictionary (DLE) that will be presented in 2026, state media reported on Sunday.
A team of experts carried out a meticulous research process with various sources to select the Cubanisms representative of Cuban Spanish, according to local media.
Alexander Puente, professor of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (FAyL) of the University of Havana and part of the team, explained that the selection process began with a listing of the Dictionary of Americanisms focused on words used exclusively in Cuba.
In a first phase, each voice was verified and documented; undocumented voices were discarded, leading to the search for additional terms, he said.
Priority was given to editorial sources, such as the press and literature, avoiding blogs and oral records, as well as quotations with errors or controversial content
In addition, he explained that various categories of use were considered, including colloquial records, without restrictions on connotations, and even words with pejorative meanings were accepted, always with the appropriate lexicographic mark to contextualize their use.
Another participant in the project, professor Lydia Castro, said that for each word selected at least three examples of use in written texts from different eras were required.
Priority was also given to editorial sources, such as the press and literature, avoiding blogs and oral records, as well as quotations with errors or controversial content, she added.
The incorporation of these 100 Cubanisms into the DLE represents for its promoters a “significant step” in the recognition of the richness and diversity of Spanish spoken in Cuba, as well as contributing to a more complete and inclusive vision of the Spanish language.
The project is considered “an example of collaboration between traditional lexicography and modern digital tools,” reinforcing the commitment of the Cuban Language Academy to the preservation and dissemination of Cuba’s linguistic heritage, according to local media.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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