"Con caballo y todo, con todo y caballo". History of "y todo", from a marker of additive focus and escalate to a concessive counterargumentative marker

Abstract

In this article we analyse the genesis and evolution of the sequence y todo, grammaticalized from its uses in a given context firstly as an additive marker, with the sense of 'también' ('also, too'), and secondly as an inclusive particle with ponderative value, functioning as an argumentative scalar marker showing information prominence. As a consequence of the context in which this construction has been formed, namely as the final element which closes a series formed by noun phrases, at the beginning it is only found following a noun phrase (substantive or pronoun). Later, once its ponderative value had been fixed in classical Spanish, y todo can accompany any kind of phrase that it emphasizes and enhances, and it can also emphasize a whole sentence. Moreover, as with other scalar markers, such as incluso, hasta or aun, it will become a part of incidental constructions with concessive value. In this article we also study the emergence of sequences, with commitative or concessive uses, with the order con todo y + SN, instead of con + SN + y todo, which are first documented in the second half of the 19th century in some areas of Spanish speaking America.