Nebrija

Antonio de Nebrija, commonly referred to simply as Nebrija, was a Spanish humanist, grammarian, and philologist who flourished in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was born in Lebrija, in the Crown of Castile (present-day Andalusia), and became a leading scholarly figure within the intellectual milieu of the Catholic Monarchs.

Nebrija is best known for authoring Gramática de la lengua castellana, published in 1492, the first comprehensive grammar of the Spanish language. The work provided normative rules for spelling, syntax, and usage and is regarded as a foundational text in the standardization of Castilian Spanish. In addition to the grammar, he produced a Latin–Spanish dictionary and other linguistic and scholarly writings aimed at documenting and teaching both vernacular and classical languages.

His linguistic program linked language standardization with political and administrative consolidation, arguing that a standardized language could support governance, education, and national identity. Nebrija’s grammars and lexicographical work influenced later Spanish philology and the study of Romance languages, and his ideas about the relationship between language and power helped shape subsequent linguistic thought in Spain and beyond.

The legacy of Nebrija extends into contemporary times through institutions named after him, including Nebrija University in Madrid. His work remains a reference point in discussions of the history of the Spanish language and the development of modern linguistics in the Iberian world.