Conclusion: Change and Continuity

Abstract

This chapter draws together the book’s principal themes and findings. One important conclusion to be drawn is that while Old Spanish had its fair share of failed changes, the data point strongly towards an accidental model of failure rather than the ‘inherent’ model advanced by Gertjan Postma. In addition, the case studies provide robust evidence for the existence of cross-contextual uniformity in the rate of change, although such uniformity appears to disappear if contexts are too narrowly defined. Some of the major syntactic differences highlighted in the literature between Old Spanish and the modern language turn out to be superficial rather profound. Conversely, important points of structural divergence can be identified in previously unsuspected areas.