Historical Spanish Grammar: Evolution and Problems
Code: 106378 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2504012 Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture | OT | 4 |
| 2504211 Spanish Language and Literature | OT | 3 |
| 2504211 Spanish Language and Literature | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Carlos Sanchez Lancis
- Email:
- carlos.sanchez@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Given the basic skills achieved during previous elementary and mandatory subjects, which are shown by the corresponding credits obtained, students must be able to express themselves correctly both orally and in writing.
Additionally, it is assumed that students are familiar with the general norms of presentation of an academic essay. However, other additional rules which may be specified by the teaching staff of the subject may also be applied, if it is deemed necessary.
Objectives and Contextualisation
"Spanish Historical Grammar: Evolution and Problems" is integrated into the subject “Variation and Diachrony in the Spanish Language” and is part of the 54 optional credits to be taken during the third or the fourth year of the Degree in Spanish Language and Literature.
It is one of the subjects offered within the Spanish Language Mention, a recognition which is given if at least 30 of the 54 optional credits are taken among the subjects specifically assigned to the said mention.
It is a deepening course in the historical study of the language, both from a general point of view (morphological change) and a particular point of view (the concrete evolution of Spanish).
The aim of the subject is to know the main morphological changes that the Spanish language has undergone from the very beginning, thus allowing to understand much better the current morphological peculiarities of modern Spanish.
At the end of the course students should be able to:
a) Apply different methodologies in the diachronic study of Spanish.
b) Manage the instruments and terminology of historical linguistics.
c) Establish different historical stages of the Spanish language according to the morphosyntactic changes experienced by the system.
d) Identify and describe different types of morphosyntactic changes occurred in Spanish and their impact on the current use of the language.
Competences
- Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture
- Analyse the phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical and semantic properties of the Spanish language and the Mandarin Chinese language.
- Describe the linguistic foundations on which the standards of Spanish and mandarin Chinese are based.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Recognise the factors of linguistic variation in Spanish from diachronic and synchronic viewpoints.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Use techniques for compilation, organisation and use of information and documentation with precision.
- Spanish Language and Literature
- Analyse the main phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical and semantic properties of the Spanish language, its evolution throughout history and its current structure.
- Develop arguments applicable to the fields of Hispanic literature, literary theory, Spanish language and linguistics, and evaluate their academic relevance.
- Identify the linguistic characteristics of the different periods in the evolution of the Spanish language.
- Introduce changes in the methods and processes of the field of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
- Analyse dialectical written and spoken texts.
- Analyse the geographical variation of the Spanish language.
- Apply the principles of applied historical linguistics to the study of historical Spanish grammar.
- Apply the principles of historical linguistics to describe the evolution of Spanish.
- Assess linguistic diversity from a diachronic point of view.
- Carry out predictions and inferences abut the content of a text.
- Construct a spoken text using the correct grammar and vocabulary
- Correctly write previously analysed non-standard texts
- Describe the main historical periods of the Spanish language: Medieval Romanesque, Classical Spanish, Modern Spanish.
- Describe the main stages in the history of the Spanish language (Medieval Romance, Classical Spanish, Modern Spanish) on the basis of its linguistic characteristics and its external conditioning factors.
- Describe the origins of the Spanish language: pre-Romanic languages and Romanisation.
- Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
- Identify the main linguistic phenomena of dialectical variation in Spanish: phonetic, grammatical and lexical.
- Justify by means of appropriate terminology the analysis of data from a linguistic point of view.
- Make linguistic predictions and inferences about the content of a text.
- Make linguistic-philological comments on ancient texts and situate them in their corresponding period.
- Read and interpret dialectical maps.
- Recognise and describe the evolution of the Spanish lexicon from Latin to the present day.
- Recognise and describe the evolution of the Spanish phonic system and its associated graphemic features from Latin to the present day.
- Recognise and describe the evolution of the morphological and syntactic system of Spanish from Latin to the present day.
