Revue Romane. Langue et littérature - Current Issue

Abstract

This paper examines the epistemic-evidential meanings of the Spanish modals tener que ‘have to’ and haber de ‘must’ using data from the Corpus del Español. These verbs are regarded as near-synonyms, related to the notion of speaker commitment, and, when differentiating between them, previous studies frequently resort to register variation (e.g., RAE-ASALE, 2009, Blas Arroyo & Vellón, 2014). However, the results in the present study reveal that the dimension of (inter)subjectivity better accounts for the differences between the verbs: whereas haber de is used for intersubjective as well as subjective and non-subjective meanings, tener que is highly specialized for subjective uses. The semantic-pragmatic restriction of tener que makes it unidiomatic or pragmatically unsuitable as a substitute for haber de in many contexts. Hence, in this line of argumentation, haber de has found a true niche in epistemic-evidential contexts.

Abstract

This paper surveys the Spanish discourse marker oiga (‘listen [to me]’ — a polite form of address for seeking attention), its pragmatic functions according to its position within its clause, and the various possible ways of translating it into German. This analysis has been carried out using samples of contemporary fictional texts extracted from the Parallel Corpus German-Spanish (PaGes). Our contribution aims to prove that the functions already described in previous studies (e.g. Vigara Tauste 1990, Zorraquino/ Portolés 1999) can be observed in our data, thus showing the polyfunctionality of the pragmatic marker at stake. Furthermore, we will present prototypes for the translation of the marker into German to preserve the nuance it contains and which is often neglected by translators. The results can serve as a guide for language teachers, linguists, and translators.

Abstract

The present study raises certain issues regarding the philological literature’s evaluation of the generic noun cristiano ‘Christian’ in Old Spanish as an indefinite ‘anyone’ under the scope of negation, which has been primarily based on the Poema de mio Cid. Following the diachronic evolution of generic nouns to indefinite pronouns proposed in the linguistic literature, this study argues that the generic noun cristiano, placed under the scope of negation, first evoked non-Christian religionist alternatives. Later, following the end of the Reconquista and the expulsion and forced conversion of Jews and Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula, the generic noun cristiano would adopt new logically entailed person-based alternatives that allowed it an indefinite ‘anyone’ reading under the scope of negation. In short, this study demonstrates how sociocultural factors in the real world have a modulating effect on diachronic semantic change, with a focus on religion and the Spanish language.

Abstract

This study examines the multimodal representation of environmental content across 22 B1-B2 (intermediate proficiency levels) Romance language textbooks used in major Polish universities. Employing Kress and van Leeuwen’s visual social semiotics framework, the analysis reveals significant cross-linguistic variations in both content distribution and pedagogical implementation. The investigation focuses on the composition of the activities concerning environmental education. Findings demonstrate that French and Spanish textbooks integrate environmental content most extensively and effectively utilize visuals as pedagogical tools, while Italian materials show limited environmental integration (merely 5.48% of teaching units) with visuals often serving aesthetic-contextual functions. Of the 459 analyzed teaching activities, nearly half (48.16%) employ visuals in a purely denotational frame, missing opportunities for deeper engagement. This study contributes to understanding how multimodal design choices impact environmental education in language instruction and provides concrete recommendations for developing more pedagogically effective materials that foster ecological awareness as an integral component of transnational cultural education.

Abstract

This study conducts a pragmatic analysis of promise expression in the Italian television series Orgoglio. The collected data were systematically classified according to the taxonomies proposed by Gibbs and Delaney (1987) and Ariff and Mugableh (2013) to assess the applicability and comprehensiveness of these models within the media and cultural context under investigation. Utilizing both classification frameworks facilitates a more detailed and nuanced understanding of promise strategies. A total of twenty distinct linguistic strategies were identified: nine conformed to the existing taxonomies, whereas eleven represented novel interpersonal strategies. The identification of these new strategies is attributable to the scripted, performative nature of fictional discourse, which is heavily influenced by stylistic and narrative conventions characteristic of media texts.

Astratta

Il sistema pronominale subisce una trasformazione significativa dal latino alle lingue romanze. I sistemi dei pronomi personali in area romanza appaiono notevolmente diversificati, suggerendo che durante la formazione di nuovi paradigmi pronominali personali nei vari dialetti romanzi siano state possibili molteplici traiettorie evolutive. Per quanto riguarda i pronomi personali tonici, sebbene si registri una tendenza generale alla riduzione dei casi, la neutralizzazione dell’opposizione di caso non si è verificata uniformemente per tutte le persone nell’intera area romanza. Questo studio propone una nuova classificazione tipologica per i pronomi personali tonici nell’area romanza. L’articolo descrive i modelli fondamentali che regolano l’evoluzione dei sistemi pronominali tonici nelle lingue romanze, dimostrando così che tali sviluppi seguono un percorso prevedibile.

This article reviews Cervantes’ Architectures: The Dangers Outside

This article reviews Latinisierende Syntax im Französischen des 16. Jahrhunderts. Der Accusativus cum Infinitivo in Jean Calvins Institution de la religion chrestienne und zeitgenössischen Texten

This article reviews Écrire le français. Toute une histoire