Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Language

Classes of Common Nouns

Common nouns can be classified in several ways:

• City (Proper Nouns, capitalized)
• Antonio (Proper Nouns, capitalized)
• Printer (Concrete)
• Love (Abstract)
• Coxes (Proper Nouns, capitalized)
• Salt (Uncountable)
• Lioness (Animate)
• Plum (Inanimate)
• Book (Individual)
• Army (Group)

Determiners

Determiners are words that accompany a noun, introducing or restricting its meaning. Examples include:

• Definite article (the)
• Indefinite article (a, an)
• Demonstratives (this, that, etc.)
• Possessive adjectives (my, our, your, etc.)
• Numerals:
  • Cardinal (one, two, three)
  • Ordinal (first, second)
  • Fractional (half)
  • Multiplicative (double, triple)
  • Distributive (each, every)
• Quantifiers (each, any, little)
• Interrogative/Exclamative (which, what)

Sentences

From a semantic point... Continue reading "Noun Classes, Determiners, Sentences, and Concordance" »

Machado's Life and Inspiration in Soria

Antonio Machado lived in Soria from 1907 to 1912. He became a cantor of Castile: its landscape, its people, its beauty, and its miseries. In Soria, he met Leonor Izquierdo, whom he married in 1909. However, their happiness was brief, as his wife died in 1912 of tuberculosis. These circumstances should be taken into account for the commentary of this poem, which was written in the spring of 1912 when Machado knew Leonor's disease was hopeless.

Symbolism and the Elm Tree

The starting point is a specific detail of the reality of Soria: the contemplation of an elm, attacked by graphiosis, with an unexpected rebound of spring. This physical reality charged a deep symbolic value for the poet. Remember his roots... Continue reading "Antonio Machado's Ode to an Elm Tree in Soria: A Symbol of Hope" »

Literary Language

Literary language is used by writers in their works to create a new reality, a fantasy world, through verbal language, which is also used in everyday communication. While other arts, like music or painting, have their own languages.

Linguistic Forms

Normally, the register of literary text is educated, caring, and sometimes very complex and elaborate, especially in poetry. The special use of language is due to its peculiar communicative situation: literary communication is unilateral to an unknown reader or listener, is conditioned by the social value of literary tradition (genres, techniques, styles, etc.), from which the writer cannot escape, and their goal is aesthetic.

Although, as stated above, it is difficult to define the... Continue reading "Literary Language: Linguistic Forms and Rhetorical Figures" »

Tristana by Benito Pérez Galdós: Historical and Literary Context

The 19th-century work, Tristana, by Benito Pérez Galdós, was written in 1892. This period was characterized by the contrast between political stability, with the alternating power between conservatives and liberals, and the growing threat to the bourgeoisie's privileged position posed by developing labor movements.

In the literary context, Tristana, a realist novel, is marked by a spiritualistic naturalism. It features an introspective approach to the characters and a concern for their spiritual conflicts. The novel emphasizes the idealism of the characters, and the description of reality becomes less important.

Key Aspects of *Tristana*

The most striking aspect of the work is... Continue reading "Tristana & Luces de Bohemia: 19th & 20th Century Spanish Literature" »

Similicadence

This effect is achieved by combining two or more words that have similarities in grammar, such as tense, person, number, or gender:

"The flesh we are born in, we live in the flesh, the flesh will die." (A. de Guevara)

Paronomasia

This resource relies on the phonetic similarity of sounds between words or groups of words.

The expression is given by the contrast between the signified and the signifier of the related elements: phonic resemblance is maintained, but a sharp distinction exists in the concept they represent:

1. "I've sold, blindfolded." (Gongora)
2. "There are lives because they drink." (Quevedo)

Synonymy

This resource occurs when similar meanings are juxtaposed or listed. The expressive effect achieved is a recurrence of semantics,... Continue reading "Rhetorical Devices in Literature: Definitions and Examples" »

Gender Narrative and Its Components

Gender narrative is one in which a narrator tells the story of one or more characters in a specific space and time.

Components

Narrator: This is the voice that tells the narrative story, reporting the facts to the reader.

Points of View

• Omniscient: Knows everything, even the intimate thoughts of the characters. Values events and expresses their views.
• Witness: Objectively describes what they see, without opinion or rating.
• Narrator as Character: A character is considered a narrator. They can be a single character, several (multiple), or the protagonist.

Plot: Various events happen that form the fabric.

Types of Plots

• Real: Acts that occurred objectively.
• Fictional: Fictional stories.
• Plausible: Credible, respecting logic.

La Celestina by Fernando de Rojas

La Celestina, by Fernando de Rojas, is the most significant work reflecting the spiritual climate of the fifteenth century: confusion and pessimism in a period of transition. For the first time, it expresses modern sensibility, but from a pessimistic outlook, as the radical individualism of the characters leads to pain and death.

The Author and His Times

Fernando de Rojas was a lawman. He represents the modern, urban, and university-educated writer.

The Literary Genre

La Celestina is a dialogical work that follows the model of the Italian humanistic comedy, which, in turn, imitated the Latin classics of Plautus and Terence.

The Plot

The young nobleman Calisto casually meets Melibea, falls in love, and declares his... Continue reading "La Celestina and Jorge Manrique: Spanish Literature" »

18th Century Poetry

In the early 18th century, poetry followed the Baroque style, using similar meters like sonnets and artless forms, imitating great poets of the 17th century such as Góngora and Quevedo. Themes included love and satire.

Around 1750, neoclassical lyricism emerged, developing other types of poetry:

• Rococo: Focused on feminine love and beauty, often using anacreontic forms, exemplified by Meléndez Valdés.
• Philosophical: Explored humanity and progress.
• Emotional: Expressed intense emotions, often with pessimism.

18th Century Neoclassical Theater

The 18th century, known for the Enlightenment, saw theater as less prominent. While Baroque principles were still present, the neoclassical period became dominant. This style emphasized clarity,... Continue reading "18th Century Literature: Poetry, Theater, and Essays" »

Themes in Azarías' Story

The Warmth of Nature and Lost Love

The story begins with Azarías de la Jara, who finds solace and warmth in nature, particularly in his relationship with an owl named Milan. His deep connection to the environment, especially the oak trees, brings him happiness. However, Milan's death deeply traumatizes him.

Failed Projects and Innocence Lost

The theme of love for nature is reiterated, but the fundamental issue is the failure of innocent hopes and projects. Paco's dedication to his children's education is thwarted when he must return to the farm. His relationship with his wife is strained.

Azarías' Displacement and Search for Purpose

Azarías is expelled from his home and moves in with Paco, where he tries to be helpful.... Continue reading "Azarías and Nature: Love, Loss, and Revenge" »

Contact Languages

Bilingualism

Routine use of two languages by a speaker or a community.

Diglossia

Imbalance between two languages spoken in a bilingual community, one language is imposed on the other.

Lingua Franca

A tool of communication between people who have different native languages.

Pidgin

Mixed codes resulting from the combination of morphological, syntactic, and phonetic features of one language with the lexicon of another. A pidgin can become the native language of a community, in which case it would be a creole.

Language Varieties

Historical/Diachronic Stages in the Evolution of Castilian

Modern Spanish originates from medieval Castilian, a dialect of Latin influenced by Basque. There are four stages in the development of Castilian:

1. Medieval