Literary Elements & Catalan Language Development

Narrator Types in Storytelling

Understanding the role of a narrator is crucial for literary analysis:

• Internal Narrator: Lies within the story and is often the protagonist.
• External Narrator: Lies outside the story, observing events.

Understanding Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence. They often indicate direction, time, place, or manner.

Common Prepositions and Phrases

• Simple Prepositions: to, with, of, in, by, for, toward, against, below, from, among, up to, without, on, under, ultra, edge.
• Compound Prepositions & Phrases: because of, in spite of, except, through, before, after, beside, over, under, following, against, in order to.

Grammar Rules: Avoiding Specific Nouns

In certain grammatical contexts, it is important to avoid specific types of nouns:

• Do not use proper names of people or animals.
• Avoid using personified names.

Indirect Complement

An indirect complement is a grammatical element often preceded by the letter "a."

Coordinating Conjunctions and Phrases

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank:

• Copulative: and, not
• Disjunctive: or, either
• Adversative: but, even so, otherwise, yet
• Distributive: neither...nor, either...or, now...now
• Consecutive: so then, therefore
• Continuative: also, even

Subordinating Conjunctions and Phrases

Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent clauses, linking them to an independent clause:

• Substantive (Noun Clauses): that
• Time: that, before, just after, since, while, whenever
• Location: where, whence
• Reason/Grounds: because
• Purpose/End: so that
• Conditional: if, only if, just in case
• Manner: as well as, as if, how, however much
• Comparative: as...as, such...as, which, how, more than
• Consecutive (Result): so...that, such...that
• Concessive: although, though

Umlaut Usage

An umlaut (dieresis) is a diacritical mark typically placed over the letters "e" and "u" in certain linguistic contexts.

Ramon Llull and the Royal Chancery's Linguistic Impact

In the second half of the twelfth century, Ramon Llull transformed the Catalan language into a suitable instrument for literary creation, utilizing it extensively in his works.

Llull's modernization efforts were continued by the Royal Chancery, an institution established at the beginning of the thirteenth century. This institution played a crucial role in developing a standardized set of linguistic rules for the language.

Troubadour Lyric Poetry

While poetic texts and novelistic works were often written in Catalan by scribes, the dominant form of poetry was Occitan (or Provençal).

The geographical proximity and favored political relations between regions facilitated the adoption and use of Occitan poetry by Catalan troubadours.

Ausiàs March: A Master of Catalan Poetry

Ausiàs March (died March 3, 1459) is profoundly considered one of the most impressive and influential poets of his time. Son of Pere March and Elionor Ripoll, he had a sister named Peirona. He inherited the lordship of Beniarjó and served as the King's chief falconer. March was married first to Isabel Martorell and later to Joana Escorna.

Key Works by Ausiàs March

• Love Songs
• Death Songs
• Spiritual Songs

Themes in Ausiàs March's Poetry

• Love
• Women
• Death

Poetic Structure

March's poetry often follows a structure of:

• Exposition
• Explanation
• Conclusion