The expression of the affirmation in Latin and Romance languages: continuity and discontinuity

Abstract

This study aims to present a comparative approach to the similitudes and differences in the evolution of the expression of affirmation in Romance Languages. Contrary to Latin, the Romance languages do have a specialized particle to express the affirmation, but with some differences form one language to another. At a first glance Spanish, Italian and Portuguese share the same evolution, but Portuguese is characterized by the reduced use of the sim particle. French has two particles, while Romanian particle da is a borrowing from modern Slavic languages. The alignment of Romanian to the conceptual pattern of the other occurred very late, in the XIX century.

Keywords: affirmation, Latin, Romance language, continuity, innovation