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Catalan Historical Grammar

Code: 105832
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OB 3
Catalan and Spanish Studies OP 3
Catalan and Spanish Studies OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Mar Massanell Messalles
Email :
mar.massanell@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

None.

Objectives

Study the main phoneticophonological and morphosyntactic changes involved in the formation and evolution of the Catalan language.

Learning outcomes

  1. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.
  2. Identify principal and secondary ideas and express them using correct language.
  3. Situate oral and written Catalan texts in time and space.
  4. Express oneself with orthophonic correctness in standard Catalan.
  5. Match the known internal and external properties of the language to the different conditions of use.
  6. Identify causes of variation deriving from register.
  7. Apply the principles of correctness required in the standard language and the different registers and variants.
  8. Use technological resources (digital and audiovisual) to acquire knowledge and apply it in language and literature.
  9. Identify the contexts in which historical processes are immersed.
  10. Interpret texts in depth and provide standpoints from which to analyse them critically.
  11. Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  12. Gain a greater capacity for reading, interpreting and critically analysing literary and linguistic texts.
  13. Make appropriate use of the knowledge acquired in order to collect data and handle documentary sources in the study of Catalan language and literature.
  14. Work self-sufficiently on the synchronic and diachronic study of Catalan language and literature.
  15. Respect the opinions, values, behaviour and customs of others.
  16. Distinguish between grammatical gender and natural gender.
  17. Describe the historical evolution of the use of the Catalan language.
  18. Interpret the problem areas and factors that have conditioned the use of the Catalan language throughout history in a multicultural society.
  19. Identify the main and secondary ideas and express them with linguistic correctness.
  20. Strengthen the capacity of reading, interpretation and critical analysis of literary texts and language.
  21. Properly apply the knowledge gained to data collection and management of documentary sources application to the study of Catalan language and literature.
  22. Produce written and oral texts with correction rules.
  23. Maintain an attitude of respect for the opinions, values, behaviors and practices of others.
  24. Identify the context in which the historical processes enroll.
  25. Be able to situate the Catalan oral and written texts in time and space.
  26. Describe and interpret the historical evolution of the linguistic elements of the Catalan language.
  27. Assess linguistic diversity from a diachronic point of view.

Contents

- Linguistic change, grammaticalization, phonetic laws and sporadic changes.

- Study of the main phonetic-phonological, morphological and syntactic processes from Latin to Catalan.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Flipped classroom, master classes, seminars 45 1.8
Preparation of individual / team work, study and personal work 75 3
Resolution of exercises / problems / cases, tutorials 27 1.08

The dedication required to follow this subject of 6 ECTS credits is about 150 hours of student’s work, 45 of which spent in directed activities (flipped classroom, master classes, seminars), 30 in supervised activities (resolution of exercises / problems / cases, tutorials), 75 in autonomous activities (preparation of individual / team work, study and personal work) and 3 in in-class exams.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Active participation in class and carrying out complementary activities 10% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Written test 2 30% 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Submission of a take-home paper 30% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Written test 1 30% 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

The evaluation will be based on three evidence types:

- Active participation in class and carrying out complementary activities (10%).

- Submission of a take-home paper (30%).

- Two written tests (30% and 30%).

At the beginning of each evaluation activity, the professor will inform the students about review of grade procedure and date. The minimum grade to pass the course is 5.

Students will be considered “non-assessable” unless they have submitted more than 30% of assessment items. To qualify for the second-chance test, two conditions must be met: (1) the student must have been evaluated of at least 2/3 of the total grade of the course and (2) he must have a continuous evaluation mark between 3.5 and 4.8. The second-change test will consist of a global test on the contents of the subject.

In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.

This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

Exchange students who request to sit an exam earlier must submit to the instructor a written document from their home university justifying this request.

Single assessment

The single assessment will be based on three types of evidence, which must be carried out or delivered on the same day:

- Resolution of a practice (10%).

- Delivery of a work (40%).

- Written test (50%).

Students under single assessment must have completed all the planned activities in order to be eligible for second-chance test.

The same second-chance test method as for the continuos assessment will be used.

Bibliography

Alcover, Antoni Maria & Francesc de Borja Moll (1926-68, 1975-19772 [1993]). Diccionari català-valencià-balear [DCVB], 10 vol. Palma de Mallorca: Moll. Accessible in: https://dcvb.iec.cat/

Badia i Margarit, Antoni Maria (1951). Gramática histórica catalana. Barcelona: Noguer. Catalan translation: (1981 [19943]). Gramàtica històrica catalana. València: Tres i Quatre.

Batlle, Mar, Joan Martí i Castell, Josep Moran & Joan Anton Rabella (2016). Gramàtica històrica de la llengua catalana. Barcelona: Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat.

