Acknowledgements

For this book and the research it describes, which was part of my doctoral dissertation, I owe a debt of gratitude to a great many people. First, to my supervisors, Inés Fernández-Ordóñez and Johannes Kabatek, as well as all those involved in guiding or evaluating the dissertation in some way: Leonid Kulikov, Rosario Álvarez, Cristina Sánchez López, Amaya Mendikoetxea, Andrés Enrique-Arias, Miriam Bouzoita, Enrique Pato, Bert Cornillie and Álvaro Octavio de Toledo y Huerta. To the anonymous reviewers who read the manuscript for this book and provided useful comments and ideas, as well as to Frans Hinskens, who very patiently helped me through the editorial process. Clarifying my thoughts, looking at my data in a new light, and obtaining information on languages of which I am not a native speaker was made far easier thanks to the many fruitful discussions (through all possible channels) with so many colleagues and friends: Albert Wall, Álvaro Octavio de Toledo y Huerta, Ana Estrada Arráez, Ander Egurtzegi, Araceli López Serena, Bea Martín, Cristina Bleorțu, David Gerards, Eduardo Louredo, Enrique Pato, Javier Rodríguez Molina, Ángela Di Tullio, Curdin Derungs, Etagu Alemu, Flurina Wartmann, José Luís Forneiro, Olivier Iglesias, Péter Jeszenszky, Sascha Völlmin, Tanja Samardžić and Xurxo Diz Pico. Sabine Güsewell helped me to understand what is bootstrapping and how to perform it. John Barlow thoroughly reviewed my writing. Many colleagues, friends and family members helped me to record the videos for the questionnaire, to test it, and to contact speakers. These speakers also generously shared their time with me, and provided very valuable information, although perhaps they could not see the point of it. To everyone mentioned above, I would like to express my sincere thanks. I received institutional and financial support in many phases of the process, from the Spanish Ministry of Eduaction (FPU Grant), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (projects FFIL2009-10817 and FFI2011-12419-E), the Autonomous University of Madrid, the Romanisches Seminar and the University Research Priority Program Language and Space from the University of Zurich. Without these grants and support, none of the work would have been possible.

Finally, I am lucky to have great friends and the best family, who supported me (in both the English and the Spanish sense of the word) through the two long processes of writing the dissertation and then the book. Muchísimas gracias a todos.