Understanding Grammar and Linguistic Concepts

Posted on Mar 4, 2025 in Linguistics and Applied Languages

Grammatical Stress and Word Structure

Plain words are stressed if they end in a consonant. ‘Q’ is not used. Words are stressed on the antepenultimate syllable, always. For example, in a structure like “SN-(determinant) + core + (ins)”, an adjective-SN would be like “yellow walls”.

Without a preposition, we have “the walls”. The part outside the house is an extra element called an apposition. With a preposition (SPREP), we have phrases like “climbing the walls”. A conditional phrase could be: “if the walls are yellow”.

Reading, Writing, and Narrative Structure

Reading is a cooperative learning activity where one can extract critical and relevant information. Reasoned expository writing has a structure. The external structure is the way the narrative is divided. The most common and traditional formal unity in a narrative is the chapter.

Internally, a portrait usually has three distinct parts: introduction, middle (development), and end. Future probability or conjecture is expressed as, for example, “What time is it? I don’t know, it will probably be ten”. The future tense can also express courtesy (“Would you like some coffee?”) or a mandate (“You will shut up now!”).

Words that share a basic meaning but differ in some specific feature form a semantic field.

Triphthongs

A triphthong is a set of three vowels that are pronounced in the same syllable. Triphthongs consist of a closed vowel + open vowel + closed vowel. Examples include: limp_iáis_, desprec_iéis_, m_iau_, b_uey_. Triphthong words are emphasized according to the general rules of sharp, flat, and esdrújula words. Triphthongs always carry the tilde (accent mark) on the open vowel: _uá_is, cop_iéi_s, _uéi_s.

Predicative Complements

Predicative complements (attribute) usually present as an adjective phrase that agrees in gender and number with the subject or the direct object. For example: “The word was sad” – “sad and lonely lived”.

We can recognize the attribute because it matches the gender and number of the subject and can also be substituted by the pronoun “it”. For example: “The word was sad” – “The word was it”.

  • Predicative complement of the subject: “Teresa (subject) was tired from her trip to Canada.”
  • My friend walked quietly (attribute) – My friends walked quietly (attribute).
  • My friend walked *tranquilamente* (manner adverbial complement) – My friends walked *tranquilamente* (manner adverbial complement).
  • Direct object predicative complement example: “My friend gave me back the iron *very hot* (direct object).”

News is informative text with a basic explanation of an event. It is rarely signed, and the focus is on the fact, not the opinion or viewpoint of the person writing it.