Course Description
This course presents an overview of the diachronic evolution of modern Spanish from spoken Latin as represented in literary texts. Data from phonetics/phonology and morpho-syntax will form the basis of study. Topics covered include: the development of vulgar Latin and Proto-Romance, the Old Spanish phonological system, morphosyntactic changes from Latin to Spanish, and the influences of contact languages on modern Spanish. The linguistic analysis of texts and the processes of language change as reflected in literary text is the main objective of this course.
Course Credits: 3
Prerequisites: A bachelor’s degree.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Develop proficiency about the processes of phonological and morphosyntactic changes in the development of modern Spanish from spoken Latin in selected texts.
- Recognize, describe, and analyze in short analytical essays and discussion forums the phonological and morpho-syntactic changes from Latin to Peninsular Romance reflected in representative literary texts.
- Recognize, describe, and analyze in short analytical essays and discussion forums the linguistic features of modern Spanish, including regional variations of the language in Spain, regional variations of the language in Latin America, and variations of Spanish spoken in the United States, reflected in representative texts.
- Apply linguistic terminology and theories of language evolution to the analysis of one representative literary text chosen by the student in a final academic essay.