How was this pronounced in 14th century native Spain?

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In summary, the discussion is about Columbus Day and how it was originally pronounced in Castilla y León.
  • #1
mesa
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Colon_zps48a27485.png
 
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  • #2
guess: cologne?
 
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  • #3
That's what I thought...
 
  • #4
A pronunciation site I found pronounces it "cool loan". No idea what that would imply for 14th century, though...
 
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  • #5
Pythagorean said:
...no idea what that would imply for 14th century, though

It's Colombus/Colon Day :)
 
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  • #6
Could this be a trick question? In the 14th Century there was no such place as "Spain". You had Castile, Aragon, Leon, Navarre, etc. Spain as a political unit didn't really exist until the late 15th century with the fall of Granada and the end of the Reconquista.
 
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  • #7
Maybe 15th cent Spain, or rather what became Spain, would be a better context.

Isabella I (Spanish: Isabel I, Old Spanish: Ysabel I; 22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504), also known as Isabella the Catholic, was queen of Castile and León (Crown of Castile). She and her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, brought stability to the kingdoms that became the basis for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. . . . . Isabella and Ferdinand are known . . . . and for supporting and financing Christopher Columbus' 1492 voyage . . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_I_of_Castile

So it's perhaps best to consider how the name was pronounced in Castilla y León.
 
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  • #8
Vanadium 50 said:
Could this be a trick question? In the 14th Century there was no such place as "Spain". You had Castile, Aragon, Leon, Navarre, etc. Spain as a political unit didn't really exist until the late 15th century with the fall of Granada and the end of the Reconquista.

Astronuc said:
May 15th cent Spain, or rather what became Spain, would be a better context.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_I_of_Castile

So it's perhaps best to consider what how the name was pronounced in Castilla y León.

Sorry, that should have read '15th century', don't drink and post kids...

The point was how 15th century Spanish pronounced 'Columbus' as being very similar to 'Colon', somewhat appropriate considering the kind of person he really was... and that's all ;)

Hope you all had a great Fall Break!
 
  • #9
I'm pretty sure Spanish-speaking people still call him Cristobal Colón, except when they're talking to English speakers in English.
 
  • #10
jtbell said:
I'm pretty sure Spanish-speaking people still call him Cristobal Colón, except when they're talking to English speakers in English.

Probably, the point being it was the people that knew him in the 15th century that first established him as 'Colon'. Don't look too deeply into this one guys, it's just simple humor and my kids thought was hilarious, I need to spend more time with adults...
 
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1. How was the Spanish letter "j" pronounced in the 14th century?

The Spanish letter "j" was pronounced as a guttural sound, similar to the "ch" sound in Scottish "loch" or German "Bach". This sound eventually evolved into the modern pronunciation of "h".

2. Were there any significant differences in pronunciation between different regions of Spain in the 14th century?

Yes, there were some differences in pronunciation between regions in Spain during the 14th century. For example, the letter "s" was often pronounced differently in northern and southern Spain, with a more lisping sound in the north and a sharper "s" sound in the south.

3. How were vowels pronounced in 14th century Spanish?

Vowels were pronounced similarly to how they are today, with a few exceptions. The letter "u" was often pronounced as a "w" sound, and the letter "i" was sometimes pronounced as a long "e" sound.

4. Did the pronunciation of Spanish words change significantly from the 14th century to modern times?

Yes, there have been significant changes in Spanish pronunciation over the centuries, due to various historical, cultural, and linguistic influences. Some letters, such as "x" and "h", were eventually dropped from the Spanish alphabet entirely.

5. How can we know for certain how words were pronounced in 14th century native Spain?

We can make educated guesses about 14th century Spanish pronunciation based on historical documents, linguistic studies, and comparisons with modern Spanish dialects. However, since there were no audio recordings from that time period, we cannot know for certain exactly how words were pronounced.

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