- Use digital tools for collecting, classifying, interpreting and analysing relevant data.
- Use digital tools to obtain, classify, interpret and analyse relevant data related to the study of Spanish language and literature.
- Use the adequate terminology in the construction of an academic text.
- Use the appropriate terminology in the construction of an academic text and in the transmission of their knowledge.
- Use the necessary resources, both digital and non-digital (data bases, text repositories, dictionaries, reference works), for the analysis of any document, spoken or written, from a linguistic point of view.
- Use traditional sources to obtain, classify, interpret and analyse relevant data related to the study of Spanish language and literature.
- find out the meaning of unknown words in a text.
Content
Unit 1. Introduction: language change
1.1. Language change: a definition
1.1.1. Characteristics of language change
1.1.2. Types of functional change: grammaticalization, degrammaticalization, and regrammaticalization
1.1.3. Levels of language change
1.1.4. Conditions in which language change takes place
1.2. Relationships between grammatical change and other types of language change
1.3. Analogical change
1.4. Reanalysis
1.5. Loanwords
Unit 2. The nominal and adjectival system
2.1. Evolution and loss of Latin declensions.
2.1.1. Mechanisms in the loss of case system
2.1.2. Phonetic remains of the cases
2.2. Gender: loss of the neuter gender.
2.3. Number
2.4. Adjective
2.4.1. Gender and number of the adjective
2.4.2. Gradation of the adjective
2.4.3. Adjective placement
Unit 3. The pronominal system
3.1. Personal pronouns: stressed forms and unstressed forms
3.2. Possesive pronouns
3.3. Demonstrative and identity pronouns
3.4. Rise of the article in romance
3.5. Relative and interrogative pronouns
3.6. Indefinite pronouns
Unit 4. The verbal system
4.1. Voice
4.2. Conjugations: reduction of the number of Latin conjugations
4.3. Non-personal forms: the infinitive, the gerund and the participle
4.4. Person and number endings
4.5. Verbal aspects
4.6. Verbal moods: indicative, subjunctive and imperative
4.7. Verbal tenses: general changes in the verbal system
4.7.1. Evolution of temporary forms from Latin to romance:
4.7.1.1. Present tense
4.7.1.2. Imperfect tense
4.7.1.3. Perfect tenses: regular and irregular
4.7.1.4. Future tense and conditional tense
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lessons, exercises and seminars led by the teaching staff | 52.5 | 2.1 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorial sessions | 15 | 0.6 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Individual learning | 75 | 3 |
The learning of this course by the students is distributed as follows:
• Directed activities (35%). These activities are divided into master classes and seminars and classroom practices led by the faculty, in which theoretical explanation is combined with discussion of all types of texts.
• Supervised activities (10%). These tutorials are programmed by the faculty, dedicated to correcting and commenting on problems at different levels of linguistic analysis.
• Autonomous activities (50%). These activities include both time devoted to individual study and possible preparation of reviews, papers and analytical comments written, as well as oral presentations.
• Evaluation activities (5%). The evaluation of the subject can be carried out through oral presentations and written texts.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercises (unit 2 and unit 3) | 25% | 2 | 0.08 | 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, 8, 12, 11, 10, 17, 16, 25, 24, 23, 22, 27, 14, 13, 28, 15, 18, 7, 19, 20, 21, 9, 26, 6 |
| Exercises (unit 4) | 25% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 3, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 10, 17, 16, 25, 24, 23, 22, 27, 14, 28, 15, 7, 21, 9, 26, 6 |
| Theory test (unit 4) | 25% | 2 | 0.08 | 3, 1, 4, 5, 8, 12, 11, 10, 25, 24, 27, 14, 13, 15, 18, 7, 19, 20, 21, 9, 6 |
| Theory tests (unit 1, unit 2 and unit 3) | 25% | 2 | 0.08 | 3, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11, 10, 17, 16, 25, 24, 27, 14, 15, 7, 21, 9, 6 |
This subject will be evaluated continuously through the development of two activities in class and the completion of two partial written tests during the semester.
