History of the Spanish Language: From Origins to Golden Age
The Pre-Roman Languages of the Iberian Peninsula
The Romans arrived in Spain in 218 BC. At that time, the peninsula was inhabited by various peoples, each speaking their own language. Basque, or Euskera, is the only surviving pre-Roman language. Its origin is unknown, and it is currently spoken in the Basque Country.
Romanization and the Spread of Vulgar Latin
Romanization was a long period (3rd century BC – 5th century AD) during which Rome imparted its language, literature, art, administration, law, and language upon the Iberian Peninsula. The Romans spoke Vulgar Latin, a variant of Latin distinct from the literary form of the time. Vulgar Latin rapidly spread throughout the conquered land. Romanization began from the moment the Romans came into contact with the native inhabitants. The Roman province in which Romanization was most intense and earliest was Andalusia (Andalucía), while the least Romanized peoples were those of the northern peninsula.
The Germanic Invasions and Linguistic Division
The Germanic invasions led to the division of the Roman Empire and its inhabitants’ linguistic unity. Since the arrival of the Germanic peoples, the evolution of Latin differed across various territories, leading to the emergence of the Romance languages. The Visigoths, who conquered the peninsula in the 6th century, left behind many anthroponyms (personal names) such as Alvaro, Fernando, Rodrigo, and Elvira. However, the Visigoths contributed relatively few words to the language, as they were largely assimilated into the Hispano-Roman culture.
The Arabic Invasion and its Linguistic Influence
In 711 AD, the Arabs invaded Spain. The city of Córdoba became a major center of Islamic civilization. Christians in the northern territories completed the Reconquista in 1492. The Arabs left a significant mark on the language, contributing up to four thousand words, including alcalde (mayor), almacén (storage), alfombra (carpet), and albornoz (bathrobe).
The Origin of Castilian
Castilian originated in Cantabria. The most ancient texts written in Castilian were found in the monasteries of Santo Domingo de Silos (Glosas Silenses) in the province of Burgos, and San Millán de la Cogolla (Glosas Emilianenses) in La Rioja. The glosses, written in the 10th or early 11th century, are brief annotations written in Romance in the margins of church texts written in Latin, to aid understanding. At that time, other varieties of Latin were spoken in the Iberian Peninsula: Galician-Portuguese, Asturian-Leonese, Navarrese-Aragonese, and Catalan, each of which evolved differently over time. In the south, Christians under Arab rule spoke another Romance language, Mozarabic, which later disappeared. The progressive political power of Castile led to the spread of Castilian as a common language in most of the Peninsula.
Castilian in the 13th and 15th Centuries
In the 13th century, King Alfonso X promoted the work of the Toledo School of Translators to translate works written in other languages. In the same century, Castilian was declared the official language of Spain. This era saw the development of the mester de juglaría (Poema del Mio Cid) and mester de clerecía (Gonzalo de Berceo and the Archpriest of Hita). Castilian expanded its vocabulary in the 15th century, thanks to learned words from Latin and its diffusion following the discovery of America. The first Grammar of the Castilian language, written by Elio Antonio de Nebrija, appeared in 1492, the same year as the discovery of America.
The 16th and 17th Centuries: The Golden Age
In the 16th century, Castilian reached the status of an international language in Europe, as literature experienced moments of glory during these centuries, known as the Golden Age (Siglo de Oro). Notable figures of the 16th century include Garcilaso de la Vega, Fray Luis de León, San Juan de la Cruz, Santa Teresa de Jesús, and the anonymous author of Lazarillo de Tormes. Miguel de Cervantes wrote Don Quixote (El Quijote) at the beginning of the 17th century. Other prominent writers of the 17th century include Góngora, Quevedo, Lope de Vega, and Calderón de la Barca.