The relevance of Vincencio Squarzafigo for the history of spanish orthography

Abstract

In 1718, Vincencio Squarzafigo, the first Secretary of the Spanish Royal Academy, wrote «Dissertacion Academica en que se pretende probar que para el mas perfecto conocimiento de las Vozes es conveniente arreglar la ortographia de ellas à sus origenes». This text is one of the first important discussions of Spanish orthography conducted within this august body, which is a landmark in itself, insofar as it entails the use of etymological criteria in order to regulate the orthography of the Spanish language. Moreover, as an orthographer, Squarzafigo was the first orthography scholar to criticize the work of printers who go against this etymological principle. So, I conclude, his text is very significant in the history of the Spanish orthography and deserves to be recognized as such.