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  5. History of the Portuguese Language

History of the Portuguese Language

Objectives

By the end of this unit, students should be able to:

a) Identify key characteristics of Portuguese in relation to its historical development.

b) Characterize Portuguese through its distinguishing features, contrasting with other Romance languages.

c) Describe major linguistic changes that shaped Portuguese within the Romance and Hispanic contexts.

d) Link historical language changes to various conditioning factors.

e) Develop basic analytical skills to examine texts from different periods as historical sources.

f) Relate contemporary Portuguese variation to its historical evolution.

g) Critically assess interpretative proposals on language history, including periodization and non-linguistic influences.

Teaching methods (lectures, document analysis, comparative studies, and practical exercises) ensure students gain both theoretical knowledge and analytical skills in historical linguistics.

General characterization

Code

711131056

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Sandra Maria de Brito Pereira

Hours

Weekly - 4

Total - 168

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

NA

Bibliography

  • Alkire, T. & Rosen, C. (2010). Romance languages. A historical introduction. Cambridge University Press.
  • Brocardo, M. T. (2014). Tópicos de história da língua portuguesa. Colibri.
  • Brocardo, M. T. & Lopes, C. R. S. (2016). History and Current Setting. In Wetzels, W. L., Menuzzi, S. & Costa, J. (eds.) The
  • Handbook of Portuguese Linguistics (pp. 1-14). Wiley Blackwell.
  • Herman, J. (2000). Vulgar Latin. Pennsylvania State University Press.
  • Martins, A. M. (2016). O português numa perspetiva diacrónica e comparativa. In Martins, A. M. & Carrilho, E. (eds.) Manual de
  • Linguística Portuguesa (pp. 1-39). De Gruyter.
  • Teyssier, P. (1982). História da Língua Portuguesa. Sá da Costa.
  • Williams, E. B. (1975). Do latim ao português. Fonologia e morfologia históricas da língua portuguesa. Tempo Brasileiro.

Teaching method

The classes combine theory and practice, integrating lectures with hands-on analysis of each topic. The methodology develops both theoretical knowledge and analytical skills. Lectures provide a foundation in the evolution of Portuguese, supporting outcomes (a), (b), (c), and (d). Systematic analysis of historical texts (modules ii, iii, iv) enhances linguistic description and textual analysis skills (e), essential for understanding language change. Comparative studies (module v) reinforce outcomes (b) and (f). Group discussions and problem-solving activities foster critical engagement (g). The Nonio platform supports learning with lecture materials, historical texts, and readings. This structured approach combines conceptual explanations with text-based analysis to deepen understanding of Portuguese evolution.

Evaluation method

Continuous assessment - Test 1(40%), Test 2(40%), Worksheet or assignment(20%)

Subject matter

i. The Formation of Portuguese

The Romance languages as a continuation and divergence from Latin. Pan-Romance/differentiating changes. Preservation vs. innovation in the early Portuguese-speaking area.

ii. The Transition to Writing

The shift from writing in Latin to writing in Portuguese.

iii. Medieval Portuguese

Analysis of texts from surviving documentation of the 13th and 14th centuries. Old and Middle Portuguese – changes completed or still evolving in the 15th century and issues of periodisation.

iv. Portuguese from the 16th Century Onwards

The writings of 16th- and 17th-century grammarians as sources for the history of the language. Innovations of Classical and Modern Portuguese.

v. A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Portuguese

Dialectal variation in European Portuguese – its relation to historical language changes. Features of unity and variation in different usage contexts. Brazilian Portuguese – distinguishing features explainable diachronically.