| Old Spanish | |
| Also Known As: | Old Castilian |
| Nativename: | roman, romançe, romaz |
| States: | Crown of Castile |
| Region: | Iberian peninsula |
| Ethnicity: | Castilians, later Spaniards |
| Era: | 9th–15th centuries |
| Familycolor: | Indo-European |
| Fam2: | Italic |
| Fam3: | Latino-Faliscan |
| Fam4: | Latin |
| Fam5: | Romance |
| Fam6: | Italo-Western |
| Fam7: | Western Romance |
| Fam8: | Gallo-Iberian |
| Fam9: | Ibero-Romance |
| Fam10: | West Iberian |
| Ancestor: | Old Latin |
| Ancestor2: | Vulgar Latin |
| Ancestor3: | Proto-Romance |
| Iso3: | osp |
| Glotto: | olds1249 |
| Glottorefname: | Old Spanish |
| Linglist: | osp |
| Script: | Latin Aljamiado (marginal) |
| Notice: | IPA |
Old Spanish (roman, romançe, romaz;[1] es|español medieval), also known as Old Castilian or Medieval Spanish, refers to the varieties of Ibero-Romance spoken predominantly in Castile and environs during the Middle Ages. The earliest, longest, and most famous literary composition in Old Spanish is the [[Cantar de mio Cid]] (ca. 1140–1207).
| Front | Central | Back | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||
| Mid | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||
| Open | pronounced as /link/ |
| pronounced as //i͡e// | pronounced as //u͡e// |
| (Pre-)Palatal | Velar | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||
| Stop/Affricate | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||
| pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||
| Fricative | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||
| pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | |||||
| Lateral | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | ||||||
| Trill | pronounced as /link/ | |||||||
| Flap | pronounced as /link/ | |||||||
These were still distinct phonemes in Old Spanish, judging by the consistency with which the graphemes and were distinguished. Nevertheless, the two could be confused in consonant clusters (as in alba~alva “dawn”) or in word-initial position, perhaps after pronounced as //n// or a pause. pronounced as //b// and pronounced as //β// appear to have merged in word-initial position by about 1400 and in all other environments by the mid–late 16th century at the latest.[2]
At an archaic stage, the realizations of pronounced as //h// (from Latin pronounced as //f//) would have been approximately as follows:
By early Old Spanish, pronounced as /[ɸ]/ had been replaced with pronounced as /[h]/ before all vowels and possibly before pronounced as /[j]/ as well.
In later Old Spanish, surviving pronounced as /[ɸ]/ and pronounced as /[ʍ]//pronounced as /[hɸ]/ were modified to pronounced as /[f]/ in urban speech, likely due to the influx of numerous French and Occitan speakers (and their particular pronunciation of Latin) beginning in the twelfth century. Various words with pronounced as /[f]/ were then borrowed into Spanish, leading to minimal pairs like pronounced as /[ˈfoɾma]/ “form” (a borrowing) and pronounced as /[ˈhoɾma]/ “shoemaker's last” (inherited from Latin Latin: forma). The result was a new phoneme pronounced as //f//, distinct from pronounced as //h//.
Possibly realized as pronounced as /[d͡ʒ]/ after pauses or certain consonants (judging by outcomes in Judeo-Spanish).
See main article: articles.
Old Spanish was generally written in some variation of the Latin script. It was also sometimes written in Arabic script in a practice called Aljamiado.
These sounds were spelt (nn) and (ll) respectively. (nn) was often abbreviated to (ñ), which went on to become the normal spelling of pronounced as //ɲ// in Modern Spanish.
Old Spanish featured the digraphs (ch), (ph), ((r)rh), and (th) which were simplified to (c), (f), ((r)r), (t) in Modern Spanish. Examples include:
(y) often stood for pronounced as //i// in word-initial position. In this context it has since been respelt to (i) in Modern Spanish.
(The following table does not account for sandhi contexts.)
| spelling | context | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| pronounced as //t͡s// | any | ||
| before or | |||
| final | |||
| before a voiceless consonant | |||
| pronounced as //d͡z// | before a voiced consonant | ||
| initial | |||
| intervocalic | |||
| pronounced as //s// | intervocalic | ||
| initial | |||
| before a voiceless consonant | |||
| pronounced as //z// | before a voiced consonant | ||
| intervocalic | |||
| pronounced as //ʃ// | any | ||
| final | |||
| pronounced as //ʒ// | before a vowel | ||
| before or | |||
| pronounced as //t͡ʃ// | any |
In Old Spanish, perfect constructions of movement verbs, such as ir ('(to) go') and venir ('(to) come'), were formed using the auxiliary verb ser ('(to) be'), as in Italian and French: Las mugieres '''son llegadas''' a Castiella was used instead of Spanish; Castilian: Las mujeres han llegado a Castilla ('The women have arrived in Castilla').
Possession was expressed with the verb aver (Modern Spanish Spanish; Castilian: haber, '(to) have'), rather than tener: Pedro ha dos fijas was used instead of Spanish; Castilian: Pedro tiene dos hijas ('Pedro has two daughters').
