Heath's Modern Language Series: Spanish Short Stories Part 34

(1) _j_, before _e_, _i_, for _g_: _jente_ (_gente_), _jesto_ (_gesto_), _sarjento_ (_sargento_), _enerjico_ (_energico_);

(2) _i_ final for _y_: _mui_ (_muy_), _rei_ (_rey_);

(3) _es_, before consonant, for _ex_: _estenso_ (_extenso_), _sesto_ (_s.e.xto_), _testo_ (_texto_), _esperiencia_ (_experiencia_);

(4) _os-_ for _obs-_: _oscuro_ (_obscuro_);

(5) in accentuation, _n_ and _s_ final have the same effect as other consonants, except in inflectional endings: _tambien_ (_tambien_); _dotacion_ (_dotacion_); _orijen_ (_origen_); _despues_ (_despues_), _lejos_ (_lejos_);

(6) _-ia_, final, is not accented: _dia_ (_dia_), _habian_ (_habian_).

(7) The diacritic accent is omitted in certain words that require it according to the present rules of the Royal Spanish Academy: _a_ (_a_), _mas_ (_mas_), _tu_ (_tu_), _solo_ (_solo_), _et al._

This system of accentuation, for the most part, had formerly the authority of the Academy. When the Academy changed to the present system, the Pacific states of South America refused to follow, although the other Spanish-American states did so.

This independence in orthography, under the leadership of Andres Bello (1781-1865) and other scholars, is similar to that of the United States, under the leadership of Noah Webster and others: cf. _favor_ (_favour_), _wagon_ (_waggon_), _meter_ (_metre_), etc.

2.{190-2} =del 51= = _del ano 1851_. The reference is to one of several political revolutions that were determined by force of arms.

3.{190-3} =guerra del 79=, between Chile and the combined forces of Peru and Bolivia. Chile won, and took from Peru much territory, including the valuable nitrate deposits of Atacama.

=Page 191.=--1.{191-1} =la Andrea=; the article is thus used when speaking familiarly of a woman of the lower cla.s.ses.

2.{191-2} =indignarles=; note the use of _les_ for _los_, the dir. obj.

masc. pl. This occurs in the writings of Perez Galdos and others.

3.{191-3} =Despues habia que ir=, _then we had to go_.

=Page 192.=--1.{192-1}=--Bien ... venido=, _it would have been welcome_.

=Page 193.=--1.{193-1} =dio ... de chicotazos=; this use of a part.i.tive construction after _dar_ is common. Cf. _dar de comer_.

=Page 194.=--1.{194-1} =hoja de maiz=; in Spanish America the working cla.s.ses use in making cigarettes dry corn-leaves instead of paper.

2.{194-2} =esperandolo=, _waiting for you_; _lo_, as the accusative case masculine of _usted_, is the rule in Spanish America, in colloquial language, and it is often heard in Spain also.

3.{194-3} =vos=; in South America _vos_ (with the sec. pers. plur. of the verb) is used as a more formal expression than _tu_, but less formal than _usted_, when addressing a single person. In Mexico and Cuba, on the other hand, neither _vos_ nor _vosotros_ is commonly used, and _ustedes_ serves as plural of both _tu_ and _usted_.

=Page 195.=--1.{195-1} =si estaban todos= = _si todos estaban alli_.

Note also _esta?_ = _esta aqui?_; _no esta_ = _no esta aqui_ or _no esta en casa_; etc.

2.{195-2} =llegao=; cf. page 166, note 2. Note the similarity between the language of the unlettered as given here and in _La leva_.

=Page 196.=--1.{196-1} =se sienta y se mire=, _they may hear or see_.

=Page 197.=--1.{197-1} =apretan= = _aprietan_.

=Page 200.=--1.{200-1} It is customary in Spanish countries to put up a cross wherever a murder is committed.

ABBREVIATIONS

_adj._ adjective _adv._ adverb _aug._ augmentative _b._ born _coll._ colloquial _comp._ comparative _cond._ conditional _d._ died _def. art._ definite article _depr._ depreciative _der._ derived _dim._ diminutive _et al._ and others _excl._ exclamatory _f._ feminine _fig._ figurative _fut._ future _i.e._ that is _imp._ imperfect _imper._ imperative _ind._ indicative _inf._ infinitive _interj._ interjection _interr._ interrogative _iron._ ironically _irr._ irregular _lit._ literally _m._ masculine _neut._ neuter _obs._ obsolete _p. p._ past participle _pers._ person _pl._ plural _pop._ population _pr._ present _pret._ preterite _p.r.o.n._ p.r.o.noun _prop._ proper _prov._ provincialism _s._ substantive _sing._ singular _subj._ subjunctive _superl._ superlative + before

_ie_, _i_, or _ue_, in parenthesis, indicate that the verb is radical-changing.

_H. F. Gr._ = Hills and Ford's _Spanish Grammar_.

Nouns ending in _o_ are masculine; in _a_, feminine; unless otherwise indicated.

VOCABULARY

A

=a,= to, for, in, by, at, during, upon; =-- lo que,= according to what.

=abad,= _m._, abbot.

=abadesa,= abbess.

=abajo,= down, below, down stairs; =-- a,= down upon; =mas --,= farther down.

=abandonar,= to abandon, release, give (up), leave, desert.

=abanicar,= to fan.

=abarcar,= to encompa.s.s, take in.

=abatido,= dejected, low.

=abatir,= to cast down, humble, lower.

=abeja,= bee.

=abejaruco,= bee-eater (_a bird_).

=abierto= (_p. p. of_ =abrir=)=,= open(ed).

=abigarrado,= speckled, mottled, variegated.

=abismo,= abyss, gulf.