Essential Linguistic Concepts and Literary Figures

Essential Language and Literary Concepts

Vocabulary Definitions

• Ratification: To confirm something is true or valid.
• Sullen: Bad-tempered and sulky; gloomy.
• Persuade: To induce someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
• Obey: To comply with a command, instruction, or law.
• Prescribed: To lay down as a rule or course of action to be followed; to determine.
• Literal: Taking words in their most basic sense without metaphor or allegory.
• Prolific: Producing much fruit, foliage, or many offspring; producing many works.
• Clause: A distinct article or provision in a document, such as a contract or law.
• Maize: A cereal grain, especially corn, that is already mature.
• Diligence: Careful and persistent work or effort.
• Ninety: The cardinal number equivalent to nine times ten; 90.
• Infer: To deduce or conclude information from evidence and reasoning rather than explicit statements.
• Ingenuity: The quality of being clever, original, and inventive.
• Emphasis: Special importance, value, or prominence given to something.
• Seminarian: A student at a seminary, training to be a priest, minister, or rabbi.
• Commendation: A speech or act praising someone or something.
• Eradication: The complete destruction of something.
• Openly: In a way that is not concealed; publicly.
• Exhaustively: In a thorough and comprehensive way.
• Elusive: Difficult to find, catch, or achieve.
• Recoveco: A hidden corner, nook, or recess.
• Suspicion: A feeling or belief that someone is guilty of an illegal or dishonest act.

Understanding Fixed Expressions (Idioms)

Fixed expressions are stable combinations of two or more words whose meaning often cannot be deduced from the individual words. They function as a single unit of meaning.

Examples:

• "With certainty" (e.g., "a good insurance" likely refers to "con seguridad" in Spanish, meaning "with certainty").
• "To the direction of" (e.g., "direction" likely refers to "a dirección de" in Spanish).
• "In order that" (e.g., "so that" likely refers to "para que" in Spanish).

Onomatopoeia: Words That Mimic Sounds

Onomatopoeia refers to a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes.

Example: "Cock-a-doodle-doo" imitates the sound of a rooster.

Spelling Rules: The Letters G and J

Understanding the rules for 'G' and 'J' can be tricky in Spanish. Here are some common patterns:

• G: Generally written with words containing the groups -agi-, -igi-, or those starting with geo- or legi-.
• J: Generally written with words that start with je-, ji-, jo-, ju-, or end in -aje, -eje.

Garcilaso de la Vega (1501-1536): Renaissance Ideal

Garcilaso de la Vega was a quintessential Renaissance man who skillfully combined warrior and literary activities. He embodied the harmony between thought and action.

His poetry expresses themes such as friendship, war, and exile. His most frequent subject is the profound love he felt for Isabel Freyre, a court lady.

The poet masterfully uses mythology and nature in his works, employing both hendecasyllables (eleven-syllable verses) and seven-syllable verses.

His work, though brief, is considered excellent. It consists of:

• 38 Sonnets
• 5 Songs
• 2 Letters
• 2 Elegies
• 3 Eclogues, among which Eclogue I is particularly notable.

Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Portmanteaus

These are different ways words or phrases are shortened:

• Abbreviations (Initialisms): Formed with the initial letters of several words, pronounced letter by letter.
  • Example: EU (European Union)
• Acronyms: Formed with the initial letters of several words, but pronounced as a single word.
  • Example: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
• Portmanteaus: Words formed by blending parts of two or more words, often the beginning of one word and the end of another.
  • Example: Banesto (from Banco Español de Crédito)