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Understanding the Pronoun 'SE' in Spanish

Pronominal Uses of 'SE'

1. Indirect Object Pronoun (CI)

• The pronoun 'le' (indirect object) can take the forms 'lo, la, los, las' when it precedes a direct object pronoun.
• It refers to the same person as the subject.
• This pronoun does not alter the verb's meaning.
• The verb is transitive and is accompanied by a direct object, which can be replaced by a different pronoun.

2. Reflexive and Reciprocal Pronouns

• Reflexive: The action performed by the subject reflects back on the subject itself.
  • Example: María se peina (Maria combs herself). This implies María peina a María (Maria combs Maria).
• Reciprocal: Similar to reflexive pronouns, but used with a plural subject where participants exchange actions.
  • Example: Pedro

Indefinite Determiners and Pronouns

Indefinite determiners and pronouns allude to concepts such as quantity but in a generally vague and indeterminate manner. They are opposed to numerals, which indicate exact amounts.

Indefinite determiners are incompatible with non-count nouns in the plural unless referring to classes, properties, etc.

Common Indefinite Terms

• un/una (a, an)
• alguno/a/os/as (some, any)
• ninguno/a/os/as (no, none, not any)
• cualquier/a, cualesquiera (whatever, whichever)
• quienquiera, quienesquiera (whoever)
• demás (other, rest)
• otro/a/os/as (other, another)
• vario/a/os/as (various, several)
• mucho/a/os/as (much, many)
• poco/a/os/as (little, few)
• cierto/a/os/as (certain)
• más (more)
• menos (less, fewer)
• bastante/es (enough, quite a lot)
• todo/a/os/as

Types of Conjunctions in Spanish

Coordinate Conjunctions

These connect elements of equal grammatical rank.

• Juxtaposed: I came, I saw, I conquered
• Coordinated (P1 - P2)
• Copulative: (y, e) Example: John studied and Anna works
• Adversative: (pero, mas, sin embargo) Example: We played well but lost
• Disjunctive: (o, u) Example: Either you come or stay
• Distributional: (ya...ya, bien...bien, unos...otros) Example: Some are playing, others do the task

Subordinate Conjunctions

These connect a subordinate clause to a main clause.

Substantive Conjunctions

These act as a noun phrase.

• Substitute for nouns or pronouns
• The conjunction acts as a link
• Subject: Example: I am concerned that I should study hard.
• (CD) Example: Andrew thinks that Carlos was right.
• (CN) Example: We

Understanding Key Linguistic Concepts

Fundamentals of Language

• Language: The human capacity to communicate, transmit knowledge, and express thoughts. It encompasses various functions:
  • Emotional: Expressing feelings (e.g., "Visca!").
  • Conative: Influencing the listener (e.g., "Compte!").
  • Phatic: Establishing or maintaining communication (e.g., "Hello?").
  • Aesthetic: Focusing on the form of the message (e.g., poetry).
  • Referential: Conveying information about the world.
  • Metalinguistic: Language used to discuss language itself.
• Meaning (Signified): The concept or mental image associated with a word.
• Signifier: The written or spoken form of a word.
• Situational Context: A heterogeneous collection of extra-communicative factors and circumstances that significantly

Text Linguistics and Communication

Defining Text Linguistics

Text Linguistics is the discipline that studies the text as a unit of communication.

Understanding the Text Unit

The Text refers to the unity of all oral or written communication intentionally issued by a speaker, with a particular communicative purpose and functioning as a complete unit of communication.

Essential Properties of Text

Consistency in Text

Consistency refers to the logical relationship between all parts of the text. We perceive it as a unit of meaning that:

• Presents a logical progression of ideas.
• Ensures the theme is always the same.
• Contains enough information, with facts related to the real world.

Cohesion: Unifying Text Units

Cohesion is the union or articulation of the units... Continue reading "Foundations of Text Linguistics and Literary Analysis" »

Evaluation Method

Knowledge Assessment

According to the "General Principles on Evaluation of Knowledge," the rules for the assessment of knowledge in the discipline of Oral and Written Communication are:

Continuous Assessment

This evaluation process is based on the work developed by students throughout the semester. Therefore, it requires presence (it is obligatory to attend at least 75% of classes planned for the semester) and participation in classes, in addition to performing the assigned work and exercises.

Consideration of the following forms of assessment in this model (exam waiver):

• Presence and participation in class (includes the carrying out of work and exercises) (30%)
• Presentation of a public work (40%)
• Written proof (30%)

Work and/or exercises... Continue reading "Oral and Written Communication: Evaluation and Course Outline" »

English Verb Tenses: A Comprehensive Look

Past Simple

• Usage: For definite or concrete moments in the past.
• Positive Form: Subject + Verb (2nd form or -ed)
• Negative Form: Subject + did not + Verb (base form)
• Question Form: Did + Subject + Verb (base form)?

Past Continuous

• Usage: For actions in progress at a specific time in the past, or actions of ongoing duration in the past.
• Positive Form: Subject + was / were + Verb + -ing
• Negative Form: Subject + was not / were not + Verb + -ing
• Question Form: Was / Were + Subject + Verb + -ing?

Past Perfect

• Usage: To express actions that happened before another action in the past.
• Positive Form: Subject + had + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)
• Negative Form: Subject + had not + Verb (past participle / 3rd column)
• Question

Humanistic Texts: General Characteristics

Humanistic texts study issues related to human beings, encompassing thinking, social relations, and human studies. They are distinguished from social sciences, which focus on the societal aspects, and human sciences, which address the individual sphere. Predominant text types in human sciences are expository and argumentative. The typical structure of classical humanistic texts includes an introduction, development, and conclusion. An idea is presented, followed by examples, and then a synthesis explaining the idea.

Linguistic Features of Humanistic Texts

The language of humanistic texts is characterized by the use of jargon, which is specialized terminology. Unlike natural languages, human sciences' language... Continue reading "Understanding Humanistic and Legal Texts: Characteristics and Analysis" »