Colomina i Castanyer, Jordi (1999). Dialectologia catalana. Introducció i guia bibliogràfica. Alacant: Universitat d’Alacant.

Coromines, Joan (1980-2001 [1995-2001]). Diccionari etimològic i complementari de la llengua catalana [DECat], 10 vol. Barcelona: Curial / La Caixa. Accessible in: https://decat.iec.cat/

Coromines, Joan (1976 [19894]). Lleures i converses d’un filòleg. Barcelona: Club Editor.

Duarte i Montserrat, Carles & Àlex Alsina i Keith (1984). Gramàtica històrica del català, vol. 1 (I. Origen i formació, II. Fonologia). Barcelona: Curial.

Duarte i Montserrat, Carles & Àlex Alsina i Keith (1986a). Gramàtica històrica del català, vol. 2 (III. Morfologia flexiva). Barcelona: Curial.

Duarte i Montserrat, Carles & Àlex Alsina i Keith (1986b). Gramàtica històrica del català, vol. 3 (IV. Morfologia lèxica). Barcelona: Curial.

Ferrando Francés, Antoni & Miquel Nicolás Amorós (2011). Història de la llengua catalana (Nova edició revisada i ampliada). Barcelona: Editorial UOC.

Fouché, Pierre (1924a). Phonétique historique du roussillonnais. Tolosa: Privat. [Reprinted in Ginebra in 1980 by Slatkine Reprints].

Fouché, Pierre (1924b). Morphologie historique du roussillonnais. Tolosa: Privat. [Reprinted in Ginebra in 1980 by Slatkine Reprints].

Griera, Antoni (1931). Gramàtica històrica del català antic. Barcelona: Institució Patxot. Spanish translation: (1965), Gramática histórica catalana, Sant Cugat del Vallès: Instituto Internacional de Cultura Románica.

Martí i Castell, Joan (1990). Gramàtica històrica. Problemes i mètodes. València: Universitat de València.

Martines, Josep & Manuel Pérez Saldanya (coord.) (2005). Special issue«Sintaxi històrica», Caplletra, 38, p. 93-301. Accessible in: https://turia.uv.es/index.php/caplletra/ca/issue/view/374

Massanell i Messalles, Mar (2020). «No m’à romasa sinó la honestat». Rere la petja d’una innovació lingüística en el pas del català antic al modern. Barcelona: Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat.

Massanell i Messalles, Mar (2019). «Que ja·s parla different que·s parlava deu anys ha esta part. El català modern: la baula imprescindible», Caplletra, 66, p. 183-206. Accessible in: https://turia.uv.es/index.php/caplletra/ca/article/view/13509

Massanell i Messalles, Mar (coord.) (2018). Special issue «Morfologia històrica de la llengua catalana». Anuari de Filologia. Estudis de Lingüística, 8, p. 85-319. Accessible in: https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/AFEL/issue/view/2084

Moll, Francesc de Borja (1952). Gramática histórica catalana. Madrid: Gredos. Catalan translation: (1991). Gramàtica històrica catalana. València: Universitat de València. Second Catalan edition, revised and annotated by Joaquim Martí Mestre, in collaboration with Jesús Giménez: (2006). Gramàtica històrica catalana. València: Universitat de València.

Moran i Ocerinjauregui, Josep & Joan Anton Rabella i Ribas (2001). Primers textos de la llengua catalana. Barcelona: Proa.

Nadal, Josep Maria & Modest Prats (1982). Història de la llengua catalana. I. Dels inicis al segle XV. Barcelona: Edicions 62.

Nadal, Josep Maria & Modest Prats (1996). Història de la llengua catalana. II. El segle XV. Barcelona: Edicions 62.

Pérez Saldanya, Manuel (1998 [20022]). Del llatí al català. Morfosintaxi verbal històrica. València: Universitat de València.

Rasico, Philip D. (1982). Estudis sobre la fonologia del català preliterari. Barcelona: Curial / Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat.

Recasens, Daniel (2017). Fonètica històrica del català. Barcelona: Institut d’Estudis Catalans. Accessible in: https://publicacions.iec.cat/repository/pdf/00000333/00000031.pdf

Recasens, Daniel (2026). A historical phonetics and phonology of the Catalan language. Berlin: De Gruyter.

Veny, Joan (199812 [1978]). Els parlars catalans. Mallorca: Moll.

Veny, Joan & Mar Massanell i Messalles (2015). Dialectologia catalana. Aproximació pràctica als parlars catalans. Barcelona/Alacant/València: Universitat de Barcelona / Universitat d’Alacant / Universitat de València.

Software

None specific.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed