Spanish (worldwide) in Contact with Other Languages
This course offers a comprehensive historical and social panorama of language contacts between Spanish and other languages of the world, from Spain to Latin America and the United States. The course examines the major theories that have been advanced to explain how and why the various contact situations have shaped the phonology, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics of the Spanish language worldwide.
The course first explores the importance of language contacts in general. Individualized lessons that focus on specific regions: Spain and the contact of Spanish with Basque, Catalan, and Galician; Mexico, Central America and South America with their contact situations involving Nahuatl, Maya, Quechua, Aimara, and Guaraní; the Southern Cone where Spanish entered into contact with other European languages including Portuguese, Italian, English, German, and Danish; and the United States, where English and Spanish have been in intense interaction. The course also concentrates on an area that has long been Prof. Schwegler’s research focus: the impact of African languages (slave trade involving over 10 million people) on Latin American Spanish.
An important aspect of this course is that graduate students will have the opportunity to teach several of the lectures. As such, this course serves as teaching practicum — i.e., a platform on which students can build a successful (teaching) career. Taught in Spanish. The readings are mostly in Spanish. Two exams and some quizzes. No papers. (1 unit)
Required text: Carol A. Klee, Andrew Lynch, El español en contacto con otras lenguas (Georgetown University Press) 2009. The professor will provide students with electronic copies of all reading materials, textbook included. Students may of course purchase the hard copy book if they prefer but it will not be available as a hard copy at Middlebury.

This course is cross-listed with Professional Preparation for Teachers.