Doña Perfecta

VOCABULARY

This vocabulary aims to be complete, except for such proper names as do not appear to involve a play on words or a change of form in translation into English. Superlatives in -ísimo are not given unless irregular, but diminutives and augmentatives are given. Adverbs in -mente are given under their adjectives, and are not separately defined if the definition of the adjective sufficiently indicates their rendering. Adjectives and personal substantives which form regular feminines are given in the masculine form, with the masculine definitions only, so far as the feminine definitions can be inferred from these; thus, for tía look under tío, and, finding the definition 'uncle,' render the feminine by 'aunt.' This rule has been followed even where, as with descalzo, matón, the feminine is the only form found in our text. Infinitives used substantively, translatable by the English form in -ing, are not separately given. The participial form in -nte is given separately, but that in -ndo and the past participle are not given apart from their verbs if the verbs occur. Neither is the substantivized past participle, even such as pecado; but not so words which merely coincide with the participle in form, as estado. Words which take the accent mark merely to indicate interrogative or exclamatory use are given under the unaccented form, and the existence of an accented form is not mentioned if the English equivalent remains the same. Irregular forms of verbs in Chapters I-III are separately given so far as they affect the finding of the word; usually a group of forms that begin alike is represented by one of its simplest members—thus, in looking for puso or pusiese take 'puse see poner' as guide. A statement of reflexive use is given under se, and a verb is not separately defined as reflexive if its reflexive meaning is derivable from the non-reflexive by applying what is found under se. A participle which has reflexive force without the reflexive pronoun is in general especially defined, but the student will do well to keep in mind the principle that any past participle may be a reflexive without the pronoun.

The effort has been made to list each defined phrase under the word that the student was surest to look up, either the most unfamiliar word or the one which he would identify as not having here its familiar sense. When the word which has here an unusual sense (or whose regular English equivalent is not used in translating this phrase) is one which will not be looked up, such as a familiar preposition, its special definition for this occasion is appended in parentheses to the appropriate definition of the other word, which definition it precedes or follows according to the order of the Spanish phrase: thus, under acabar, 'end (por with)' means 'acabar end; acabar por end with'; under adelante, '(más further) on' means 'adelante on; más adelante further on.' Parentheses in a Spanish phrase inclose words which can be added without affecting the translation except as indicated by parenthesized English words. Other parenthesized words are generally meant as mere explanations, but can sometimes be advantageously taken as supplements to be optionally added to the definition.

The special definition of a phrase does not mean that the words which make up that phrase may not be found together also with their ordinary meanings. Thus, 'tener por regard as' does not mean that tener 'have' or 'hold' may not also be followed by por 'for' or 'by' in various senses; and the giving of a special definition for the reflexive use of a verb does not mean that its reflexive use may not have also the senses of its active use with the reflexive modifications described under se. Nor does a special definition for a participle mean that the participle is not used also in the general sense of the verb.

A rendering found in the vocabulary should not be distrusted because when put into the sentence it results in a bold use of words. Such uses are more or less characteristic of Galdós; and if the translator undertakes to reproduce Galdós' style in English, which is doubtless the highest ideal of translation, he must not be too timid in his use of English words. And the student should notice that the quality of the Spanish varies according to the person who speaks. Not every character in the book can be taken as a model of good conversational style, cultured or uncultured. Translate accordingly.

The citations from the Academy can usually be verified in other unabridged Spanish dictionaries; for these habitually copy the Academy verbatim. The student must not expect that the Academy shall be always right or always wrong.

ABBREVIATIONS

Periods after abbreviations have been omitted where the abbreviation stands in especially close connection with the Spanish word.

adv. -mente = the feminine of this adjective with the suffix -mente is used as an adverb, translated by adding the suffix '-ly' to the definition of the adjective, or by putting 'in' before the adjective and 'fashion' after it.

conj. w. que = with que it forms a phrase used as a conjunction; same translation as without que.

prep. w. de = with de it forms a phrase used as a preposition; same translation as without de.

The sign - in the black type means the word which stood in black type at the head of the paragraph: las -s under ala means las alas. When this sign is accompanied by letters in black italic type, the meaning is that the beginning or ending of the word at the head of the paragraph is to be changed to what is printed in black italics: -do under acabar means acabado.

a to, into, on, at, in, for; w. same word after as before, by; introduces personal direct object; a que in order that, to have, I'll bet, what will you bet that; a lo tonto in a stupid way; a la una ... a las dos ... a las tres one—two—three; a los tres días in three days; ¡a trabajar! (go) to work; estar a w. inf. be ready to, be on a footing to; cañón de a ocho eight-pounder