Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which three language traditions make up Spanish literature?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Spanish literature
St. Luke, illuminated page from the Beatus Apocalypse, Mozarabic, 975; in the Gerona Cathedral, Spain.
Spanish literature comprises literary works produced in Spain, which are categorized into three major language traditions:
- Castilian: The primary language of Spanish literature, which originated in the 9th century and became the official language of Spain.12
- Catalan: A language tradition with historical ties to Provençal and the poetic forms of the troubadours.13
- Galician: A language tradition that served as the conventional medium for courtly lyric until the 15th century and experienced a modern revival in the 19th century.145
These divisions represent the primary linguistic branches of the body of work produced within Spain.1