Showing papers in "Hispania in 1986"

The Ascetical Meditative Literature of Renaissance Spain: An Alternative to Amadís, Elisa and Diana

Abstract: During the two hundred years beginning with 1450 and running through 1650 there were roughly three thousand religious works published in Spain in Latin as well as in Spanish. These works were written for a variety of reasons and appeared in diverse forms. For example, some were theological tracts which were products of the ThomisticScholastic tradition. Others were catechetical in nature and a third category were the ascetical and mystical works belonging to the Platonic-Augustinian tradition (Monasterio 4-7). The regular or monastic orders benefited from the production of theological treatises written in Latin which enhanced the training of aspirants for entrance into their communities whereas catechetical literature expedited the religious education of the faithful.' The religious literature of Renaissance Spain, depending on whether it had catechetical, ascetical, meditative designs or resulted from the mystical experiences of religious reformers, produced different types of works: e.g., tratados, vidas, opfzsculos, abecedarios, guias espirituales, manuales, ejercicios espirituales and catecismos (Gutierrez 227-29). The religious literature of the period was in effect a Renaissance version of late Medieval Nominalism or it represented a form of Neo-Scholasticism; another class had definite Neo-Platonic qualities (Gonzailez 286-88). In addition to the training of monks, the explication of complex theological precepts, a vehicle for guidance in prayer and meditation or the rendering into human language of the mystical union, the religious prose also took the forms of Biblical exegeses and commentaries on Old and New Testament texts together with the various interpretations of the writings of the Church Fathers or of St. Thomas Aquinas. This study, however, will focus on certain works of an ascetical, devotional or meditative nature which proffered the reading public an alternative body of literature which could serve to counteract the influence of the secularizing effects of the chivalric and pastoral modes in vogue (Sanz Pascual 275). This ascetical meditative and devotional literature wielded influence both inside the Iberian peninsula as well as in other countries of Europe.2 Ascetical works (the ascetical process in prayer and meditation) comprise the purgative and illuminative stages which prepare the person meditating for the final stage of the via mystica, the unitive (Valbuena Prat 60415). They include works written in the vulgar tongue meant to expedite the spiritual edification of the layperson. These devotional treatises, spiritual guides and exercises together with the meditative manuals were written in Castilian instead of the traditional Latin of the Aristotelian-Scholastic-Thomistic tradition.3 The various members of the great religious orders and, in particular, the Augustinians and Franciscans, produced a significant number of these works. Writers such as Mal6n de Chaide, Luis de Granada, Alonso de Soria and Antonio de Guevara wrote a type of devotional literature that could "deleitar" in the spiritual sense as well as "ensefiar doctrina cristiana"; in other words, a type of literature that would maintain the reader's interest and at the same time enhance his spiritual and moral wellbeing.4 These devotional works were not meant to serve as catechetical manuals nor as orthodox, doctrinal exegeses; neither were they intended to be highly complex, speculative theological tracts. Indeed, a limited number

Observations on the TU/VOS Option in Guatemalan Ladino Spanish.

