Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Arts and Humanities

Characteristics of Formal Dialogue

• The subject to be treated is previously known.
• The interventions are performed following a particular order.
• Special care is taken with language: precise vocabulary, elaborate syntax, use of respectful formulas (you, sorry, etc.)

Formal Dialogue Structure

• Opening: Beginning the dialogue with a salutation and the presentation of the theme.
• Development: The core of the conversation.
• Farewell: End of the dialogue. Formulas are used for thanks and goodbye.

The Interview

• Introduction: We present the interviewee: name, profession, interest in the interview, etc.
• Development: The interviewer asks direct and clear questions. Respondent answers. From the first response, write one P or R.
• Closing: The interview ends with a closing

The Ancient Theater of Epidaurus: A Masterpiece of Classical Design

Classical Period Features

In the preceding Archaic period, early forms of theater in Attica, such as the Dionysian festivals, lacked a constructed stage. The orchestra was rectangular, bounded laterally by the Temple of Dionysus and an altar. The theatron was connected by only two straight staircases rising from the orchestra.

Greek theater forms significantly influenced the construction of Roman theaters, which adopted important elements like the theatron, orchestra, and skene (stage building). A particularity of Roman auditoriums was their construction in a semicircular form, often built on level ground, enclosing the orchestra. Roman plays did not feature a choir, and their... Continue reading "Epidaurus Theater: Classical Greek Architecture and Sacred Drama" »

The Renaissance: Birth of the Modern World

The late 15th and early 16th centuries witnessed the birth of the modern world. This transformation resulted from various events, primarily geographical, such as the discovery of America, and ideological phenomena. These included overcoming the medieval worldview, which centered on religion, and the emergence of a new mentality.

The term "Renaissance" began to be used in the 19th century by J. Michelet and Burkhardt, who, in 1860, published The Culture of the Renaissance in Italy. The word "Renaissance" has a controversial significance concerning the Middle Ages. Its main feature is secularization: while medieval man was concerned with religion, Renaissance man became emancipated and the center of thought.... Continue reading "Renaissance: Birth of the Modern State" »

Noucentisme: A Classicist Movement in Catalan Literature

Noucentisme was a Catalan cultural and political movement that emerged in the early 20th century. It encompassed various aspects, including language, culture, and education. As a classicist movement, Noucentisme emphasized a return to order, harmony, and balance, reflecting the broader European rationalist trends of the time. Politically, Noucentisme was closely associated with the Regionalist League, led by Enric Prat de la Riba. This party represented the Catalan nationalist aspirations of the conservative bourgeoisie.

Key Characteristics of Noucentisme

• Mediterranean spirit
• Christianity
• Formal artificiality
• Measurement and balance
• Wisdom and clarity
• Precision and lightness
• Urban civilization

The Painting of the Last Third of the Nineteenth Century: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

Introduction

The 1870s witnessed a reversal in the economy, manifested at all artistic and social levels. The failure of the Paris Commune brought about a truce, and the great industrial and financial bourgeoisie experienced its peak. However, past revolutionary episodes obliged public authorities to carry out certain reform programs, including social insurance and compulsory, free primary education. Because of this, the illustrated press multiplied, and cultural events tended to become "mass phenomena." Two factors influenced artistic life:

1. The popularization of photography and the establishment of the movement for the use of films sensibles.
2. The spread

Language Variation

The use of any language isn't homogeneous among its speakers. Language varies due to historical, social, geographical, and stylistic factors. The style used—cultivated, standard, colloquial, or vulgar—also impacts variation. A common standard, adapting to change, is characterized by rules and guidelines from institutions like the Royal Spanish Academy.

Advertising's Persuasive Power

Advertising's main goal is persuasion. As a social communication system, it promotes products or events through commercial, institutional, and political means. It uses various media (press, television, radio, outdoor, direct mail, etc.). To persuade, advertising often embellishes reality, concealing negatives. This is debatable; while it can... Continue reading "Language Variation in Spain: A Multilingual Reality" »

Ambition & Motivation

• Achieve: (conseguirlo)
• Achievement: (éxito)
• Challenging: (estimulante, desafiante)
• Fail: (suspender)
• Fulfil: (satisfacer)
• Get something right: (hacer algo bien, acertar)
• Get something wrong: (hacer algo mal, equivocarse)
• Goal: (objetivo, meta)
• Motivated: (motivado)
• Overcome: (superar)
• Pass: (aprobar)
• Put pressure on: (presionar)
• Satisfying: (gratificante)
• Success: Make it
• Strength: (virtud)
• Under pressure: (presionante)
• Weakness: (debilidad)
• Naturally: Gifted
• Lorry: Truck
• Tiny: Very small
• A visit: A trip

The World of Work

• Ad, Advert: (anuncio)
• Applicant: (candidato)
• Application form: (solicitud, formulario)
• Apply for: (pedir para trabajar)
• Boss: (jefe)
• Employer: (empleador)
• Experience
• Fill something in: (rellenar algo)
• Full-time ≠ Part-time
• Interview:

Rafael Alberti: Themes and Style

Rafael Alberti's unique form of communication conveys vital experiences. Nostalgia allows him to evoke a lost paradise, primarily the sea of Cadiz and, subsequently, Spain. The anguish caused by these losses, coupled with a concern for social issues, led him to address contemporary Spanish reality. His work is characterized by its musicality and varied poetic meter.

Poetic Guidelines

• Neopopularismo: Based on resources and forms of traditional poetry.
• Baroque and Vanguard: Influence and significance of Gongora and the avant-garde.
• Surrealist Poetry: Evident in Sobre los ángeles (1929) and Sermones y moradas (1930).
• Social Poetry: A shift towards social concerns, highlighting the role of the poet in a society in exile.

Core Linguistic Concepts

Semantic Relationships

• Polysemy: The variety of meanings that a single word possesses (e.g., menu).
• Homonymy: The relationship between signs that share the same form (signifier) but have different meanings.
• Synonymy: The relationship between two or more words belonging to the same grammatical category that have identical or similar meanings.
• Antonymy: The relationship where a word expresses the denial or opposite of another term (e.g., high / low).
• Semantic Field: A set of words that share a common conceptual content or theme (e.g., hours, days, months related to time).

Word Formation and Origin

• Lexicon: The complete set of words that speakers of a language use to communicate.
• Heritage Words (Palabras Patrimoniales): Words transmitted

Signs, Symbols, and Sacraments

Understanding Their Meaning

Signs, symbols, and sacraments act as indicators, pointing towards deeper realities. For instance, visible symptoms like those in the images above suggest the presence of an underlying illness. The sign mediates communication between the observer and the sickness.

Types of Signs

Many signs are human-made and conventional, such as traffic lights. These require learned interpretation and are not inherently effective; their power lies in the willingness of individuals to obey them.

Other signs are natural and understood through experience. Smoke signifies fire, dark clouds indicate a storm, and laughter symbolizes joy. These signs arise spontaneously from the emotions they represent.

Some... Continue reading "Understanding Signs, Symbols, and Sacraments" »