Romani Studies

The oldest attestation of the Romani language in Spain: The Aucto del finamiento de Jacob (sixteenth century)

Romani Studies (2013), 23, (2), 245–255.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3828/rs.2013.12
Language
English
Pages
11

Abstract

The first document of Romani language in Spain is contained in a dramatic work roughly dating from the second half of the sixteenth century. There a Gypsy couple appears using words whose Romani character is beyond doubt, although the interpretation of the phrases, where they are recorded, is rather difficult. This attestation was noted by Carlos Claveria many years ago, but has gone practically unnoticed since then, and to my knowledge no attempt at interpretation has been essayed. In this paper the concerned passages will be edited and some proposals of analysis will be presented, enough to confirm the very Romani character of the words used. If this analysis is correct, the Auto del finamiento de Jacob can be taken as one of the oldest attestations of the Romani language in the world. Although the precise dating of the work is uncertain, the copy of the codex where it appears can be confidently situated in the last third of the sixteenth century, and the dramatic works included there are dated between 1550 and 1575.

Access Token

FormatArticle

£25.00
READ THIS ARTICLE
References
Full Text
PDF
If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Adiego, Ignasi-Xavier. 2002. Un vocabulario español-gitano del Marqués de Sentmenat (1697-1762). Barcelona: Edicions Universitat de Barcelona. Un vocabulario español-gitano del Marqués de Sentmenat (1697-1762) Google Scholar

Alonso, Amado. 1969. De la pronunciación medieval a la moderna en español, vol. 2. Ultimado y dispuesto para la imprenta por Rafael Lapesa. Madrid: Gredos. De la pronunciación medieval a la moderna en español, vol. 2. Ultimado y dispuesto para la imprenta por Rafael Lapesa Google Scholar

Bakker, Peter. 1995. Notes on the genesis of Caló and other Iberian Para-Romani varieties. In: Matras, Yaron, ed. Romani in contact: The history, structure and sociology of a language. Amsterdam/Phildelphia: John Benjamins. 125-50. Romani in contact: The history, structure and sociology of a language 125 50 Google Scholar

Bakker, Peter. 1999. The Northern branch of Romani: Mixed and non-mixed varieties. In: Halwachs, Dieter W. & Florian Menz, eds. Die Sprache der Roma: Perspektiven der Romani-Forschung in Österreich im interdisziplinären und internationalen Kontext. Klagenfurt: Drava. 179-202. Die Sprache der Roma: Perspektiven der Romani-Forschung in Österreich im interdisziplinären und internationalen Kontext 179 202 Google Scholar

Bakker, Peter and Hristo Kyuchukov, eds. 2000. What is the Romani language? Hertfordshire: University of Hertfordshire Press. What is the Romani language? Google Scholar

Bakker, Peter and Yaron Matras. 2003. Bibliography of modern Romani linguistics. Amsterdam/Phildelphia: John Benjamins. Bibliography of modern Romani linguistics Google Scholar

Boretzky, Norbert. 1999. Die Verwandschaftsbeziehungen zwischen den Südbalkanischen Romani-Dialecten. Frankfurt: Peter Lang. Die Verwandschaftsbeziehungen zwischen den Südbalkanischen Romani-Dialecten Google Scholar

Borrow, George. 1841. The Zincali; or: An account of the Gypsies of Spain. With an original collection of their songs and poetry, and a copious dictionary of their language. London: Murray. The Zincali; or: An account of the Gypsies of Spain. With an original collection of their songs and poetry, and a copious dictionary of their language Google Scholar

Brotherton, John. 1975. The ‘pastor-bobo’ in the Spanish theatre. London: Tamesis Books. The ‘pastor-bobo’ in the Spanish theatre Google Scholar

Clavería, Carlos. 1953. Nuevas notas sobre los gitanismos del español. Boletín de la Real Academia 33: 73-93. Nuevas notas sobre los gitanismos del español Boletín de la Real Academia 33 73 93 Google Scholar

Leblon, Bernard. 1982. Les Gitans dans la littérature espagnole. Toulouse: France-Ibérie Recherche. Les Gitans dans la littérature espagnole Google Scholar

Matras, Yaron. 2002. Romani: A linguistic introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Romani: A linguistic introduction Google Scholar

Pérez Priego, Miguel Ángel. 1988. Códice de Autos Viejos. Selección. Edición, introducción y notas de M. Á. Pérez Priego. Madrid: Castalia. Códice de Autos Viejos. Selección. Edición, introducción y notas de M. Á. Pérez Priego Google Scholar

Reyes Peña, Mercedes de los. 1987. La figura del Pastor en el Códice de Autos Viejos. DICENDA. Cuadernos de Filología Hispánica 6: 429-42. La figura del Pastor en el Códice de Autos Viejos. DICENDA Cuadernos de Filología Hispánica 6 429 42 Google Scholar

Reyes Peña, Mercedes de los. 1988. El Códice de Autos Viejos. Un estudio de historia literaria. Sevilla: Alfar. El Códice de Autos Viejos. Un estudio de historia literaria Google Scholar

Rouanet, Léo. 1901. Colección de autos, farsas, y coloquios del siglo XVI, publiée par Léo Rouanet. Barcelona: L'Avenç. Colección de autos, farsas, y coloquios del siglo XVI, publiée par Léo Rouanet Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Adiego, Ignasi-Xavier