Castilian and Peninsular Languages: Origins and Evolution
Origin and Development of Castilian and Other Peninsular Languages
Pre-Roman Peoples
At this time, many languages were spoken in the Iberian Peninsula. Some were related to each other, but others had very different relationships and were also of unknown origin. Before the arrival of the Romans, there were two major areas:
- South, East, and Northeast of the Peninsula: Where non-Indo-European languages were spoken, specifically Tartessian, Iberian, Basque, and Punic in the south, east, and Balearic Islands.
- Central, West, and Northwest: Where Indo-European languages were spoken, including Celtiberian and Lusitanian.
The Basque Language
The Basque language is pre-Roman and the only one that has survived to this day. However, the first written texts in Euskera did not appear until the 16th century. There are many hypotheses on the origin of this language. One relates it to Iberian Basque. Another establishes a relationship with other African languages, specifically Afro-Asiatic languages. The most likely scenario is that it has ties with the Basque language of the Caucasus. Finally, another hypothesis considers Basque a mixed language, relating it to two non-Indo-European language families.
Pre-Roman peoples have left their mark on the lexicon (e.g., *burro* (donkey), *colmena* (beehive), *perro* (dog)). Suffixes like *-arro*, *-ieo*, and *-erro* are also of pre-Roman origin. Probably the patronymic *-ez* in surnames is pre-Roman and means “son of.”
Latin
In 218 BC, the conquest and Romanization of the Iberian Peninsula began. From Catalonia and Andalusia, the Romans undertook acts of war against the peoples of the interior. The Roman conquest brought with it the imposition of the language and civilization of the invaders. The progress of the Romans was not of the same intensity in all areas of the Peninsula. In the south and east, the changes imposed by the Romans were quickly assimilated, while on the plateau and in northern Lusitania, Romanization was much slower. In the 3rd century, the Romanization of the Peninsula was complete.
The Romans spoke two linguistic varieties: Classical Latin (used in religion) and Vulgar Latin. Classical Latin was spoken by the privileged classes and taught in schools, while Vulgar Latin was used by the rest of the population. It is Vulgar Latin that gave rise to the Romance languages.
The Germanic Languages
In the 5th century, the Roman Empire collapsed in the West due to Germanic invasions. The territorial fragmentation brought about the demise of the unified Latin language. The new states were cut off from each other, and the various forms of spoken Latin evolved freely. From this, the Romance languages of Spain emerged. In 409, the Suebi, Alans, and Vandals arrived in Spain. Their presence was short-lived. However, the Visigoths achieved the almost total conquest of the Peninsula. The linguistic input of the Germanic peoples was rather poor. Nevertheless, we find some contributions in the field of anthroponyms, lexicon of Germanic origin, and even some place names. The new dialects began to diverge slowly.
Arabic
In 711, the Arabs quickly took over almost the entire Peninsula except for the north. The Peninsula was divided into two parts. By the mid-11th century, there was almost total domination by the Muslims. From this point, the progress of the Christians began, ending with the Reconquista.
Castilian, and all its varieties, has many words of Arabic origin in various fields, including agriculture, industry, commerce, the military, institutions, and also in names. Muslim culture was mainly transmitted by the Mozarabs. In the Mozarabic language, we find the earliest manifestations of the *jarchas*.