Canarian Colloquial Language in the Chronicles of Alonso Quesada
The study of colloquial language in Canarian literature finds a valuable resource in the chronicles of Alonso Quesada (the pseudonym of Rafael Romero). These chronicles, published in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria newspapers in the early 20th century, capture the everyday speech of the island’s society and preserve it in literary form[1].
Yolanda Arencibia points out that observing literary texts by local authors is one of the most effective ways to reach valid conclusions about Canarian speech, especially those texts tied to a specific time and audience, as with Quesada’s chronicles[1]. In these writings, colloquial language becomes both the subject of analysis and a model for representing island society.
Colloquial language, defined as that which arises naturally and spontaneously in daily conversation, is considered the richest and most expressive register of a language. In Quesada’s chronicles, this register appears through quick dialogues, short sentences, expressive vocabulary, and syntactic liberties typical of everyday speech[1].
A notable group of these chronicles is titled “Cómo se habla en Canarias” (How People Speak in the Canaries), where trivial, often female, conversations are transcribed. These texts serve as documents of vocabulary, colloquial speech, and the mentality of the urban middle class of the time[1]. Topics such as courtship, domestic service, entertainment, and social curiosity are addressed with a theatricality that reveals both individual and collective aspects of Canarian speech.
Quesada employs techniques such as repetition, diminutives, marked intonation through pauses and punctuation, and imitation of characteristic expressions. Examples like “Niña, no me relajes” (Girl, don’t annoy me), “Déjense ver” (Come see us), or “¡Por cuánto!” (How much!) illustrate the presence of idioms and set phrases still familiar in Canarian speech today[1].
Moreover, Quesada devotes several chronicles to analyzing specific linguistic expressions, using idioms as a narrative pretext. Titles such as “¿Ya vino?” (Did he already come?) or “¡Yo que se lo digo a usted!” (I’m telling you!) explore both the meaning and social function of these formulas in everyday communication[1].
The use of diminutives in island speech is also reflected upon, observing their affective and softening function: “Facturilla, ha dicho. Aquí llaman a todas las cosas así… ¡Oh el dulce, el plácido y donoso diminutivo” (He said ‘little bill.’ Here, everything is called that… Oh, the sweet, pleasant, and witty diminutive)[1].
Arencibia concludes that Quesada’s written colloquial dialogues create a spontaneous and authentic portrait of Canarian speech of his era, faithful to the urban middle class and avoiding both scholarly and vulgar extremes[1]. This body of work is especially useful for observing and analyzing the most genuine aspects of Canarian speech and understanding the linguistic identity of the islands.