Abstract: The voseo phenomenon, the use of vos as the second person singular familiar address, which is unique to American Spanish, has received only the most cursory treatment by many grammarians. Many of those grammarians who did ponder the topic of pronominal address in the Americas erroneously assumed that the pronoun vos had replaced the pronoun tN completely' while others mention, however briefly, that the coexistence of tN and vos was still present in Guatemala and other parts of the Americas." This exploratory study examines the usage of the voseo in Guatemalan Ladino3 Spanish and is the result of personal observations through residence in Guatemala in 1979 and responses to a linguistic questionnaire by thirty-six Spanish-speaking Guatemalans4 in August of 1982. From my findings I conclude that vos has not replaced tti in Guatemalan Ladino Spanish but rather has joined with tti and usted to form a tri-level second person singular address system. In addition some of the extra-linguistic variables that govern pronominal address within this system are discussed. As early as the twelfth century the use of tti and vos had acquired a social dimension with the pronouns of address chosen by the interlocutors dependent on social class. At this time vos was used as a form of respect between king and nobility while tti was relegated to use by nobility when addressing inferiors who also used tti among themselves. " By the middle of the sixteenth century much confusion surrounded the use of both pronouns. Vos continued to be used with both a singular and a plural value and had also by this time passed to usage among the popular classes in Spain, losing its connotation of respect and acquiring a significance of familiarity (Martinez Amador 1464). During the Colonial period both tti and vos were used throughout the Americas.' It is well known that selection of second person pronouns by speakers of Spanish and other languages is determined not only by grammatical number but also by the extralinguistic context of the situation, e.g., the formality or informality of the situation and the psychological distance between interlocutors (Brown and Gilman 253-76). The growing list of extra-linguistic variables associated with pronominal address includes social position, relative authority, group membership, generation, age, age-set, sex, kinship, genealogical distance, mood, social context, language variety, i.e., dialect, topic of discourse and tone.' These variables are clearly not mutually exclusive and are interrelated to varying degrees from culture to culture, family to family and even from individual to individual speaker of a particular dialect. When discussing the culturally specific determinants of pronominal address in Guatemalan Spanish it is necessary to take into account the socio-economic structure of the country in which there is a marked division between the classes corresponding directly to the division between the Indian population and that of the Ladinos. Social mobility within this structure is relatively limited and power remains in the hands of the Ladino. Although the present study is mainly concerned with pronominal address among the Ladino population of Guatemala it is interesting to examine briefly the general assumption that a Ladino, and in particular apatr6n8 would use vos when addressing an Indian who would be expected to use usted in return.9 Indians among themselves would use vos and the landowners usted. Presently in Guatemala this is not always the case. Of all those responding to the linguistic questionnaire, all whom were Ladinos, an overwhelming majority address an unknown Indian with usted while one sixtyone year old man (not included in the survey) informed me that he only uses vos to address Indians.'1 The use of the voseo and the absence of the tuteo and often usted in the Spanish of the

Taming ser and estar with Predicate Adjectives

Abstract: In our article "Sery Estar + Adjetivo Calificativo" (Hispania, May 1983) a theory was set forth, according to which the selection of ser or estar in constructions with predicate adjectives is explained as expressing different types of implied comparisons. Ser is used to express an implied comparison of the type X/Y i.e., an entity X is compared with one or more entities Y which provide the standard by which a quality is attributed to X. For example, Pedro es rico asserts that Peter is rich in the sense that his wealth is greater than that of some putative average person. By contrast, estar expresses an implied comparison of the type X/X, i.e., an entity X is compared with itself, as in the example Pedro estd rico, which asserts that Peter is rich in the sense that his present wealth is greater than it is known or thought usually to be.' In the present article, our objective is to amplify and develop the theory of ser/estar with predicate adjectives in several ways.2 First, we shall look into the relationship between the theory and certain issues regarding the general semantic properties of adjectives. Second, we shall see how the theory in question provides an explanation for a variety of apparent paradoxes which have troubled earlier explanations of constructions of the type ser/estar + predicate adjective. In particular, we propose interpretations for a number of constructions such as Pedro estd muerto and El gerente estd bueno para tratar con el pziblico, which have traditionally not been well explained. As discussed in our earlier article, traditional explanations of the use of ser/estar with predicate adjectives, which are based on such dichotomies as permanent vs. temporary/ transitory or essential/inherent vs. accidental, fall short of being totally convincing because they are open to easy challenge by counter-example, e.g., Juan estd muerto, Pedro es rico,4 etc. Is death temporary, or is wealth permanent or inherent? The theory proposed in our article was able to accommodate such examples because it is based on the idea that in the case of subject-predicate adjective constructions the speaker is free to impose either of two interpretations, whereby each interpretation corresponds to a different type of implied comparison. Thus, to return to the example of rico, the difference between Pedro es rico and Pedro estd rico is seen as having nothing to do with such objective variables as the amount of money or other possessions Pedro might have at his disposal at the time either of these sentences is uttered, and indeed, this view is confirmed by observation of Spanish usage. The fact is that either of the sentences could be uttered by different speakers in exactly the same situation to comment on Pedro's wealth. Such observations would seem to clearly imply that the use of ser or estar with predicate adjectives reflects some sort of subjective reaction, judgment, or opinion of the individual speaker concerning Pedro's wealth. But what about our claim that the crucial variable underlying such individual reactions, judgments, or opinions is that one of two types of implied comparisons is being made? If this theory is correct, then it should account for the use of ser or estar not only in constructions with rico, but in constructions with any of the indefinitely many predicate adjectives which may be used with either ser or estar Furthermore, a highly valued theory of these constructions should provide a basis for accounting for the specific *Articles for this section may be sent to Prof. John P. Wonder, Dept. of Modern Languages, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California 95204. Please send a typed original and copy for each paper submitted. Maximum length is 20 double-spaced pages.

