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Spanish Socio-Historical Linguistics: Isolation and contact
Edited by Whitney Chappell and Bridget Drinka
[Advances in Historical Sociolinguistics 12] 2021
► pp. 17–48

Complexification of the early modern Spanish address system: A role for koineization?

| Emory University

The Spanish system of address pronouns suffered a dramatic increase in complexity between the 15th and 17th centuries. This study aims to explain how and why this change (or set of changes) took place when and where it did by using the model of koineization as a heuristic device. It argues that sociocultural factors (particularly widespread social status anxiety) and the salience of address forms played a primary role in driving the changes forward. It also argues, however, that sociodemographic factors associated with koineization (demographic movement and dialect mixing) contributed significantly to the timing, rapidity, location, and specific outcomes, including the grammaticalization of vuestra merced to usted and numerous other reduced forms.

Keywords: actuation, koineization, new-dialect formation, heuristic, address forms, grammaticalization, complexification, Spanish, vuestra merced, usted
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.What is koineization?
  • 3.Koineization in early modern Spain and the new world
  • 4.Forms of address in koineization
  • 5.Complexification of the early modern Spanish address system
  • 6.Actuation of changes in the address pronoun system(s)
    • 6.1Setting the stage: Change in 15th-century court society and address
    • 6.2Early modern developments
  • 7.Conclusion: A role for koineization?
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 13 May 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ahs.12.c02tut
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