Acquire a basic knowledge of the changes undergone by the nominal and verbal systems of Latin and Portuguese (e.g., the demise of the case system, the development of new verbal tenses, etc.).

Demonstrate the ability to summarize and discuss in a clear and concise manner several scholarly articles on the topic of the history of the Portuguese language.

Situate Latin and Portuguese in their political and literary historical contexts.

Recognize the laws of regular phonological development (e.g. syncope, lenition, diphthongization, etc.).

Identify the sources of the Portuguese lexicon.

Understand the different theories that claim to understand the relation between Latin and the Romance languages, especially the relation between Latin and Portuguese.

Understand the process of linguistic standardization in Romance and its implications for the linguistic map of the Iberian Peninsula.