Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Language

Narrative in Literary Stories

The narrative recounts events in a time sequence. Literary stories, whether realistic or fantastic, aim for artistic expression. Nonfiction stories, on the other hand, inform. A literary story is an imaginary tale designed for aesthetic enjoyment.

Elements of a Narrative

• Narrator:
  • Third-person omniscient
  • First-person protagonist and witness
• Events: History
• Space-time
• Characters
• Atmosphere
• Order:
  • Hindsight
  • Linear narrative development, outcome
  • Enter and Nudom: Anticipation, beginning, middle, and end
  • Counterpoint: various stories mixed

Account Information in News Reports

News reports contain a title, summary, and sometimes a subtitle with details.

Report Body

The report describes or recounts events. Distinguish between the entry... Continue reading "Understanding Narrative, Description, and Argument in Literary Texts" »

Topic and Summary

Topic: Briefly state the central theme of the article, focusing on its subtopics.

Summary: Provide a concise overview of the article's main points using simple, non-compound sentences. Avoid directly copying phrases from the text.

Organizational Structure

Paragraphs and Connectors: Analyze the use of paragraphs and connectors. Determine whether the paragraphs are short or long. Identify the introduction, development (with supporting arguments), and conclusion (if present). Note whether the thesis is explicitly stated or implied.

Arguments: Identify the types of arguments used, such as authority, modeling, general knowledge, personal experience, or statistical evidence.

Structure: Determine if the structure is deductive (thesis at... Continue reading "Analyzing Newspaper Articles: A Comprehensive Breakdown" »

Fitness: Textual Analysis for Optimal Communication

Intelligibility

Understandability: The text must be easily understood by the intended audience.

Theme and Purpose: Clearly define the subject matter, whether specialized or general. Determine the communicative purpose, such as to inform, explain, or persuade.

Channel: Consider the medium of communication, whether spoken or written. Spoken language allows for ellipsis, while writing requires explicit situational context.

Degree of Formality: Choose the appropriate level of formality and form of address (e.g., you, formal you).

Field of Communication: Utilize the conventions of the specific textual genre.

Coherence

Amount of Information: The text should contain only the necessary information, avoiding... Continue reading "Achieving Optimal Fitness: A Comprehensive Textual Analysis" »

Key Points and Literary Works

1. The War of the Worlds by Bryan Haskin: This story illustrates how a radio broadcast, intended as a joke, caused widespread panic. It claimed that Martians were invading Earth, leading to injuries and suicides. This highlights the significant influence of media on social and everyday life.
2. Pseudonyms and Nicknames: The frequent use of pseudonyms, aliases, and nicknames in literature and media.
3. Inclination: This refers to a thematic preference, similar to a recurring motif.
4. Belisa Crepusculario by Isabel Allende: This story features a woman who sells words at varying prices. She utilizes a form of oral communication and even composes love letters, showcasing the power of language.
5. The Things Seen by Jorge Teillier: This

The Expansion of Information

A) Expansion of Information Resources

• Apposition

  An apposition is a word or phrase that is positioned immediately after another and that serves to explain something because of consequence (explanatory apposition) or to add information that differentiates and specifies (specifying apposition). Example: "Water, the vital element, had a strong presence in that garden."

• The Example

  The example serves to define or specify a general statement. Example: "My neighbor is a consumer; for example, his greatest happiness is walking through the malls on weekends in order to buy pleasure."

• Sentences with Adjectives and Explanatory Specifications

  Examples: "The students, who study, will pass" and "The students studying will pass."

• Paraphrases

Linguistic Variation

Linguistic variation can be categorized into several types:

• Diatopic Variation: This refers to variations between different geographical areas where the language is spoken. For example, differences between Castilian Spanish and Andalusian Spanish.
• Diastratic Variation: These variations are associated with different social strata and give rise to sociolects.
  • Sociolects are determined by social, educational, and cultural factors. These factors lead to different language levels:
    1. Cultivated: This is a highly elaborate code, characterized by fluent writing, correct syntax, and abundant, appropriate terminology.
    2. Vulgar: This level is marked by the speaker's difficulty, or even failure, in producing certain types of messages and

Language and Dialect

Language: The fundamental instrument of social communication among members of a particular linguistic community, it serves as the hallmark of this community.

Dialect: Each of the language modalities present in different regions within its domain.

Horizontal Bilingualism: The balance of two or more languages in similar or comparable social situations, where both hold the same social and cultural prestige.

Diglossia: The imbalance between two or more languages where one enjoys greater social prestige and effectively dominates the other with which it coexists.

Cohesion in Language

Cohesion: A necessary condition for coherence. Cohesion is studied in spoken and written language. Methods of achieving cohesion include:

• Lexical Recurrence:

Factors of Communication

• Issuer: The individual encoding and sending the message.
• Receiver: The individual receiving and decoding the message.
• Message: The content communicated.
• Code: The language used to deliver the message.
• Reference Context: The subject or theme of the message.
• Channel: The medium of communication.

Functions of Communication

• Expressive/Emotional: Focuses on the issuer's feelings (e.g., "I love you").
• Appeals/Conative: Aims to elicit a response from the receiver (e.g., "Sir, you are a buyer").
• Referential/Representative: Focuses on the context (e.g., "Winter rains and cold").
• Poetic: Emphasizes the style of the message (e.g., "Your eyes captivate me").
• Metalinguistic: Focuses on the language itself (e.g., "Antepenultimate accents").
• Phatic:

Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry is the manifestation of the inner world of the author, making it subjective and personal, but not necessarily individualistic. Typically, the author is inspired to write by external objects or events. Key features of lyric poetry include its brevity and the flexibility or variety it presents. It communicates a representation of the self, which is a reflection of reality. This is evident in each author's syntax, keywords, topics, and method of exposition.

Expression of the Self

The self is expressed through grammatical elements such as the first person, demonstratives, and adverbs of place and time. The representative function is predominant in the poetic work. The appellate function also appears, bringing with it the... Continue reading "Lyric Poetry: Characteristics and Subgenres" »

ITEM 7: Reading Comprehension

Why Develop Reading Skills?

Reading is one of the most important learnings provided by schooling. It is a powerful tool for learning in any discipline. Moreover, acquiring reading and writing skills involves developing higher cognitive abilities such as reflection, critical thinking, and awareness. Those who learn to read efficiently and consistently develop their thinking. Ultimately, reading becomes a landmark for school learning and intellectual growth.

Despite the importance of reading, many people still cannot read or write. There is much illiteracy and functional illiteracy. The latest data on functional illiteracy is alarming. It predicts an increase in people who, despite having learned to read and write,... Continue reading "Enhancing Reading Comprehension: Skills and Strategies" »