SPN 535 - History of Spanish Language Credits: 3

Seminar course lets students travel both in time and in space, while considering the evolution of the Spanish language. Starting with Latin, changes systematically studied and analyzed, focusing on the nascent dialectal varieties, their importance, the impact of substrate languages, and of others that have influenced what is known as Spanish (Greek, Italian, and Arabic among many others). While the language was in part stabilized thanks to the Academia de la lengua, a body influenced by the French Academie, Spanish has gone through many changes on the American continent, but also in Africa and Asia. Spanish of Latin America, United States, and several countries in Africa and Asia will be explored. Several documentaries complement the seminar.