Etymological Context

Phonetic Analysis

Medicus combined with suffix “-ina” > melezina > medicina

  1. ME-DI-KUS-INA > ME-LI-KUS-INA by the sporadic change of the unstressed antepenultimate syllable consonant /d/ to /l/
  2. ME-LI-KUS-INA > ME-LI-KI-NA by deletion of unstressed syllable /us/
  3. ME-LI-KI-NA > ME-LI-TSI-NA by the palatalization of /k+i/ to /dz/ because it’s voiced for being an intervocalic position and it’s affricate aveolar voiceless through velar assimilation and frontness of vowel by compromised articulation [melizina]
  4. ME-LI-TSI-NA > ME-LE-TSI-NA by evolution of the unstressed syllable vowel /i/ high front to /e/ high mid front [melezina] (Old Spanish version)
  5. ME-LE-TSI-NA > ME-LE-SI-NA fricative- alveolar-voiceless OR >ME-LE-ƟI-NA fricative-interdental-voiceless (ceceantes varieties) by palatalization through velar assimilation and frontness of vowel by compromised articulation [melesina]
  6. ME-LE-SI-NA OR >ME-LE-ƟI-NA > ME-LI-SI-NA OR >ME-LI-ƟI-NA by the evolution of the unstressed syllable vowel /e/ high mid front to /i/ high front
  7. ME-LI-SI-NA OR >ME-LI-ƟI-NA > ME-DI-SI-NA OR >ME-DI-ƟI-NA by the evolution of the unstressed antepenultimate syllable consonant /l/ to /d/

***”Medicina” was the culstism competing with the vernacular form. That is, “medicina” is not derived from “MELIZINA”; this vernacular form just did not persist.***

Quando > quando > cuando- graphemic evolution phenomena

  1. KWAN-DO > KWAN-DO this word stays the same in Latin and old Spanish, but it modern Spanish, the word beginning /q/ evolves into /c/. Thus, this is a graphemic/spelling difference, not a pronunciation difference.

Complitus > cunplido > cumplido

  1. KOM-PLI-TUS > KUM-PLI-TUS by the hypercorrection by the influence of etymon “cum”, the prefix that forms this verb, changing /o/ mid high back to /u/ high back
  2. KUM-PLI-TUS > KUN-PLI-TUS when the consonant cluster /MP/ evolves to /NP/
  3. KUN-PLI-TUS > KUN-PLI-TU by word final loss of /s/
  4. KUN-PLI-TU > KUN-PLI-DU by evolution of /t/ to /d/
  5. KUN-PLI-DU > KUN-PLI-DO by evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ mid high back. This is the Old Spanish version [cunplido]
  6. KUN-PLI-DO > KUM-PLI-DO when the cluster /NP/ evolves to /MP/ [cumplido]

Nascitus > nasçido > nacido

  1. NAS-KI-TUS > NAS-KI-DUS by the epenthesis of /d/
  2. NAS-KI-DUS > NAS-KI-DU by loss of word final /s/
  3. NAS-KI-DU > NAS-KI-DO by the evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ high mid back
  4. NAS-KI-DO > NAS-TSI-DO by the palatalization of /k+i/ to /ts/ affricate aveolar voiceless through velar assimilation and frontness of vowel by compromised articulation [nasçido] this is the old Spanish version
  5. NAS-TSI-DO > NA-TSI-DO by the syncope of /s/ fricative aveolar voiceless
  6. NA-TSI-DO > NA-SI-DO fricative- alveolar-voiceless OR NA-ƟI-DO fricative-interdental-voiceless (ceceantes varieties) by degeminization [nacido] this is modern Spanish

Dixit > Dixo > dijo

  1. DI-KSIT > DI-KSI by syncope of word final /t/
  2. DI-KSI > DI-KSO by evolution of word final /i/ high front to /o/ high mid back [dixo] this is the old Spanish version
  3. DI-KSO > DI-XO by the palatalization of /-ks/ to /x/ through compromised articulation [dijo] this is the modern Spanish version. /x/ underwent a change of pronunciation from /dj/ to /j/

Filius > fijo > hijo

  1. FI-LI-US > FI-LI after syncope of word final /u/ high back and /s/ fricative alveolar voiceless
  2. FI-LI > FI- λI after palatalization of /l+i/ to /λ/ also known as a yod
  3. FI-λO > FI-XO by evolution of /λ/ to /x/ which sounds the same as /j/ from old Spanish to new Spanish which is caused by delateralization which changes intervocalic consonants
  4. FI-JO > HÍ-XO by evolution of word beginning /f/ to /h/ [hijo] this is the modern Spanish version

