Early Stages (Around 3rd Century AD):
* Vulgar Latin: Spanish descended from Vulgar Latin, the everyday spoken language of the Roman Empire, distinct from the more formal literary Latin. As Roman soldiers and settlers spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula, Vulgar Latin evolved in different regions.
Medieval Period (8th-15th Centuries):
* Mozarabic: After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century, a distinct language called Mozarabic developed in areas under Christian control. It was influenced by Arabic and Hebrew, and many words entered the future Spanish language.
* Castilian: In the north of Spain, the language spoken in the kingdom of Castile, known as Castilian, became dominant. It absorbed features from Mozarabic and other regional languages, eventually becoming the basis for modern Spanish.
15th-16th Centuries:
* Standardization: During the reign of King Alfonso X (1252-1284) and later Queen Isabel I and King Ferdinand II (1474-1516), Castilian began to be standardized and adopted as the official language of Spain. This period saw the creation of the first dictionaries and grammar books, laying the foundation for a written and spoken standard.
15th Century and Beyond:
* Spanish Empire: With the Spanish conquest of the Americas, Spanish spread rapidly through the New World. It also spread to the Philippines and parts of Africa, becoming a global language.
Therefore, while there is no definitive "beginning" date, we can say that Spanish emerged as a distinct language from Vulgar Latin around the 3rd century AD, with its development continuing through the Middle Ages. By the 15th and 16th centuries, it had solidified as a standardized language and spread to the Americas and beyond, becoming the language we know today.