A History of the Spanish Language - Softcover

Penny, Ralph

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521397847 ISBN 13: 9780521397841

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1991

Synopsis

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.

About this title

Book Description

This textbook provides a clear and elegant account of the development of Spanish over the last 2000 years.

About the Author

Ralph Penny is Professor of Romance Philology at Queen Mary, University of London. He has published several books in Spanish and Variation and Change in Spanish (Cambridge, 2000). He has also published in a number of journals including Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, Romance Philology, and Modern Language Review.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521397847
• ISBN 13: 9780521397841
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 335