Linguistic Situation in Spain: Languages and Dialects
Linguistic Situation in Spain Today
The languages spoken in Spain are:
- Galician
- Catalan (with Valencian and Balearic dialects)
- Castilian (derived from Latin)
- Basque (also known as Euskera, predates the arrival of the Romans)
Process of Formation of the Iberian Languages
The formation of Iberian languages is based on two key events:
- Roman Colonization: Introduced Latin to the Iberian Peninsula.
- Muslim Invasion: Brought the influence of Arabic.
While other languages were equated with Roman Latin, only the Basque
Read MoreRenaissance and Baroque Literature in Spain
Renaissance Narrative in Spain
The European Renaissance Epic
Homer:
- Iliad: Characters: Paris, Helen, Hector, Achilles. Argument: Tells of the Trojan War.
- Odyssey: Characters: Penelope, Telemachus, Odysseus. Argument: Describes Odysseus’s return to Ithaca.
Virgil:
- Aeneid: Characters: Aeneas, Dido. Argument: The adventures of Aeneas, founder of Rome.
In Italy, Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso tells of the Saracen King Agramante’s war against Charlemagne. Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered is about the
Read MoreThe Spanish Picaresque Novel: Lazarillo de Tormes
Fernando de Rojas and La Celestina
Authorship and Origins
Early 20th-century critics debated whether La Celestina had a single author, believing a work so masterful must be the product of one mind. Some even speculated that Fernando de Rojas was a pseudonym. However, modern criticism supports the authenticity of the author’s letter, which suggests a collaborative origin. The first act, written in short paragraphs and drawing on different sources of inspiration, differs from the rest of the play.
Fernando
Read MoreEvolution of the Spanish Language: From Medieval Origins to Modern Varieties
Evolution of the Spanish Language
Siglo XV: Many Uncertainties, Different Solutions
The 15th century witnessed a period of linguistic evolution in the Spanish language, marked by uncertainties and diverse solutions. Some notable features include:
- Hesitation between -t/-d: bondad (goodness)
- Alternating f-/h-: fazer/hazer (to do), folgar/holgar (to rest)
- Hesitation in consonant clusters: duda (doubt)
- Changes in unstressed vowels: vertud (virtue), bevir (to live)
- Archaic and double verb forms: seyendo (being)
Medieval Spanish Literature
Castilian Lyric
In the traditional lyric, the carol, a structure based on a chorus, stands out. The cultivated or lyric was written in the Galician court until the fourteenth century, and its subject is courtly love, typical of troubadour poetry.
Traditional Lyric
These poems have a love theme (female and male) and explore the joy of love and the pain of absence.
Compositions appear as Albada, serranillas, and harvest songs.
A very common composition is the carol, combining a chorus and a longer verse
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Picaresque & Chivalry
Social Causes of the Picaresque
Four causes determine the appearance of the picaresque:
Unemployment: Caused by the expulsion of the Jews, which led to significant job losses and economic hardship. This was compounded by the loss of wealth and businesses in the Americas.
Purity of Blood: Society divided based on lineage, with those of mixed ancestry or Jewish descent facing discrimination.
The Counter-Reformation Conflict: The Church’s attempt to suppress reformist ideas led to the Council of Trent,