Essential Grammar and Literary Definitions

Fundamental Linguistic Concepts

Understanding Syllables and Vowel Combinations

The Syllable

The syllable is a set of sounds produced in a single stroke of the voice.

The Diphthong

The diphthong is the union of two vowels in one syllable.

The Triphthong

The triphthong is the union of three vowels in one syllable.

The Hiatus

The hiatus occurs when two contiguous vowels are pronounced in different syllables.

Accentuation and Word Structure

The Accent

The accent is the element that distinguishes the stressed syllable from unstressed ones. Depending on the position of the accent, words can be classified as oxytone (sharp), paroxytone (flat), or proparoxytone (antepenultimate).

Words

Words are sets of sounds endowed with meaning.

Variable words are those that support multiple endings. They distinguish between a root and various endings.

All words have lexical and grammatical meaning.

Communication and Textual Elements

Communication

Communication is the process through which a sender transmits a message to a receiver.

A Code

A code is a system of signs that allows information to be transmitted or received. The main source of human communication is language.

A Text

A text is a complete set of statements produced by a speaker or writer in a specific situation, driven by a particular communicative intention.

Word Relationships and Meaning

Monosemic Words

Monosemic words have only one meaning.

Polysemous Words

Polysemous words have more than one meaning.

Antonyms

Antonyms are two or more words that have opposite meanings.

Synonymous Words

Synonymous words are two or more words that share meaning.

The Semantic Field

The semantic field is formed by words of the same grammatical category that share a basic meaning.

The Lexical Field

The lexical field consists of all words that refer to the same thematic area.

Sentence Structure and Literary Forms

Statements and Phrases

The Statement

The statement is a set of words that expresses a complete idea and is pronounced with independent intonation.

Statements are classified into:

• Sentences: when they contain at least one conjugated verb.
• Phrases: when they contain no conjugated verb.

In statements, words are grouped into smaller, homogeneous units called phrases. Phrases may be nominal (if the core is a noun) or verbal (if the core is a verb). In a sentence, two main groups are usually distinguished: a nominal group or phrase and a verbal group, called the subject and predicate respectively.

The Subject

The subject is the noun or pronoun that names the person, animal, or thing about which something is said in the sentence.

The Predicate

The predicate is the verbal phrase that expresses what the sentence says about the subject.

Descriptive and Narrative Forms

The Description

Description is the act of presenting the characteristics of living beings, objects, places, or events, whether real or imagined, so that the receiver forms a clear idea of them.

Types of description:

• Objective description: Technical or scientific.
• Subjective description: Literary or advertising.

The Story

A story is an account of facts, real or imaginary, featuring characters.

Dialogue

Dialogue is the exchange of information between two or more people communicating directly with each other.

Verbs and Literature

Verbs

Verbs are variable words that express actions, states, or processes set in a past, present, or future tense.

Defective Verbs

Defective verbs are incomplete in their conjugation.

Literature

Literature is the art in which an author makes special use of language to convey a story, a feeling, or an emotion.