This course aims to acquaint the foreign student with the peculiarities of the different dialects and sociolects which constitute the Spanish language; from a historical as well as a present-day perspective. We will describe the main principal tendencies and linguistic phenomena in the different varieties of our language. This course, as one can see, devotes special attention to the lexical elements of American Spanish, emphasizing the divergences with peninsular Spanish and the preferences in the use of patrimonial vocabulary. We also explain terms and phraseology of colloquial language. The classes will be essentially practical and are aimed at students with a good command of the Spanish language.

Syllabus
1. Spanish or Castillian, why? Exemplary Spanish. Criteria for idiomatic correction. Dialectal panorama of Spanish: general norms and regional or national norms.
2. Geographical varieties, social varieties and stylistic varieties. Linguistic and socio-linguistic Spanish geography.
3. Colloquial Spanish. Special language. Professional jargon and group styles. What is slang. Types of slang in Spanish.
4. Conditioning factors in semantic changes. Euphemisms and taboo words in present-day Spanish.
5. Significant changes between American Spanish and peninsular Spanish. Lexical divergences.
6. Spanish and other peninsular languages. Bilingualism. Mutual influences.characteristics of spoken Spanish in Galicia, the Basque country and Catalan-speaking areas.
7. American Spanish. Characteristics and main dialects. Other bilingual areas of the United States.
8. Historical varieties of Spanish: Mozarabic and Asturian-Leonese, characteristics and areas. Navarese-Aragonese, Jewish-Spanish and Castillian, characteristics and areas.
9. Expansion of Castillian: Present-day varieties of Spanish. American Spanish, history and development.
10. Main phonetic characteristics: Vowel and consonant system. Morphosyntactic features: the ‘voseo’ (use of ‘vos’)
11. Andalusian language, characteristics and areas.
12. Other varieties of peninsular Spanish: the Canary Islands, Extremadura and Murcia language. Characteristics and areas.
13. Colloquial phraseology in Spain and America. Practical cases.
14. Adaptation. Strategies and expressive resources. Polite forms in present day Spanish.

Activities
As a supplementary piece of work the students will have to make a recording of a live sample of speech of one or various subjects belonging to a variety of Spanish, preferably Spanish from Granada, with a duration of approximately ten minutes. This will later be transcribed standardized onto paper and a commentary will be made on the main linguistic features, based on the information given in class or in the recommended bibliography.

Assessment
This course has three tests in each semester; one of a practical nature which will be handed in two weeks before the end of the course, and two of a theoretical nature. The first of these is mid-term and will act as a guide for the student. It will be voluntary, and the mark will only be taken into account if it is beneficial for the student in his or her final mark. The second is considered as a final exam, and will include only the material explained in class. This will count for 50% of the total mark. The presentation of the practical piece of work will make up 30% and class attendance up to 20%.

Bibliography
ROSENBLAT, A., El castellano de España y el castellano de América: unidad y diferenciación, Caracas, 1962.
ZAMORA VICENTE, A., Dialectología española, Madrid, Gredos, 1967.
BEINHAUER, W., El español coloquial, Madrid, Gredos, 1968.
KANY, Ch., Semántica hispoamericana, Madrid, Aguilar, 1969.
LAPESA, R., Historia de la Lengua Española, Madrid, Gredos, 1980.
DOMÍNGUEZ, PEI, et al, El español idiomático, Barcelona, Ariel, 1988.
MORENO DE ALBA, J., El español en América, Mexico, FCE, 1991.
ALVAR, M., Manual de Dialectología Hispánica, El español de España. Barcelona, Ariel 1996.

Full Description

1. Introduction

This course has the purpose of introducing the foreign student to the peculiarities that are presented by the different dialects of the Spanish language; as much from a historical perspective as the present.

We will describe the main tendencies and the most obvious linguistic phenomena than are observed in the different varieties of our language. This program, as we can observe, dedicates a special attention to the lexical elements of American Spanish, emphasizing the divergences from peninsular Spanish and its preferences in the use of patrimonial lexicon. Also explained are terms and phrasology of colloquial language.

The classes will be essentially practical and designed for foreign students with a sufficient understanding of the Spanish language.

2. Program

Spanish or Castillian? The exemplary Spanish. Criteria of idiomatic correction. Dialectal panorama of Spanish: general norms and regional or national norms.
Geographic varieties, social varieties and varieties of style. Spanish linguistic and socio-linguistic geography.
Colloquial Spanish. The special languages. Professional speech and styles of group. What is slang. Types of slang in Spanish.
Conditioning factors of semantic changes. Eufemisms and "taboo" words in current Spanish.
Significant changes between American Spanish and the peninsular one. Lexical divergences.
The peninsular Spanish and the other languages. Bilingualism. Mutual influences. Characteristics of the Spanish spoken in Galicia, Basque Country and Catalan-speaking zones.
Spanish of the United States. Main characteristics and dialects. Other bilingual zones of America.
Historical varieties of Spanish: Mozárabe and the Astur-Leones, characteristics and areas. The Navarrese-Aragonese, Castilian Judeo-Spanish, characteristic and the areas.
Expansion of Castilian: Present varieties of Spanish. The American Spanish history and development.
Main phonetic characteristics: Vocalism and Consonantism. Morpho-syntactic characteristics: "el voseo".
Andalusian speakers, their characteristics and areas.
Other varieties of peninsular Spanish: the Canary, the frontier dweller and the Murcian. Characteristics and areas.
Colloquial phrasology in Spain and America. Practical cases.
Adjustment. Expressive strategies and resources. Formulas of courtesy in current Spanish.

