Are these recent constructions?

Question

I'm fascinated by these constructions and how they mirror English so well in terms of ''She went and started dancing on the table'', ''After they had everything prepared for the wedding, Luis (only) goes and breaks up with her!". I've never seen them before, and it has me wondering, - are they newer constructions in Spanish, due to contact with English, or have they been around for the last 20 or 30 years at least?

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Heather W.That’s a very interesting observation!The short answer is: no, these are not recent constructions and they are not due to contact with English. They have been part of Spanish for a long time.The structure ir y + verb or coger y + verb (e.g. va y dice…, coge y se va…) is a well-established narrative device in Spanish. It is used to introduce something sudden, unexpected or slightly dramatic. It often adds a sense of surprise, annoyance or emphasis.For example:
Y va y se pone a bailar encima de la mesa.
Después de prepararlo todo, va Luis y rompe con ella.
 
This structure has existed in colloquial Spanish for centuries, especially in storytelling. It’s very common in spoken language and in literature that reflects oral narration. It may “mirror” English in translation, but it did not originate from English influence.What might feel new is that you’re now noticing it consciously. Once you’re aware of it, you’ll start hearing it everywhere!Un saludo
Silvia