In the perfect tenses, the past participle often agreed with the gender and number of the direct object: María '''ha cantadas''' dos canciones was used instead of Modern Spanish Spanish; Castilian: María ha cantado dos canciones ('María has sung two songs'). However, that was inconsistent even in the earliest texts.
The prospective aspect was formed with the verb ir ('(to) go') along with the verb in infinitive, with the difference that Modern Spanish includes the preposition Spanish; Castilian: a:
Al Çid beso la mano, la senna '''ua''' tomar. (Cantar de mio Cid, 691)
Spanish; Castilian: Al Cid besó la mano, la enseña '''va a''' tomar. (Modern Spanish equivalent)
Personal pronouns and substantives were placed after the verb in any tense or mood unless a stressed word was before the verb.
The future and the conditional tenses were not yet fully grammaticalised as inflections; rather, they were still periphrastic formations of the verb aver in the present or imperfect indicative followed by the infinitive of a main verb. Pronouns, therefore, by the general placement rules, could be inserted between the main verb and the auxiliary in these periphrastic tenses, as still occurs with Portuguese (mesoclisis):
E dixo: ― Tornar-'''m'''-é a Jherusalem. (Fazienda de Ultra Mar, 194)
Spanish; Castilian: Y dijo: ― '''Me''' tornaré a Jerusalén. (literal translation into Modern Spanish)
Portuguese: E disse: ― Tornar-'''me'''-ei a Jerusalém. (literal translation into Portuguese)
And he said: "I will return to Jerusalem." (English translation)
En pennar '''gelo''' he por lo que fuere guisado (Cantar de mio Cid, 92)
Spanish; Castilian: '''Se lo''' empeñaré por lo que sea razonable (Modern Spanish equivalent)
Portuguese: Penhorar-'''lho'''-ei pelo que for razoável (Portuguese equivalent)
I will pawn them it for whatever it be reasonable (English translation)
When there was a stressed word before the verb, the pronouns would go before the verb: non '''gelo''' empeñar he por lo que fuere guisado.
Generally, an unstressed pronoun and a verb in simple sentences combined into one word. In a compound sentence, the pronoun was found in the beginning of the clause: la manol va besar = Spanish; Castilian: la mano le va a besar.
The future subjunctive was in common use (fuere in the second example above) but it is generally now found only in legal or solemn discourse and in the spoken language in some dialects, particularly in areas of Venezuela, to replace the imperfect subjunctive.[3] It was used similarly to its Modern Portuguese counterpart, in place of the modern present subjunctive in a subordinate clause after Spanish; Castilian: si, Spanish; Castilian: cuando etc., when an event in the future is referenced:
Si vos assi lo '''fizieredes''' e la ventura me '''fuere''' complida
Mando al vuestro altar buenas donas e ricas (Cantar de mio Cid, 223–224)
Spanish; Castilian: Si vosotros así lo '''hiciereis''' y la ventura me '''fuere''' cumplida,
Spanish; Castilian: Mando a vuestro altar ofrendas buenas y ricas (Modern Spanish equivalent)
Portuguese: Se vós assim o '''fizerdes''' e a ventura me '''for''' cumprida,
Portuguese: Mando a vosso altar oferendas boas e ricas. (Portuguese equivalent.)
If you do so and fortune is favourable toward me,
I will send to your altar fine and rich offerings (English translation)
| Latin | Old Spanish | Modern Spanish | Modern Portuguese | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latin: acceptāre, captāre, effectum, respectum|italic=no | acetar, catar, efeto, respeto|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: aceptar, captar, efecto, respecto, respeto|italic=no | Portuguese: aceitar, captar, efeito, respeito|italic=no | |
| Latin: et, nōn, nōs, hīc|italic=no | e, et; non, no; nós; í|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: y, e; no; nosotros; ahí|italic=no | Portuguese: e; não; nós; aí|italic=no | |
| Latin: stābat; habuī, habēbat; facere, fecisti|italic=no | estava; ove, avié; far/fer/fazer, fezist(e)/fizist(e)|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: estaba; hube, había; hacer, hiciste|italic=no | Portuguese: estava; houve, havia; fazer, fizeste|italic=no | |
| Latin: hominem, mulierem, īnfantem|italic=no | omne/omre/ombre, mugier/muger, ifante|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: hombre, mujer, infante|italic=no | Portuguese: homem, mulher, infante|italic=no | |
| Latin: crās, māne (māneāna); numquam|italic=no | cras, man, mañana; nunqua/nunquas|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: mañana, nunca|italic=no | Portuguese: manhã, nunca|italic=no | |
| Latin: quandō, quid, quī (quem), quōmodo|italic=no | quando, que, qui, commo/cuemo|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: cuando, que, quien, como|italic=no | Portuguese: quando, que, quem, como|italic=no | |
| Latin: fīlia|italic=no | fyia, fija|italic=no | Spanish; Castilian: hija|italic=no | Portuguese: filha|italic=no |
The following is a sample from [[Cantar de Mio Cid]] (lines 330–365), with abbreviations resolved, punctuation (the original has none), and some modernized letters.[4] Below is the original Old Spanish text in the first column, along with the same text in Modern Spanish in the second column and an English translation in the third column.
