Genus Alternans in the Early History of Ibero‐Romance: Textual Evidence from Early Medieval Iberian Peninsula
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study revisits the diachrony of the Latin neuter gender in early Ibero‐Romance. The fate of the Latin neuter is counted among the most long‐standing and yet the most controversial questions in Romance historical morphosyntax. While there has been a long‐held belief that neuter nouns merged into the masculine gender in late Latin after adopting masculine plural endings, recent typological surveys on gender across Romance have shown that neuter inflexion persisted into the older stages of eastern Romance and ultimately gave rise to the so‐called genus alternans (e.g. Rom. m.sg. creion‐ul /f.pl. creioane‐le ‘the pencil/pencils’). Although the scope of inquiry devoted to the genus alternans has broadened significantly in the past decade for Daco‐Romance and Italo‐Romance, Ibero‐Romance has mostly remained off‐stage for want of supporting evidence. The aim of this study is to provide diachronic evidence for the survival of neuter inflexion and the subsequent rise of the genus alternans in early Ibero‐Romance. Via a meticulous analysis of early medieval Iberian texts, I will argue that the genus alternans remained part of the early Ibero‐Romance nominal inflexion until well into the eleventh century, as occurred as well in early Gallo‐Romance and Italo‐Romance.
Author: Ziwen Wang
Institution: University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
Funder: British Academy
OpenAlex ID: W4407183638