Linguistic Variation and Cervantes' Theatrical Works

Linguistic Variation

Linguistic variation can be categorized into several types:

• Diatopic Variation: This refers to variations between different geographical areas where the language is spoken. For example, differences between Castilian Spanish and Andalusian Spanish.
• Diastratic Variation: These variations are associated with different social strata and give rise to sociolects.
  • Sociolects are determined by social, educational, and cultural factors. These factors lead to different language levels:
    1. Cultivated: This is a highly elaborate code, characterized by fluent writing, correct syntax, and abundant, appropriate terminology.
    2. Vulgar: This level is marked by the speaker's difficulty, or even failure, in producing certain types of messages and documents (written form). It often results in relaxed syntax, poor pronunciation, incoherence, limited vocabulary, repetition, and the use of filler words and slang (oral form).
    3. Standard or Common: This is an intermediate model that neutralizes differences, allowing speakers from large communities to understand each other perfectly.

More educated individuals have greater expressive possibilities. While they can handle the standard level and sometimes even the vulgar level, they can also use language appropriate for more demanding situations. These speakers are said to have a developed linguistic code. When a person only masters the vulgar level of a language, their code is considered restricted.

• Diaphasic Variation: These variations relate to the tone adopted by the speaker depending on the communicative situation (family, colloquial, etc.). They lead to different language registers.
  • Registers are varieties of language that depend on the communication situation:
    1. Colloquial: Used with family and friends, characterized by a lack of advance planning.
    2. Shared: Used in less informal settings to discuss non-specialized topics.
    3. Formal: More careful than the previous registers, it exhibits a focus on correctness and elegance of expression. It is used in situations requiring careful vocabulary use.

Teatro Cervantes

Cervantes' great talent as a playwright can be seen in two distinct periods of his work:

• First Period: Focused more on tragedies, such as "The Siege of Numancia".
• Second Period: Covered more comical themes, including comedies and farces. Examples include "The Gallant Spaniard" and "The Cave of Salamanca".