Catalan Language and Literature: A Renaissance Overview
Writing Process
Suitability for Registration
A well-written text uses a format and style that suits the reader and takes into account the communicative situation.
Consistency
A text is best understood if it is well-structured (clear and orderly), and if the ideas are expressed logically and are well-connected.
Structure and Paragraphs
Readers better understand a text if the structure is clear. Divide the text into paragraphs that develop different ideas.
Cohesion
Cohesion is the set of linguistic resources that structure a text and allow it to be understandable. A text has cohesion when all its parts logically form a whole.
- Punctuation: Punctuation makes reading easier, helping to tie the ideas together.
- Connectors: Connectors link concepts correctly, marking the relationship between ideas.
- Repetitions and Ellipses: Repeating terms emphasizes concepts. To avoid redundancy, use synonyms (e.g., dishes – recipes), ellipsis (e.g., omitting the subject), or pronouns.
The expression brainstorm comes from the English brainstorm, meaning a sudden, violent mental disturbance.
When brainstorming, don’t waste time writing perfect sentences. Jot down ideas quickly. Later, discard or develop them further.
Documenting
Once the subject matter is defined, decide whether to seek information. If writing about personal feelings, you may only need to remember. If writing an academic work or a review, research is often necessary.
Where to Find Information:
- Encyclopedias
- Books
- Newspapers
Tips for Finding Information:
- Contrast information, especially online.
- Be selective; there is always plenty of information.
Conceptual Structure and Schemes
Sort the information. Create an outline to visualize the text’s structure.
Drafting
Writing involves careful consideration of how things are said. Reread each sentence to ensure it connects with the preceding one. Revise, refine, and find the most appropriate words and phrases.
Reviewing
Ask the following questions:
- Is the register appropriate for the communicative situation?
- Does the text have coherence?
- Is it cohesive?
- Is it easy to read?
- How can I emphasize ideas more effectively?
- Are there spelling errors?
Reviewing requires looking at the text from an outsider’s perspective. Have someone else read it for feedback.
Spellcheck Resources:
- Word processor spellcheck
- Online dictionaries
Grammatical Reflection
Phrases
A phrase is a word (kernel) or a group of words (kernel + accessories) with a function and meaning. The kernel contains the most important meaning. Items to the left of the kernel are specifiers; those to the right are accessories.
Types of Phrases
- Noun Phrase (SN): Kernel is a noun. Example: The baker is tall.
- Prepositional Phrase (PP): A nominal phrase introduced by a preposition. The kernel is the preposition. Example: The citizens of Catalonia.
- Adjective Phrase (SAdj): Kernel is an adjective. Example: A dog is a friend.
- Verb Phrase (SV): Kernel is a verb. Example: The project has been successful.
- Adverbial Phrase (SAdv): Kernel is an adverb. Example: Silvia will come later.
The Renaissance
Romanticism
The Renaissance was a cultural movement in Catalonia during the second half of the 19th century. It aimed to revive Catalan as a language of culture and retrieve the national literary tradition.
Romanticism, prevalent in Europe during the first half of the 19th century, was characterized by idealism, subjectivity, and emotional expression.
Inspiration from the Middle Ages
Romantic authors looked nostalgically to the past. Catalan writers adopted this tendency to support their patriotic feelings.
Popular Genius
Romantics believed in a wisdom transmitted through generations, evident in folk tales and legends. This resonated in Catalonia’s cultural and patriotic vindication.
Linguistic and Cultural Project
By the 19th century, Spanish was gaining strength in Catalonia. The need arose to recognize Catalan as an official language and culture. The romantic idea of popular genius encouraged creative writing based on oral traditions.
Bonaventura Carles Aribau’s La Pàtria
The publication of La Pàtria in 1833 is considered the first step towards Catalan literary recovery and a prime example of Romanticism in Catalonia.
The Floral Games
The Floral Games, revived in 1859, boosted the Renaissance. Literary works, speeches, and articles were published, promoting the defense of Catalan language and culture.
Jacint Verdaguer
Jacint Verdaguer, a prominent Renaissance writer, won the Floral Games twice. His epic poem L’Atlàntida (1877) is considered the climax of the movement.
Recap
The Renaissance, inspired by Romanticism, aimed to revive Catalan language and literature. Aribau’s La Pàtria marked its beginning, the Floral Games provided impetus, and Verdaguer’s work culminated the movement.