Lecture Notes: Origin and Evolution of the Spanish Language

Introduction

• Spanish, also known as Castilian, is the second most spoken language by native speakers worldwide, after Mandarin Chinese.
• The expansion and globalization of the Spanish language are increasing rapidly.

Etymology of "Spanish"

• The word "Spanish" originates from the Provençal "espaignol" and medieval Latin "hispaniolus," meaning "from Hispania."
• Hispania referred to the territories of present-day Spain and Portugal during the Roman Empire.

Pre-Roman Influences

• Prior to Roman conquest, various groups inhabited the Iberian Peninsula such as Iberians, Celts, Tartesians, and Celtiberians.
• These groups spoke languages known as pre-Romanesque, which influenced Latin.

Roman Influence

• Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula began in the 3rd century BC, leading to the spread of Latin.
• The Roman Empire named the territory Hispania.
• After the fall of the Roman Empire in 467 AD, vulgar Latin emerged, influenced by Greek, Celtic, and Germanic languages.

Visigoth and Muslim Influence

• Germanic Visigoths occupied Spain until 711 AD, contributing words such as "shelter," "truce," and "guardian."
• Muslim armies defeated the Visigoths, establishing "Al-Ándalus" and introducing Arabic words.

Development of Romance Languages

• In the north, Christian kingdoms led to the emergence of Romance languages like Catalan, Asturian, Aragonese, Galician, and Castilian.
• Castilian developed in the medieval county of Castile.

Spanish Reconquest

• Reconquest by Christian kingdoms pushed Muslim control south, leading to the unification of kingdoms.
• The "Glosas Emilianenses," early Romance manuscripts, appeared in the 10th-11th centuries.

Standardization of Spanish

• King Alfonso X (13th century) standardized Spanish as the official language for government documents.
• The Toledo School of Translators began publishing in Spanish rather than Latin.

Consolidation of Castilian

• The union of Queen Isabel I of Castile and Fernando II of Aragon consolidated Castilian as the official language.
• 1492 marked the end of Muslim rule in Spain and the publication of "Grammatica" by Antonio de Nebrija.
• Spanish language spread during the discovery of America by Columbus.

Contributions from American Languages

• Indigenous languages of America contributed words like "avocado," "chocolate," and "jaguar" to Spanish.

Golden Age of Spanish Literature

• 16th-17th centuries saw the global expansion of Spanish.
• Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote" became the most translated Spanish book.

Modern Developments

• Royal Spanish Academy founded in 1713 to regulate Spanish language usage.
• Instituto Cervantes established in 1991 to promote Spanish worldwide.

Current Status

• Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States and third most written on the Internet.
• It ranks second on social media and Wikipedia.

Top Countries by Spanish Speakers

• Mexico: 132 million
• USA: 42 million native speakers, 11 million second-language speakers
• Colombia: 50 million
• Spain: 47 million
• Argentina: 44 million

Conclusion

• Reminder to like and subscribe to the channel for more content.