What does “neutral Spanish” mean? This has been a hotly debated topic in many sectors, particularly in the field of translation.
It has been decided that neutral Spanish is the form of Spanish that is broad enough to be understood in any Spanish-speaking country. But…is this goal even possible? Does neutral Spanish really even exist? From the perspective of an outsider, it is very difficult. Each country I have visited and worked with about has their own expressions and slang; as a result, reading a text from one country (as well as composing a text or translating into Spanish) is quite a complex task, since I am accustomed to a particular form of Spanish that I carry with me unintentionally and imperceptibly.
Commonly, neutral Spanish is used in communications for commercial or marketing purposes, which means exporting certain products without having to localize them. For example, its use is quite common in telenovelas, where the actors are generally asked to neutralize the Spanish and their accent.