The Ivory Ghetto: The Place of the Language Program Coordinator in a Research Institution

Abstract: In 1975 an article by Gerard Ervin appeared in the ADFL Bulletin discussing the role of the "language teaching specialist" in college foreign language departments. In his article Ervin noted that, faced with declining college foreign language enrollments, "traditional faculty attitudes toward teaching the elementary and intermediate language sequences are beginning to change," and that "many departments are recognizing their need for a faculty member--not just a senior TA--to serve as a language teaching specialist" (15). Going even further, Ervin suggested that

The Athena Language Learning Project.

Abstract: Most of us would probably accept the truth of the assertion: "There can be no better 'communicative' learning environment than the warm and responsive presence of other human beings" (Underwood 80). Nevertheless, resources may be more readily available for technology than, for instance, programs that bring together Spanish learners and Hispanic immigrants. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are trying to accomplish the next best thing: computer-assisted instruction that is more "human" than what is currently available. The Athena Language Learning Project is part of a large-scale experiment in software production involving MIT, IBM, and Digital Equipment Corporation. It is also sponsored by the Annenberg/Corporation for Public Broadcasting Project. Our goal is the creation of prototypes for beginning and intermediate courses in French, German, Spanish, Russian, and English as a Second Language (ESL). These prototypes, designed for use in the language laboratory and in conjunction with classroom activities, will not supplant the teacherlearner relationship. Aware of the complexities of the appropriate application of emerging technologies to language instruction, the project team is confronting several key issues.

Fitting It All in One Semester: An Intensive Introductory Course in Spanish for Health-Care Personnel

Abstract: Would it be possible to design a one-semester introductory Spanish course for health-care personnel? Could students learn, in such a short time, to communicate professionally, "in a simple but effective way," with their Spanish-speaking patients? Could they also learn about the Latino population of the United States and, more specifically, about the attitudes toward health and health care that play such an important role in communication between Latino patients and healthcare professionals?1 These are some of the questions I was asked by our School of Nursing when several years ago they approached me about the creation of a course for nursing students and local health-care professionals. My initial response was both enthusiastic and guarded. I was well aware of the need for Anglo health-care professionals who had even a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish, but I had misgivings about an elementary language course that would be so short and so specialized. I worried that such a "crash course" might foster more confusion then communication by providing students with what could seem like a barrage of unrelated words and phrases. I also wondered if a brief introduction to only one aspect of Latino culture might not reinforce stereotypes rather than challenge them. I agreed to prepare a pilot course, but stressed its tentative, experimental nature. The first few semesters that I taught the course were indeed tentative and my reactions to it were mixed. The class was allowed to grow too large; there was not a truly adequ te text available; I saw the students o ly once a week for three hours because the nursing faculty felt that their majors could not schedule more frequent meetings. On the other hand, student response was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did my students enjoy the course itself, they were also excited by the results since there were always a few members of the class who were able to use

The Effect of Two Phonological Processes on Syllable Structure in Peruvian Spanish

Abstract: This paper examines the effect of two phonological processes on syllable structure in Peruvian Spanish.1 In coastal Peru, there is weakening and deletion of syllableand word-final /s/, but conservation of the unstressed vowels, as seen in (1). In this paper, weakening of /s/ refers to a voiceless, glottal fricative ([h]), known in the literature on Hispanic linguistics as "aspiration" (Navarro Tomais, 1948; Alonso, 1962; Ma and Herasimchuk, 1971; Cedergren, 1973; Terrell, 1977, 1978).

