A Brief History of the Spanish Language by David A Pharies

A Brief History of the Spanish Language by David A Pharies

Spanish is the fourth-most-widely spoken language in the world and a language of ever-increasing importance in the United States. In what will likely become the introduction to the history of the Spanish language, David A. Pharies clearly and concisely charts the evolution of Spanish from its Indo-European roots to its present form. An internationally recognized expert on the history and development of this language, Pharies brings to his subject a precise sense of what students of Spanish linguistics need to know. After introductory chapters on what it means to study the history of a language, the concept of linguistic change, and the nature of language families, Pharies traces the development of Spanish from its Latin roots, all while keeping technical language to a minimum. In the core sections of the book, readers are treated to an engaging and remarkably succinct presentation of the genealogy and development of the language, including accounts of the structures and peculiarities of Latin, the historical and cultural events that deeply influenced the shaping of the language, the nature of Medieval Spanish, the language myths that have become attached to Spanish, and the development of the language beyond the Iberian Peninsula, especially in the Americas. Focusing on the most important facets of the language's evolution, this compact work makes the history of Spanish accessible to anyone with a knowledge of Spanish and a readiness to grasp basic linguistic concepts. Available in both English and Spanish editions, "A Brief History of the Spanish Language" provides a truly outstanding introduction to the exciting story of one of the world's great languages.

David A. Pharies is professor of Spanish and linguistics and chair of the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Florida. He is also editor-in-chief of the best-selling The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary, Fifth Edition.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780226666839
ISBN 10	0226666832
Title	A Brief History of the Spanish Language
Author	David A Pharies
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	The University of Chicago Press
Year published	2007-05-01
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.