Spiritus > Spritu > espíritu

  1. SPI-RI-TUS > SPRI-TUS by syncope of the unstressed vowel /i/ high front. (Stressed vowel is the antepenultimate /spri/)
  2. SPRI-TUS > SPRI-TU by the loss of word final /s/ fricative-alveolar-voiceless [spritu] this is the old Spanish version
  3. SPRI-TU > ES-PRI-TU by the epenthesis of word beginning /e/ high mid front
  4. ES-PRI-TU > ES-PÍ-RI-TU by the epenthesis of interconsonantal /i/ high front, this syllable becomes the stressed syllable [espíritu] this is the modern Spanish version. Probably the cultism “espíritu” was a competing form with the vernacular based on regular phonetic evolution “spíritu”.

Septimus > seteno > séptimo

  1. SEP-TI-MUS > SE-TI-MUS by lenition of /p/
  2. SE-TI-MUS > SE-TI-MU by los of word final /s/ fricative alveolar voiceless
  3. SE-TI-MU > SE-TI-MO by evolution of word final vowel /u/ high back to /i/ high front
  4. SE-TI-MO > SE-TI-NO by regular change of intervocalic /M/ to /N/
  5. SE-TI-NO > SE-TE-NO by evolution of penultimate short syllable vowel /i/ high front to /e/ high mid front [seteno] this is the old Spanish version
  6. SE-TE-NO > SE-TE-MO by the change of intervocalic /N/ to /M/
  7. SE-TE-MO > SE-TI-MO by the evolution of the penultimate syllable vowel /e/ high mid front to /i/ high front
  8. SE-TI-MO > SÉP-TI-MO by the epenthesis of /p/ [séptimo] this is the modern Spanish version

**There are not “reverse” changes, but competing forms, some of them cultisms**

Caelum > çielo > cielo

  1. KAE-LUM > KAE-LU by loss of word final /m/
  2. KAE-LU > KE-LU by the degemination of Latin dipthong /ae/ to /e/ high mid front
  3. KE-LU > KIE-LU by regular dipthongization of /e/ mid high front to /ie/ in Spanish
  4. KIE-LU > KIE-LO by the evolution of word final /u/ high back to /o/ high mid back
  5. KIE-LO > TSIE-LO by the palatalization of /k+i/ to /ts/ affricate alveolar voiceless through velar assimilation and frontness of vowel by compromised articulation [çielo] this is the old Spanish version
  6. TSIE-LO > SIE-LO OR > ƟIE-LO by the disassimulation and it becomes interdental to stay more different of all newly created palatal sounds, all pronounced too close together, it merges with the already existing /s/ by way of /ts/ affricate alveolar voiceless to /s/ fricative alveolar voiceless or /Ɵ/ fricative interdental voiceless [cielo] this is the modern Spanish version

 

Adsedentare > assenter > sentar

  1. AD-SE-DEN-TA-RE > AD-SE-DEN-TAR through loss of word final /e/ high mid front
  2. AD-SE-DEN-TAR > AD-SEEN-TAR by loss of intervocalic /d/
  3. AD-SEEN-TAR > AD-SEN-TAR by assimilation of /ee/ to /e/ high mid front
  4. AD-SEN-TAR > AS-SEN-TAR through assimilation of /d/ to /s/
  5. AS-SEN-TAR > AS-SEN-TER by evolution of a competing form in -er, reinterpreted as a second class.conjugation, of interconsonantal /a/ low center to /e/ high mid front [assenter] this is the old Spanish version
  6. AS-SEN-TER > AS-EN-TER by the degeminization of /s/
  7. AS-EN-TER > SEN-TER by the syncope of unstressed vowel /a/ low center
  8. SEN-TER > SEN-TAR by the competition between interpretation of verb as first or second class/conjugation. This is based on phonetic evolution neither regular nor sporadic of interconsonantal /e/ high mid front to /a/ low center [sentar] this is the modern Spanish version

Merescat > Meresca > merezca

  1. ME-RES-CAT > ME-RES-CA by loss of word final /t/ this is the Old Spanish version
  2. ME-RES-CA > ME-RETS-CA by evolution of /s/ to /ts/, which represents the grapheme “z”

Inviare > Enbiar > enviar

  1. IN-WI-ARE > EN-WI-ARE by the evolution of the unstressed vowel /i/ high front to /e/ high mid front
  2. EN-WI-ARE > EN-BI-ARE by the evolution of /v/ to /b/ in Spanish
  3. EN-BI-ARE > EN-BI-AR by the loss of word final /e/ high mid front [enbiar] this is the old Spanish version which is [enviar] in the modern Spanish version, which is just a graphemic change- the sound doesn’t change.

