Question

Many a time we read in the newspapers about Southern Cone of South America which includes Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Peru. Which is the most spoken language of this geographical area?

• A. Portuguese
• B. Spanish
• C. French
• D. English

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1 — Recall what the Southern Cone is:
The Southern Cone is a geographical and cultural region in South America. It generally includes the countries of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and sometimes parts of southern Brazil and Peru.

Step 2 — Identify the common language of these countries:
• Argentina → Official language is Spanish.
• Chile → Official language is Spanish.
• Uruguay → Official language is Spanish.
• Paraguay → Spanish and Guaraní are official, but Spanish is widely spoken and dominant in urban life.
• Peru → Official language is Spanish (along with Quechua and other indigenous languages in some areas).

Step 3 — Compare with other languages in the region:
• Portuguese is the main language of Brazil, but Brazil is not part of the “core” Southern Cone grouping listed in the question (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Peru).
• Indigenous languages like Guaraní in Paraguay and Quechua in Peru exist, but Spanish overwhelmingly dominates government, business, education, and daily communication across this region.

Step 4 — Conclusion:
Therefore, the most spoken language across the Southern Cone countries mentioned is Spanish.

Final Answer:
The correct option is (B): Spanish.