The evaluation will be organized as follows:
- Presentation of activities 50%
- Partial written tests 50%
The evaluation of the subject will be carried out, therefore, through the completion of four activities / tests in which the following aspects will be assessed:
- The assimilation of theoretical content;
- the practical application of the contents;
- the fulfillment of the requirements of the activity in question.
The four activities / tests to be carried out are the following:
- Two activities, to be delivered, which consist in a morphological comment on medieval and classic Spanish texts. These activities constitute 50% (25% + 25%) of the final grade for the course.
- Two partial theory exams in the classroom on the syllabus and compulsory readings. These two tests constitute 50% (25% + 25%) of the final grade for the course.
To pass the course, all the activities must be carried out and delivered within the set period. The final grade, once all the notes have been added and the percentages indicated above applied, must be equal to or greater than 5.
While it is the responsibility of the students to bring the subject up to date, the faculty will indicate with sufficient notice the date of each test.
The student will be considered "Not evaluable" if he/shedoesn't perform any of the tests or if he/she delivered only 30% of the evaluable evidence (tests and assignments) of the total of the subject. The elaboration of more than 30% of the tests will mean, then, the will of the student to be evaluated in the subject.
In order to participate in the remedial exam: a) one must have previously been evaluated in a set of activities whose weight equals a minimum of two-thirds of the totalgrade for the subject; and furthermore, b) an average grade for the subject must be obtained below 5, but equal to or greater than 3.5.
Mistakes in spelling, expression, vocabulary and syntax will lead to the deduction of 0.25 point each (without limit) in the final grade in the activities and in the exams. Repeated mistakes will be discounted.
Obviously, in case of requesting anwers for exams or presentations of activities, papers, etc., everything must be original and the total or partial copy of materials already published in any medium is not allowed. In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place, and will not be able to retake. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
Students who take part in the single assessment following the procedure established by the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts must complete the following activities/tests on the scheduled date:
- Two activities, to be delivered, which consist in a morphological comment on medieval and classic Spanish texts. These activities constitute 50% (25% + 25%) of the final grade for the course.
- Two partial theory exams in the classroom on the syllabus and compulsory readings. These two tests constitute 50% (25% + 25%) of the final grade for the course.
The same assessment method as continuous assessment will be used.
On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Bibliography
Bibliography:
ALVAR, Manuel y Bernard POTTIER (1983): Morfología histórica del español. Madrid: Gredos.
ANDRÉS-SUÁREZ, Irene (1994): El verbo español. Sistemas medievales y sistema clásico. Madrid: Gredos.
BUENAFUENTES, Cristina; PRAT, Marta y Carlos SÁNCHEZ LANCIS (2015): Gramática histórica del español (morfología flexiva). Bellaterra: UAB (Materials, 233) (eBook).
COMPANY COMPANY, Concepción [dir.] (2006): Sintaxis histórica de la lengua española. Primera parte: La frase verbal, 2 vols. México: FCE – UNAM.
COMPANY COMPANY, Concepción [dir.] (2009): Sintaxis histórica de la lengua española. Segunda parte: La frase nominal, 2 vols. México: FCE – UNAM.
COMPANY COMPANY, Concepción [dir.] (2014): Sintaxis histórica de la lengua española. Tercera parte: Adverbios, preposiciones y conjunciones. Relaciones interoracionales, 3 vols. México: FCE – UNAM.
DWORKIN, Steven N.; Gloria CLAVERÍA NADAL y Álvaro S. OCTAVIO de TOLEDO y HUERTA (eds.) (2024), Lingüística histórica del español / The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Historical Linguistics. London and New York: Routledge. Disponible en e-book.
EBERENZ, Rolf (2000): El español en el otoño de la Edad Media. Sobre el artículo y los pronombres. Madrid: Gredos.
ELVIRA, Javier (1998): El cambio analógico. Madrid: Gredos.
ELVIRA, Javier (2009): Evolución lingüística y cambio sintáctico. Bern: Peter Lang (eBook).
ELVIRA, Javier (2015): Lingüística histórica y cambio gramatical. Madrid: Síntesis (eBook).
FÁBREGAS, Antonio; ACEDO, Víctor; AMSTRONG, Grant;CUERVO, M. Cristina e Isabel PUJOL (eds.) (2021): The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Morphology. London: Routledge (eBook).
GARCÍA GALLARÍN, Consuelo (2018): Diccionario histórico de la morfología del español. Madrid:Guillermo Escolar Editores.
GUTIÉRREZ-REXACH, Javier (ed.) (2016): Enciclopedia de Lingüística Hispánica, 3 vols. Londres/New York: Routledge.
HANSSEN, Federico (1945 [1913]): Gramática histórica de la lengua castellana. Buenos Aires: El Ateneo.
HEINE, Bernd y Heiko NARROG (2015): The Oxford handbook of linguistic analysis. Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press (eBook).
LAPESA, Rafael (2000): Estudios de morfosintaxis histórica del español. Madrid: Gredos.
LLOYD, Paul M. (1993 [1987]): Del latín al español: I. Fonología y morfología históricas de la lengua española. Madrid: Gredos.
MENÉNDEZ PIDAL, Ramón (1940): Manual de gramática histórica española, 6ª ed. revisada y ampliada. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.
MENÉNDEZ PIDAL, Ramón (1944 y 1945): Cantar de Mio Cid. Texto, gramática y vocabulario, ed. de R. Menéndez Pidal. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe (tomo III, vol. I, crítica del texto – gramática; vol. II, vocabulario).
NARROG, Heiko Y HEINE, Bernd (eds.) (2011): Grammaticalization. Oxford: Oxford University Press (eBook).
PARODI, Giovanni, CANTOS, Pascual Y HOWE, Chad (eds.) (2022), Lingüística de corpus / The Routledge handbook of Spanish Corpus Linguistics. London/New York, Routledge (eBook).
PENNY, Ralph (2006 [2002]): Gramática histórica del español, 2ª ed. actualizada. Barcelona: Ariel.
RIDRUEJO, Emilio (1989): Las estructuras gramaticales desde el punto de vista histórico. Madrid: Síntesis.
RINI, Joel (1999): Exploring the Role of Morphology in the Evolution of Spanish. Amsterdam – Philadelphia: John Benjamins (eBook).
ROJO, Guillermo (2021): Introducción a la lingüística de corpus en español. London/New York: Routledge (eBook disponible en el catàleg UAB).
TORRUELLA, Joan (2017): Lingüística de corpus: génesis y bases metodológicas de los corpus (históricos) para la investigación en lingüística. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang (Studien zur romanischen Sprachwissenschaft und interkulturellen Kommunikation) (eBook).
URRUTIA CÁRDENAS, Hernán y Manuela ÁLVAREZ ÁLVAREZ (1983): Esquema de morfosintaxis histórica del español. Bilbao: Publicaciones de la Universidad de Deusto (eBook).
Links web:
DAVIES, Mark: Banco de datos [en línea]. Corpus del español. <http://www.corpusdelespanol.org>.
REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA: Banco de datos (CORDE) [en línea]. Corpus diacrónico del español. <http://corpus.rae.es/cordenet.html>.
REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA: Banco de datos (CREA) [en línea]. Corpus de referencia del español actual. < http://corpus.rae.es/creanet.html>.
REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA: Banco de datos (CNDHE) [en línea]. Corpus del Nuevo Diccionario Histórico del Español. <http://web.frl.es/CNDHE>.
REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA: Banco de datos (CORPES XXI) [en línea]. Corpus del Español del Siglo XXI. <http://web.frl.es/CORPES>.
TORRUELLA, Joan y Johannes KABATEK (dirs.): Portal de Corpus Históricos Iberorrománicos (CORHIBER). <http://www.corhiber.org>.
Software
No needed
Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |