Historical Linguistics: Evolution of English
Introduction to the Stories of English by David Crystal
Two Main Perspectives:
Standard English Story
Standard English is defined as “a variety of a language which has acquired special prestige within a community.” However, the real definition and history are more complex.
- 449: Germanic tribes arrived in Britain, displacing the native Celtic population and establishing Anglo-Saxon (Old English).
- The West Saxon dialect was preserved.
- Norman invasion led to “Middle English.”
Real Story
The other stories
Read MoreSpanish Literature Evolution: 1939 to Present
Spanish Literature Since 1939
- The 1940s: Writers broke continuity with the recent past, finding new literary paths amidst discomfort and distress. Creative writing was marked by rootlessness and an existentialist tone.
- The 1950s: Social realism emerged, characterized by a critical attitude towards a hostile environment, denouncing oppression and injustice, and a desire for a better world.
- The 1960s and 1970s: Tired of social realism, writers searched for new forms of expression and experimented with
Don Quixote: Love, Loyalty, and Captivity Tales
Episodes of Marcela and Chrysostom
Chrysostom, a man of good family and a student of astronomy at Salamanca, dies of unrequited love for Marcela, the daughter of Guillermo the Rich, whose beauty has made many others sick with longing.
The Galley Episode
This episode uses more colloquial language with touches of irony and humor. Several men, imprisoned for their crimes, ask Don Quixote to consider their ‘raids,’ some speaking mournfully, others cheerfully. This story allows us to see how Don Quixote
Read MoreAlienation and Identity in O’Neill’s ‘The Hairy Ape’
Eugene O’Neill’s The Hairy Ape (1922): A Play of Alienation
Need for Belonging: Alienation, the sense of not belonging to any group, is a central theme. Yank’s identity is initially tied to being the leader of the ship’s firemen, a position he holds due to his strength and where he feels at home. However, he experiences an identity crisis when Mildred, representing a different social world, perceives him as a “filthy beast.” This illustrates the mirror effect: a sudden questioning of one’
Read MoreHumanistic Texts: Characteristics, Structures, and Genres
Humanistic Disciplines: General Characteristics
Humanistic disciplines aim to study all aspects related to the personal and social nature of human beings, including their historical and cultural manifestations. General features include:
- Tendency towards abstraction: Dealing with mental entities, either because their fields are ideas or the constructs to which these ideas give rise.
- Speculative: They are characterized by logical reasoning. They conform to elaborate speculations, which are more or less
Dramatic Texts: Characteristics, Subgenres, and Analysis
Drama: Appellate Function
Drama brings together texts created for representation. Therefore, it involves the transformation of a text into a theatrical experience.
Characteristics
- Develops a story directly through the words and/or actions of the characters, without the intervention of a narrator. The appellate function predominates, along with the expressive.
- Verbal communication, especially dialogue, is crucial. The mode of discourse can be both prose and verse.
- Although dramatic texts can be read,