Recent Trends in Research and Practice: Teaching Spanish

Abstract: "See, for instance, a collection of papers presented in Harris Winitz, ed. 7See Alice C. Omaggio, "The Proficiency-Oriented Classroom. " 8Having recently edited an issue of Unterrichtspraxis (17, no. 2 [Fall 1984]) which focused on proficiency testing and proficiency-based foreign language instruction, I was alarmed to receive a number of contributions by authors whowell meaning, but uncriticallyhad implemented or recommended implementing oral proficiency as the main instructional goal, one having even devised "the oral proficiency method" to achieve his purposes. 'See, for instance, William B. Fischer, "Not Just Lip Service: Systematic Oral Testing in a First-Year College German Program."

Juan Salvo y Vela and the "Rise of the Comedia de Magia": The Magician as Anti-Hero

Abstract: The appearance in 1715 of the first of five plays by Juan Salvo y Vela titled El mdgico de Salerno, Pedro Vayalarde, marks the rise of the comedia de magia genre; and, his plays as a whole establish those characteristic features by which the genre is defined. In Teatro popular y magia, Julio Caro Baroja points out the importance of Salvo's play in the tremendous popular success of the comedia de magia. He offers evidence of Salvo's influence on succeeding generations of playwrights and theater audiences, tracing Salvo's mark on Spanish theater well into the nineteenth century, with such works as Hartzenbusch's La redoma encantada and Los polvos de la madre Celestina (246), and cites Mesonero Romanos referring to Fernando VII as an ardent Mdgico de Salerno fan (91-2). While Caro emphasizes the popular appeal of the comedia de magia genre, his opinions on the Salvo plays echo Leandro Fernandez de Moratin's famous critical assessment:

Daughters of the Reconquest: Women in Castilian Town Society, 1100-1300

Abstract: List of illustrations Acknowledgments List of abbreviations Introduction 1. Townswomen and the medieval settlement of Castile 2. Brides, weddings and the bonds of matrimony 3. Wives, husbands and the conjugal household 4. Widows of the Reconquest, a numerous class 5. On the margins: mistresses and abducted wives 6. The daily round: activities and occupations 7. In defence of feminine honour: the shield of municipal law 8. Women without honour: harlots, procuresses, sorceresses and other transgressors Conclusion: Medieval Castilian townswomen Notes Bibliographical index Index

Cernuda y el poema en prosa

Abstract: Los amantes y estudiosos de la obra de Luis Cernuda deberan saludar alborozados la aparicion de este libro de James Valender, el profesor ingles afincado en Mexico del que ya conociamos su monografia titulada La prosa narrativa de Luis Cernuda (Cuadernos Universitarios, n.° 1, Universidad Autonoma Metroplitana, Iztapalapa, D.F., sin fecha), trabajo que constituye el necesario complement al que hoy nos ocupa. La bibliografia critica sobre el poeta sevillano carecia, en efecto, de un estudio riguroso y especializado que atendiese esta vertiente del canon cerudiano, y ciertamente se hacia necesario que algun critico experto se decidiese a acometer tal empresa. El resultado no ha podido ser mas afortunado. Con una buena utilizacion de las fuentes, perspicacia interpretativa y ponderacion en los juicios, Valender ha sabido hacer una aportacion permanente a la bibliografia sobre el autor de La realidad y el deseo. Si a ello unimos la pulcritud y buena factura de la edicion, a las que habitualmente nos tiene acostumbrados Tamesis Books (y que en modo alguno empanan aqui y alla pequenos calcos linguisticos del ingles, pues el estilo espanol del autor es de una sorprendente excelencia), se comprendera que estamos ante un volumen de imprescindible adquisicion para el lector interesado. El poema en prosa nunca ha sido un genero demasiado frecuente entre nosotros, y Valender traza una breve historia desde su "invencion" por parte de Aloysius Bertrand hasta su introduccion en Espana con Becquer o, ya mas conscientemente, Juan Ramon Jimenez, acaso su principal exponente (no olvidemos, en este sentido, el caso paradigmatico de Espacio, que de ser inicialmente impreso como verso paso, en su version definitiva, a la disposicion tipografica de la prosa). Y ya en el cuerpo principal de su trabajo, Valender se centra en el rabajo, Valender se centra en el analisis de Ocnos y Variaciones sobre tema mexicano, las dos obras susceptibles de encajar dentro del genero. Ocnos es tratado en varias fases, coincidiendo con las tres ediciones sucesivas del libro, lo cual permite no solo un es-