Verb Morphology Analysis

DICERE [DI-KE-RE] > DEZIR [DE-DZIR] > DECIR [DE-ƟIR] OR [DE-SIR]

The text includes the infinitive of the verb dezir. The verb dezir belongs to class III which were rhizotonic (stressed on the root). Class III was later abolished and verbs in class III assimilated to either class II or IV. The verb dezir assimilated to class IV, which is why the ending of dicere (-ere) evolved to dezir and decir (-ir). Palatalization induced vowel raising raises a point in place of stress in the stem. Therefore, the stem part of the verb changed from di- to de-. Originally stress induced allomorphy, the stem changed-boot pattern was then adapted by analogy. Thus in the conjugated forms of dezir, the stem changed-boot pattern goes from de- to di-. The way that the modern Spanish ‘c’ is pronounced is based on whether the speaker is accustomed to using seseante or ceceante varieties.

SCRIBAM [S-KRI-BAM] > ESCRIVA [ES-KRI-BA] > ESCRIBA [ES-KRI-BA]

This text includes the first person singular subjunctive form of the verb escrivir in Old Spanish. The verb escrivir belongs to the IV class due to its -ir ending and also the fact that it is not rhizotonic (the stress isn’t on the root). During the change from classical Latin to Old Spanish, an /e/ mid high front, was inserted into the beginning, as is to be expected in words that begin with /s/ in Latin. The /b/ in the Latin version changed to “v” in the Old Spanish version because the letter “v” in Spanish is pronounced like the letter “b” in Latin- /b/. The likely reason that the modern Spanish version reverted to the Latin spelling is due to hypercorrection.

RECEPISTE [RE-KE-PIS-TE] > RREÇIBISTE [RE-TSI-BIS-TE] > RECIBISTE [RE-SI-BIS-TE] OR [RE-ƟI-BIS-TE]

This text includes the second person singular preterit version of the verb rreçibir which belongs to the IV class due to its -ir endings and that it is not rhizotonic. The Latin beginning of /r/ evolved into /rr/ in Old Spanish, but just graphemically because it’s a graphemic representation of multivabrant /r/. In modern Spanish, the /rr/ graphemic representation assimilated into the /r/ because in modern Spanish all /r/ that begin words are multivabrant, so there doesn’t need to be a distinction. The evolution of Latin /p/ to Spanish /b/ was caused by lenition. Then, the unstressed /e/ mid high front that is placed after the “c”, evolved to /i/ high front in Old Spanish. After this change the Latin word had /k+i/ which naturally evolves to /ts/ “ç” in Old Spanish through palatalization and then to /s/ “c” (seseantes) or /Ɵ/ “c” (ceceantes) in modern Spanish, depending on the region the speaker is from.

SUBIRE [SU-BI-RE] > SOBIR [SO-BIR] > SUBIR [SU-BIR]

The text includes the infinitive of sobir which belonged to class III of verbs which later was eliminated and turned into either class II or IV. This verb evolved into class IV due to its -ir ending. The word final /e/ high mid back in the Latin version was lost when the verb evolved into Old Spanish. Palatalization-induced vowel raising causes the change from the Latin /u/ high back to Old Spanish /o/ mid high back. Originally stress induced allomorphy, the stem changed-boot pattern was then adapted by analogy. Thus, in the conjugated forms of sobir, the stem changed-boot pattern goes from so- to su-. The modern Spanish version however contains a hypercorrection and it reverted to the Latin vowel /u/ high back because it was a long vowel and is used the conjugations.

