History and current situation of the riza~ricia voices (the expression hacer riza ~ hacer ricia) and their derivatives

Abstract

The present paper offers a synchronic and diachronic study of the common and dialectal Spanish word-family: riza, ricia, ricial, rizal, ricio, derriza, arrizalar, etc. and specially the expression hacer riza (hacer ricia) - to devastate, wreak havoc. This lexical group, whose use is now limited to the region of eastern Andalusia, was in the past frequently used by writers of the Spanish Golden Age (Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Góngora, Quevedo, etc.). We determine the lexical area to which each word belongs and after the discussion a proposal for a new etymology of this group is made, and for the reduction of the two entries in the DRAE (riza y riza) into a single one.