Strategies for Teaching and Testing Reading

Abstract: Most beginning foreign language textbooks offer little or no guidance in developing the reading skill, yet reading proficiency is crucial to success in thirdand fourth-semester courses. The method of intensive guided reading described here, while based primarily upon our own experience and experimentation, implements some of the observations on the reading process set forth initially by Kenneth Goodman and elaborated by others.' According to Goodman, reading is a very complex psycholinguistic process which in the early stages involves recoding, not decoding, into aural input, and eventual decoding for meaning. With experience, the recoding and decoding occur simultaneously, but in the early reading stages oral and silent reading are very similar, and are described as follows by Goodman: "The recoded graphic input must be supplemented, principally with the intonational aspects of speech. Sequences of phonemes or morphemes must be perceived as fitting together into sequences of phrases and syntactical patterns. Relative stress must be assumed, junctures inserted, pitch modulated, so that when the recoding is complete it must sound like familiar language."2 Guided oral reading provides the training and establishes the discipline necessary for the development of appropriate pronunciation, stress and intonation patterns and recognition of syntactic units. While it may be true that "the phoneme-grapheme relationship is learned very early" (Walz 139), in our experience constant attention to this aspect is necessary to the development of fluent reading. Indeed, lack of control of the phonological components can seriously impede progress in reading and encourage rather than discourage a word-level, translation approach. We recognize the fact that there is considerable disagreement with respect to two aspects of the reading process, subvocalization and oral reading. Some investigators see subvocalization as an impediment to reading for meaning while at least one researcher thinks more rapid subvocalization may be effective.3 Some feel that oral reading is at worst an obstacle to comprehension and at best a harmless activity that seems to occur frequently in classrooms (Walz 139). We suggest that if it is done as we describe below, oral reading is not simply a word-level activity but one that in fact leads to better phrasing, fluency and comprehension. The method we propose responds to Sheila Been's suggestion that classroom activities include both "reading for language" and "reading for meaning" (238). It differs from other methods primarily in the emphasis upon "guided" and "intensive." Our plan coincides with the twelve-step reading strategy described by Joel Walz in some respects but, unlike Walz, we do not assume that "college-level classes prepare the reading outside of class and are ready to work with it when class begins" (137). It is precisely in the initial confrontation with the text that students need guidance the most. When instructed to prepare a reading assignment on their own, most students approach the task by looking up all words they do not know and writing their English equivalents, often in the text itself. Even though the instructor explains that the method to be followed is a careful reading followed by rereadings before consulting a glossary or dictionary, most students do not work in that way. When questioned, they say that they first look up words.4 They do not, in fact, read phrases or sentences. They do work at frustration level and fail more than they succeed in the development of the reading skill. Motivated by a desire to reduce frustration and insure success and mindful of recent research and experimentation relevant to the development of the reading skill, we devised the method hereinafter set forth. We have used it at all four levels of the basic university sequence, first through fourth semester classes. It can be used with any narrative reading selection that the course textbook provides: grammar presentational, cultural,