Activities

As complementary work, the students will have to make a recording on living type of speech or one or more subjects pertaining to a variety of the Spanish, preferrably the "granadina", of an approximatel duration of ten minutes. Soon thereafter they will turn it in as a standardized transcription on paper and will comment on the most outstanding linguistic characteristics, being based on the separate data in class or the recommended bibliography.

Evaluation

In this subject there are three tests in each four month period; one practical type that will be given before the end of the course, and two theoretical ones.

The first of these will have a partial and orientative character for the student, and will take place at the mid-point of the course. It will be voluntary, and the grade will only considered if it benefits the student in his final evaluation. Second is the one that is considered as a final examination and covers only the contents explained in class, with a value of 50% of the final grade.

The presentation of practical work will be worth 30% of the final grade, and attendance and participation in class will be worth 20%.

Bibliography

ROSENBLAT, A., El castellano de España y el castellano de América: unidad y diferenciación, Caracas, 1962.

ZAMORA VICENTE, A., Dialectología española, Madrid, Gredos, 1967.

BEINHAUER, W., El español coloquial, Madrid, Gredos, 1968.

KANY, Ch., Semántica hispanoamericana, Madrid, Aguilar, 1969.

LAPESA, R., Historia de la Lengua Española, Madrid, Gredos, 1980.

DOMÍNGUEZ, P., y otros, El español idiomático, México, FCE, 1991.

MORENO DE ALBA, J., El español en América, México, FCE, 1991.

ALVAR, M., Manual de Dialectología Hispánica, El español de España, Barcelona, Ariel 1996.

Original Language Description

1. Introducción

Este curso tiene como finalidad acercar al estudiante extranjero a las peculiaridades que presentan los distintos dialectos y sociolectos que conforman el español; tanto desde une perspectiva histórica como actual.

Discribiremos las principales tendencias y los fenómenos lingüísticos más destacados que se observan en las distintas variedades de nuestra lengua. Este programa, como podemos observar, dedica una atención especial a los elementos léxicos del español americano, destacando las divergencias con el español peninsular y sus preferencias en el uso del léxico patrimonial. También explicamos términos y fraseología del lenguaje coloquial.

Las clases serán esencialmente prácticas y están diseñadas para estudiantes extranjeros con un suficiente dominio de la lengua española.

2. Programa

Español o castellano ¿por qué? El español ejemplar. Criterios de corrección idiomática. Panorama dialectal del español: normas generales y normas regionales o nacionales.
Variedades geográficas, variedades sociales y variedades de estilo. Geografía lingüística y sociolingüística españolas.
El español coloquial. Los lenguajes especiales. Hablas profesionales y estilos de grupo. Qué es una jerga. Tipos de jergas en español.
Factores condicionantes de los cambios semánticos. Eufemismos y palabras "tabú" en español actual.
Cambios significativos entre el español americano y el peninsular. Divergencias léxicas.
El español y las demás lenguas peninsulares. El bilingüismo. Influencias mutuas. Características del español hablado en Galicia, País Vasco y zonas catalanohablantes.
El español de los Estados Unidos. Características y dialectos principales. Otras zonas bilingües de América.
Variedades históricas del español: el mozárabe y el astur-leones, características y áreas. El navarro-aragonés, el judeo-español y el castellano, características y áreas.
Expansión del castellano: Variedades actuales del español. El español americano historia y desarrollo.
Principales características fonéticas: Vocalismo y consonantismo. Rasgos morfosintácticos: "el voseo".
Las hablas andaluzas, características y áreas.
Otras variedades del español peninsular: el canario, el extremeño y el murciano. Características y áreas.
Fraseología coloquial en España y América. Casos prácticos.
La adecuación. Estrategias y recursos expresivos. Las fórmulas de cortesía en el español actual.

Actividades

Como trabajo complementario, los alumnos tendrán que realizar una grabación sobre une muestra viva del habla de uno o varios sujetos pertenecientes a una variedad del español, preferentemente la granadina, y de una duración aproximada de diez minutos. Luego la pasarán en transcripción normalizada al papel y harán un comentario sobre los rasgos lingüísticos más destacados, basándose en los datos apartados en clase o en la bibliografía recomendada.

Evaluación

En esta asignatura contemplamos tres pruebas en cada cuatrimestre; una de tipo práctico que se entregará dos semans antes de finalizar el curso, y dos teóricas.

La primera de éstas tendrá carácter parcial y orientativo para el alumno realizándose a la mitad del curso. Será voluntaria, y la nota sólo se tendrá en cuenta si beneficia al estudiante en su evaluación final. La segunda es la que consideramos como examen final y en ella entran sólo los contenidos explicados en clase, con un valor sobre el total del 50%.

La presentación del trabajo práctico se valorará hasta un 30% y la asistencia y participación en clase hasta un 20%.

Bibliografía