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Ola! Llamome Andy. Cuemo estades vos?
Hello! My name is Andy. How are you?
Let's talk about the Old Castilian language.

Old Castilian (or Castilian romance) was a medieval Ibero-Romance language that developed from one of the dialects of common Ibero-Romance following the Arab conquest of most of the Iberian Peninsula. However, the author of this text also does not exclude the possibility of the Castilian language emerging from Asturleonese, or the existence of a single dialect, which then split into Proto-Asturleonese and Proto-Old Castilian languages, as indicated by the clear tendency to a common type of grammar, spelling and phonology (especially, diphtongization) of the original versions of both languages, which not observed in the Lusitanian (Galaico-Portuguese) branch.

Old Castilian, the first stage of Spanish, evolved over 500 years, with significant changes occurring for 200 years after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa and the Reconquest of the southern Iberian Peninsula. This evolution led to Middle Castilian or Middle Spanish, which is much closer to modern Spanish and was the language of Miguel de Cervantes. By the late 18th century, it transitioned into Modern Castilian, the Spanish we know today. Old Castilian originated in a small area between the ancient Asturian and Basque regions, roughly corresponding to Eastern Cantabria, Burgos province, and western La Rioja. It shows Basque and Celtic influences. The earliest features of Old Castilian appear in 9th-century documents from Burgos monasteries, where non-Latin words can be detected in official Latin texts. The first complete work in medieval Spanish is the "Cantar de Mio Çid" (1207), celebrating the hero Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. Another significant work is the "Cantigas de Santa María" by King Alfonso X of Castile, written in Galician-Portuguese but considered a Castilian legacy. Both works are key heritage pieces of medieval Castilian literature, comparable to the troubadour works of Galicia and Occitania.

In the future, the history of Castilian Romance endures significant changes with its unification and officialization by Kings Alfonso X the Wise and Ferdinand III the Saint in the mid-13th century. This marks the beginning of Castilian's dominance over the Iberian Peninsula, overshadowing Asturleonese and Aragonese. This period also saw extreme linguistic evolution, transitioning into the language of Cervantes. Influenced by pre-Romanesque (Celtic) substrates, Visigothic superstrate, and Arabic during the Reconquest, Castilian transformed from its medieval form. By 1500, Old Castilian had evolved into Middle Spanish, entering a new stage in its history. Our task is to remember, illuminate, and study this transformation.


This video is created for educational, language awareness, and language preservation purposes. It aims to provide valuable insights and knowledge to viewers, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of different languages and their unique characteristics. By raising awareness about linguistic diversity, the video seeks to foster a greater respect and recognition for various languages, particularly those that are endangered or underrepresented. Additionally, it contributes to the preservation of languages by documenting and sharing linguistic knowledge, thus ensuring that these languages and their cultural heritage are not lost to future generations.

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