{{poem quote|text=Ya [[Christian God|sennor glorioso]], [[God the Father|padre]] que en [[Heaven|çielo]] estas, [[Book of Genesis|Fezist]] çielo e tierra, el terçero el mar, Fezist estrelas e luna, e el sol pora escalentar, Prisist [[Incarnation of Jesus|en carnaçion]] en [[Mary, mother of Jesus|sancta maria madre]], En [[Bethlehem|belleem]] apareçist, commo fue tu veluntad, Pastores te glorificaron, ovieron de a laudare, [[Three Magi|Tres Reyes]] de [[arabia]] te vinieron adorar, [[Biblical Magi|Melchior e gaspar e baltasar]], [[gold|oro]] e [[frankincense|tus]] e [[myrrh|mirra]] Te offreçieron, commo fue tu veluntad. Saluest a [[Jonah|jonas]] quando cayo en la mar, Saluest a [[Daniel (biblical figure)|daniel]] con los leones en la mala carçel, Saluest dentro en [[Rome|Roma]] al sennor [[Saint Sebastian|san sabastián]], Saluest a [[Saint Susanna|sancta susanna]] del falso criminal, Por tierra andidiste xxxii annos, sennor spirital, Mostrando [[miracles of Jesus|los miraculos]], por en auemos que fablar, [[Marriage at Cana|Del agua fezist vino]] e dela piedra pan, Resuçitest a [[Lazarus of Bethany|Lazaro]], ca fue tu voluntad, Alos judios te dexeste prender, do dizen monte [[Calvary|caluarie]] [[Crucifixion of Jesus|Pusieron te en cruz]], por nombre en [[Golgotha|golgota]], Dos ladrones contigo, estos de sennas partes, El vno [[Dismas|es en parayso]], ca [[Gestas|el otro]] non entro ala, Estando en la cruz vertud fezist muy grant, [[Saint Longinus|Longinos]] era çiego, que nuquas vio alguandre, Diot con la lança enel costado, dont yxio la sangre, Corrio la sangre por el astil ayuso, las manos se ouo de vntar, Alçolas arriba, legolas a la faz, Abrio sos oios, cato atodas partes, En ti crouo al ora, por end es saluo de mal. Enel monumento Resuçitest e [[Harrowing of Hell|fust alos ynfiernos]], Commo fue tu voluntad, Quebranteste las puertas e saqueste los padres sanctos. Tueres [[king of Kings|Rey delos Reyes]] e de todel mundo padre, Ati adoro e creo de toda voluntad, E Ruego a [[Saint Peter|san peydro]] que me aiude a Rogar Por mio [[El Cid|çid el campeador]], que dios le curie de mal, Quando oy nos partimos, en vida nos faz iuntar.
Spanish; Castilian: {{poem quote|text=Oh Señor glorioso, Padre que en el cielo estás, Hiciste el cielo y la tierra, al tercer día el mar, Hiciste las estrellas y la luna, y el sol para calentar, Te encarnaste en Santa María madre, En Belén apareciste, como fue tu voluntad, Pastores te glorificaron, te tuvieron que loar, Tres reyes de Arabia te vinieron a adorar, Melchor, Gaspar y Baltasar; oro, incienso y mirra Te ofrecieron, como fue tu voluntad. Salvaste a Jonás cuando cayó en el mar, Salvaste a Daniel con los leones en la mala cárcel, Salvaste dentro de Roma al señor San Sebastián, Salvaste a Santa Susana del falso criminal, Por tierra anduviste treinta y dos años, Señor espiritual, Mostrando los milagros, por ende tenemos qué hablar, Del agua hiciste vino y de la piedra pan, Resucitaste a Lázaro, porque fue tu voluntad, Por los judíos te dejaste prender, en donde llaman Monte Calvario Te pusieron en la cruz, en un lugar llamado Golgotá, Dos ladrones contigo, estos de sendas partes, Uno está en el paraíso, porque el otro no entró allá, Estando en la cruz hiciste una virtud muy grande, Longinos era ciego que jamás se vio, Te dio con la lanza en el costado, de donde salió la sangre, Corrió la sangre por el astil abajo, las manos se tuvo que untar, Las alzó arriba, se las llevó a la cara, Abrió sus ojos, miró a todas partes, En ti creyó entonces, por ende se salvó del mal. En el monumento resucitaste y fuiste a los infiernos, Como fue tu voluntad, Quebrantaste las puertas y sacaste a los padres santos. Tú eres Rey de los reyes y de todo el mundo padre, A ti te adoro y en ti creo de toda voluntad, Y ruego a San Pedro que me ayude a rogar Por mi Cid el Campeador, que Dios le cuide del mal, Cuando hoy partamos, en vida haznos juntar.