This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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History of the Spanish Language

Code: 100596 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture OT 4
English and Spanish Studies OT 3
English and Spanish Studies OT 4

Contact

Name:
Natalia Terron Vinagre
Email:
natalia.terron@uab.cat

Teachers

Gloria Clavería Nadal

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

By obtaining the minimum of credits in basic training subjects, students have demonstrated to have acquired the basic competences and they will be able to express themselves orally and in writing.

For this reason, any spelling and expression errors that may be committed will lead to a score decrease in the final grade.

It is also expected that the student knows the general rules of submission of an academic work. However, the student could apply the specific rules that the teacher of the subject may indicate to him, if he deems it necessary.

Students in exchange programs: the subject requires a high level of proficiency in Spanish.


Objectives and Contextualisation

"History of the Spanish language" is integrated into the subject of Spanish language: variation and diachrony, which is part of the 108 credits of compulsory education of the Spanish Language and Literature Degree, which the student attends along with other Spanish language subjects.

 

Objectives and contextualization

 Systematic knowledge of the main characteristics of the history of the Spanish language through the analysis of texts from different periods.

Acquisition of the basic tools of linguistic-philological analysis of texts and resolution of issues related to the historical-linguistic analysis.

Use of advanced bibliographical sources of the historical study of language.

 


Competences

    Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture
  • 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.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  2. Apply the principles of applied historical linguistics to the study of historical Spanish grammar.
  3. Carry out predictions and inferences abut the content of a text.
  4. Construct a spoken text using the correct grammar and vocabulary
  5. Correctly write previously analysed non-standard texts
  6. Describe the main historical periods of the Spanish language: Medieval Romanesque, Classical Spanish, Modern Spanish.
  7. find out the meaning of unknown words in a text.
  8. Use the adequate terminology in the construction of an academic text.

Content

1. Medieval romance. The birth of new writing and the first texts. Linguistic and textual features of medieval romance.

2. Classical and modern Spanish. Linguistic and textual features of classical and modern Spanish. The formation and evolution of the linguistic norm. The expansion of Spanish outside Spain. The reflection on the language.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Master classes and seminars and practical sessions led by the teacher 54 2.16
Type: Supervised      
Supervised 15 0.6
Type: Autonomous      
Autonomous activity 75 3

The learning of this subject 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 teacher, 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 production 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 tests.

 

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
Practical exercise (topic 1) 20 % 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 7, 3, 5
Theoretical-practical exercise (topic 1) 30 % 2 0.08 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 7, 3, 5
Written test (topic 2) 50 % 2.5 0.1 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 7, 3, 5

Continuous Assessment:

- Practical Exercise (20%): A practical activity on the contents of Topic 1.

- Theoretical-Practical Exercise (30%): A theoretical-practical activity on the contents of Topic 1.

- Written Test (50%): The theoretical-practical exam will cover all the contents of Topic 2.

 

Single Assessment:

- Practical Exercise (20%): A practical activity on the contents of Topic 1.

- Theoretical-Practical Exercise (30%): A theoretical-practical activity on the contents of Topic 1.

- Written Test (50%): The theoretical-practical exam will cover all the contents of Topic 2.

 

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.

To pass the course, it is necessary to obtain at least a 5 on the weighted average of the assessment activities.

Students who do not achieve this grade and who have previously been assessed on at least two-thirds of the course may participate in the resit, provided they have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5.

Students will receive a grade of Not Assessable if they have not completed more than 30% of the assessment activities.

If a student commits any type of irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade for a given assessment, they will be given a 0, regardless of any disciplinary process that may result. If multiple irregularities are found in the assessments for the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0.

Erasmus students who wish to take an exam must present to the professor a written document from their home university that justifies their request.

This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will beconsidered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.

 


Bibliography

Ariza, Manuel (1998): El comentario filológico de textos, Madrid: Arco/Libros.

Cano Aguilar, Rafael (1988): El español a través de los tiempos, Arco/Libros: Madrid.

Cano Aguilar, Rafael (1991): Comentario filológico de textos, Madrid: Taurus.

Cano Aguilar, Rafael (1998): Comentario filológico de textos medievales no literarios, Madrid: Arco/Libros.

Cano Aguilar, Rafael (coord.) (2004): Historia de la lengua española, Barcelona: Ariel Lingüística. Versión digital: Cano Aguilar, Rafael (coord.) (2024): Historia de la lengua española. Sevilla: Editorial Universidad de Sevilla (Colección Manuales Universitarios, nº 106).  https://dx.doi.org/10.12795/9788447225828

Corominas, Juan, y José Antonio Pascual (1980-1991): Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico, 6 vols., Madrid: Gredos; edición en CD-ROM (2012).

Dworkin, Steven N. (2012): A history of the Spanish lexicon: a linguistic perspective, Oxford: U. P.

Dworkin, Steven N. (2018): A guide to Old Spanish, Oxford: U. P.

Dworkin, Steven N., Gloria Clavería Nadal, Álvaro S. Octavio de Toledo y Huerta (eds.) (2023): Lingüística histórica del español / The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Historical Linguistics, Londres: Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003035565/ling%C3%BC%C3%ADstica-hist%C3%B3rica-del-espa%C3%B1ol-routledge-handbook-spanish-historical-linguistics-steven-dworkin-gloria-claver%C3%ADa-nadal-%C3%A1lvaro-octavio-de-toledo-huerta

Echenique, M.ª Teresa y Juan Sánchez Méndez (2005): Las lenguas de un reino: historia lingüística hispánica, Madrid: Gredos.

Lapesa, Rafael (19819): Historia de la lengua española, Madrid: Gredos.

Lapesa, Rafael (1985): Estudios de historia de la lingüística española, Madrid: Paraninfo.

Lapesa, Rafael (1996): El español moderno y contemporáneo. Estudios lingüísticos, Barcelona: Crítica.

Menéndez Pidal, Ramón (1904/197715): Manual de gramática histórica española, Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.

Menéndez Pidal, Ramón (1926/19809): Orígenes del español. Estado lingüístico de la Península Ibérica hasta el siglo XI, Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.

Menéndez Pidal, Ramón (2005): Historia de la lengua española, edición al cuidado de D. Catalán, 2 vols., Madrid: Fundación Ramón Menéndez Pidal-Real Academia Española.

Moreno Fernández, Francisco (2005): Historia social de las lenguas de España, Barcelona: Ariel.

Penny, Ralph (1993): Gramática histórica del español, Barcelona: Ariel.

Penny, Ralph (2000): Variación y cambio en español, Madrid: Gredos, 2004.

Pöckl et al., Wolfgang (2004): Introducción a la lingüística románica, Madrid: Gredos.

Pons, Lola (2010): La lengua de ayer. Manual práctico de historia del español, Madrid: Arco/Libros.

Pountain, Christopher (2001): A History of Spanish Language through Texts, Routledge: London and New York.

Ridruejo, Emilio (ed.)(2019): Manual de lingüística española, Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter.

Real Academia Española (2011): Nueva gramática de la lengua española. Fonética y fonología y DVD: Las voces del español. Tiempo y espacio, Madrid: Espasa.

Torrens, M.ª Jesús (2007): Evolución e historia de la lengua española, Madrid: Arco/Libros.


Software

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Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish second semester morning-mixed