Lloyd presents an historical grammar of Spanish that includes 20th-century research on Romance and Spanish languages. He offers a synthesis of the research that has illuminated much of the phonetic and morphological development of Spanish.

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.

“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.

Sample Text

This book provides a clear and elegant account of the development of Spanish over the last 2000 years. Although principally oriented towards 'internal' history, 'external' history is considered in outline in the Introduction and is referred to throughout. The four principal chapters deal in detail with phonological development, and with morpho-syntactical, lexical and semantic change. Professor Penny's treatment of the sound-system is in terms both of broad patterns of change and specific phonemic developments, and is described in two main phases: spoken Latin to medieval Spanish, and medieval to modern Spanish. In the chapter on morpho-syntax, grammatical morphology and lexical morphology are treated separately, with particular attention paid to word formation. The sources of Spanish vocabulary, inherited and borrowed, are discussed in Chapter 4, and Chapter 5 is concerned with causes, typology and effects of semantic change. Written as a textbook, the comprehensive coverage of the major varieties of Spanish given here will be welcomed by scholars and students alike.