 

INVIARE [IN-WIA-RE] > ENBIAR [EN-BI-AR] > ENVIAR [EN-BI-AR]

In the text the infinitive verb enbiar is used which belongs to the verb class I due to its -ar ending. In the change from Latin to Old Spanish, the Latin word final /e/ high mid front was lost. Then, there was the regular evolution of the prefix “in-” in the Latin version to “en-” in the Spanish version. The “v” in the Latin etymon, pronounced /w/ evolved to /b/ in Old Spanish due to fortition. The /b/ in Old Spanish stays /b/ in modern Spanish, but the morpheme reverts to the Latin “v” due to hypercorrection.

 

STABAS [S-TÁ-BAS] > ESTAVAS [ES-TÁ-BAS] > ESTABAS [ES-TÁ-BAS]

The conjugated second person singular imperfect verb estavas comes from the Latin infinitive stare which belongs to verb class I due to the -are ending. In Latin, Old Spanish, and modern Spanish, the penultimate syllable /a/ low center is the stressed syllable. During the change from classical Latin to Old Spanish, an /e/ mid high front, was inserted into the beginning, as is to be expected in words that begin with /s/ in Latin. The /b/ in the Latin version changed to “v” in the Old Spanish version because the letter “v” in Spanish is pronounced like the letter “b” in Latin- /b/. The likely reason that the modern Spanish version reverted to the Latin spelling is due to hypercorrection.

Analysis of noun/adjective morphology

Phrase: de ti nasçido

Modern translation: de ti nacido

The old Spanish second singular non-subject ‘ti’ /ti/ comes from Latin ‘te’ /e/, a short high mid front. Because the high mid front was short in latin, it was more vulnerable to vowel evolution. Thus, in old Spanish the non-subject second singular changed from ‘te’ in Latin to ‘ti’ in both Old Spanish and the Modern Spanish translation.

Phrase: El Segundo

Modern translation: el Segundo

The old Spanish ‘el’ definite article comes from unstressed definite article in Latin ‘Ille’. Because it was unstressed in Latin, the /-ll-/ reduced to /l/ instead of palatalizing to (gamma). This should yield Old Spanish ‘ele’, but my version of the Old Spanish text uses ‘el’ which is also the Modern Version. Going off the evolution to ‘ele’ the redundant first syllable was lost in all forms except the masculine singular, which is why the modern version of ‘ille’ is ‘el’.

Phrase: Al çielo

Modern Translation: al cielo

The Old Spanish ‘çielo’ comes from Latin ‘caelum’. ‘Caelum’ is a masculine noun and belongs to the 2nd declension which is masculine. After the reconstructed popular Latin two-case system, the 2nd declension stays masculine, but the noun could be either nomitive or non-nomitive. In Spanish, both options in the Latin two-case system yield the same ending to words which is /o/ mid high back. Therefore, it is to be expected that the Old Spanish ‘çielo’ is masculine, as is the modern translation ‘cielo’.

Phrase: quarta alegría

Modern Translation: cuarta alegría

The Old Spanish word quarta comes from the Latin word ‘quartus’. ‘Quartus’ belongs to the second declension and is masculine. After the reconstructed popular Latin two-case system, the 2nd declension stays masculine, but the noun could be either nomitive or non-nomitive. In Spanish, both options in the Latin two-case system yield the same ending to words which is /o/ mid high back. The old Spanish word ‘quarta’ would be expected to be masculine and be ‘quarto’. However, since ‘quarta’ is a descriptive word, based on Spanish grammar rules, the descriptive word needs to match the gender of the noun that it is describing. Since in this example, ‘quarta’ is describing ‘alegría’ (a feminine noun), ‘quarta’ needs to have a feminine ending to match ‘alegría’.

Phrase: por te servir

Modern translation: por servirte

The Old Spanish second singular light non-subject pronoun ‘te’ comes from the Latin non-subject pronoun ‘te’ with /e/ short high mid front. What is interesting about the pronoun use in Latin and Old Spanish is the position of the pronoun before the verb. In Modern Spanish, the pronoun is usually placed after the verb if it is an infinitive.

Phrase: Á los reyes

Modern translation: Á los reyes

The Old Spanish plural definite article ‘los’ comes from the unstressed plural definite article in Latin ‘illos’. Because it was unstressed in Latin, the /-ll-/ reduced to /l/ instead of palatalizing to (gamma). This should yield Old Spanish ‘elos’, but my version of the Old Spanish text uses ‘los’ which is also the Modern Version. Going off the evolution to ‘elos’ the redundant first syllable was lost in all forms except the masculine singular. Therefore, the more modern version in Spanish is ‘los’.

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