“As in the first edition, Pharies debunks—in an engaging manner—a number of ‘linguistic myths’ about Spanish orthography, pronunciation, and grammar.” —Choice Since its publication in 2007, A Brief History of the Spanish Language has become the leading introduction to the history of one of the world’s most widely spoken languages. Moving from the language’s Latin roots to its present-day forms, this concise book offers readers insights into the origin and evolution of Spanish, the historical and cultural changes that shaped it, and its spread around the world. A Brief History of the Spanish Language focuses on the most important aspects of the development of the Spanish language, eschewing technical jargon in favor of straightforward explanations. Along the way, it answers many of the common questions that puzzle native speakers and non-native speakers alike, such as: Why do some regions use tú while others use vos? How did the th sound develop in Castilian? And why is it la mesa but el agua? David A. Pharies, a world-renowned expert on the history and development of Spanish, has updated this edition with new research on all aspects of the evolution of Spanish and current demographic information. This book is perfect for anyone with a basic understanding of Spanish and a desire to further explore its roots. It also provides an ideal foundation for further study in any area of historical Spanish linguistics and early Spanish literature. A Brief History of the Spanish Language is a grand journey of discovery, revealing in a beautifully compact format the fascinating story of the language in both Spain and Spanish America.

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An American Language is a tour de force that revolutionizes our understanding of U.S. history. It reveals the origins of Spanish as a language binding residents of the Southwest to the politics and culture of an expanding nation in the 1840s. As the West increasingly integrated into the United States over the following century, struggles over power, identity, and citizenship transformed the place of the Spanish language in the nation. An American Language is a history that reimagines what it means to be an American—with profound implications for our own time.

Explores the origins and evolution of the Spanish language, covering Hispania's Vulgar Latin of 800 AD, the language's development through the age of Queen Isabella and the rise of Spanish in the Americas.

This is a thoroughly revised, updated and expanded 2002 edition of Ralph Penny's authoritative textbook, first published in 1991, which provides a clear and elegant account of the development of Spanish over the last 2,000 years. Although principally oriented towards 'internal' history, 'external' history is also considered and referred to throughout. In this new edition, as well as adding insights from more recent scholarship throughout the text, Professor Penny has added a chapter which discusses the nature of linguistic history, the concept of World Spanish, processes of convergence and divergence in Spanish, and the English/Spanish interface. This edition also contains a glossary of technical terms, guidance on further reading, and suggested topics for discussion.

A comprehensive work which offers a new and provocative approach to Spanish from political and historical perspectives.

Provides students with an engaging and thorough overview of the history of Spanish and its development from Latin.