Heath's Modern Language Series: The Spanish American Reader.

by Ernesto Nelson.

FOREWORD

As an educational commissioner from the Argentine Republic to the Panama Pacific International Exposition, I was very much gratified to note the constantly increasing interest on the part of the High Schools and Colleges of this country in the study of the Spanish language. At the same time, realizing from personal investigation that most of those who study Spanish are prompted to do so by the present widespread interest in Spanish America as a legitimate and profitable field for American enterprise, I could not help wondering whether the reading matter used in connection with the study of this language should not be enlarged so as to include some discussion of the subjects directly connected with the work for which these students were preparing themselves.

One of the most amazing things in this country to the visiting Latin American is the almost absolute lack of anything like adequate information as to what the Spanish American countries are doing in the present, or what they have achieved in the past. This lack of information is particularly noticeable in the high-school texts upon History and Geography--not to mention those on the less common subjects of social and political economy--and is most lamentable of all in the text-books in Spanish used by the students of that language.

It seemed to me, therefore, that there was great need of and that the time was ripe for a book which, while affording the student of Spanish abundant exercise in the reading of that tongue, would at the same time give him some adequate idea of the physical aspects of the various Southern republics, their commercial and transportation routes, their agricultural and industrial products, the opportunities they offer for business and industrial investment, and the manners and customs of the people themselves together with their social and political creeds and aspirations, as expressed by their most noted statesmen and writers. It seemed to me that such a book could not fail to be favorably received by both teachers and students in this country.

Moreover, as an educator and a consistent and enthusiastic worker for the establishment of closer social and educational relations between the Americas, it seemed to me that the eagerness with which the American youth is taking up the study of Spanish affords the best possible opportunity for inserting the "entering wedge," as it were, of that sympathetic understanding which will eventually break down the barrier which has. .h.i.therto kept the independent peoples of this continent apart from each other, despite the progress in science, art and education.

But a knowledge of Spanish alone will not conduce toward the realization of the Pan-American ideal, either in the material or moral sense, unless that knowledge is used as the touchstone toward that deeper and more vital understanding of the social status, ideals and aspirations of "the other Americans."

The usual text-book in Spanish dwells upon the achievements, character and ideals of the Spanish nation and it reveals to the student a wonderful people and a marvelous field of human activity. But it completely ignores the increasingly complex and important phenomena, both social and political, which are being developed in the Hispanic section of the New World,--phenomena which are in many ways more akin to those of this country than to those of Spain.

Here in the New World, new environments and new conditions have given rise to new ways of living and have created a long series of new activities and inst.i.tutions, with corresponding modifications in the language of the people,--all of which are ent.i.tled to a place in the reading matter of the American student of Spanish and claim their rightful share of his attention. It seems to me that a knowledge of the New World's contribution to the original Spanish racial inheritance should be of peculiar interest and value to the student of Spanish in the United States, as it will reveal many of the same agencies which have modified the original inheritance of the first settlers in his own country and directed their evolution. He will find in the continent to the south of him geographical conditions which almost exactly duplicate those in the northern; he will find the same lack of hampering tradition and the same free play of individual effort and opportunity; the same boundless expanse of territory and the same generous breadth of horizon.

He will find also the same problems in education, immigration, naturalization, racial amalgamation and government, and a literature which cannot fail to thrill him with a keen sense of _relationship_ to his Latin-American cousins.

Even to understand Spain, Spanish America must be taken into account, since, to paraphrase the words of a well-known English poet, "They little know Hispania, who only Espana know," and certainly no consideration of Spanish literature can afford to ignore the action and reaction, the play and interplay of thought and feeling which, finding their earlier expression largely in belligerent verse, have gradually mellowed into the n.o.ble and tender sentiment of friendship and unity of spirit which to-day permeates the literature of both the mother land and that of her independent daughters in the New World. To-day the mother land sends her millions to the free countries of the New World where, far from being compelled to abandon their cherished ideals, they are encouraged to expand them to undreamed-of horizons where the romantic soul of Spain finds its long-sought-for opportunity.

To understand rightfully the present renaissance in Spain as revealed in the almost unprecedented prosperity of her rural population, the multiplying of schools and libraries endowed in many instances by unknown "hands across the sea," the American student of Spanish must take into account the transcendental _symbiosis_ through the agency of which lethargic Spain is being quickened and vitalized by her former colonies. He must perceive and appreciate that the Spanish world as a whole is again expanding, and that there is no part of its complex and diverse whole which has not made its specific contribution toward that beneficent achievement. He must realize that no study of the language common to all these parts is complete, therefore, which fails to keep in full view the complete background.

Three unusual features should commend this Spanish American Reader to the attention of the teacher of Spanish. _First_, the wide range in style and subject matter, combined with the dominantly idiomatic form of expression, enlivened by the dialogue in which a large part of the text matter is written. Such _living_ forms of expression, embodied as they are in subjects closely related to Spanish American activities and conditions of to-day, afford the most practical kind of material for everyday use. _Second_, the opportunity this book offers for oral and written exercises by subst.i.tuting the numerous "Variants"--a practically new and important feature--in the footnotes for the original expressions in the text. _Third_, the very considerable ma.s.s of first-hand information bearing directly upon subjects of the greatest interest to students in the United States, and the opportunity they afford for the discussion of Spanish American topics.

I cannot close this foreword without acknowledging my indebtedness to the Pan-American Union for exact data and information; to the New York Public Library and the Hispanic Society of America for the facilities afforded in the copying of excerpts; to _Las Novedades_ for permission to reprint certain text matter; to Dr. Homero Seris for his a.s.sistance in collecting Spanish Americanisms; and, last but certainly not least, to the Spanish Department of D. C. Heath & Co., the publishers, for valuable suggestions and a.s.sistance in planning the book and in the preparation of the ma.n.u.script.

ERNESTO NELSON

NEW YORK, September 7, 1916.

PART ONE

I.--LA CASA Y EL MOBILIARIO

_Uses of =se, de, un, una, uno=; Definite and Indefinite Articles_

--Los bienes raices pueden ser[1] adquiridos en venta particular o en[2]

subasta o[3] remate publico. En el ultimo[4] caso puede trata.r.s.e _de_[5]

un remate por cuenta del propietario o de un remate judicial hecho por orden del juez.[6]

--En que[7] casos sucede[8] esto ultimo[9]?

--Cuando es preciso[10] vender una propiedad a fin _de_[11] dividir una herencia o para satisfacer una demanda entablada por los acreedores del dueno.

--Que pasos hay que[12] dar para[13] edificar una casa?

--Ante todo[14] debe Ud. poseer el terreno, que se[15] adquiere en cualquiera de las formas mencionadas arriba. Tanto la casa como[16] el terreno pueden ser abonados[17] al contado, o el pago puede hacerse por mensualidades,[18] durante un tiempo que varia entre cinco y siete anos.

--No puede construirse[19] edificios con la ayuda _de_[20] bancos que acepten[21] el pago por mensualidades?

--Si, por cierto,[22] y hay[23] en la America latina numerosas inst.i.tuciones, tanto oficiales como privadas,[24] que realizan esas operaciones. El tiempo de la transaccion dura de once a treinta anos.

--Que diligencias hay que hacer para[25] edificar una casa en la America latina?

--Una vez adquirido[26] el terreno y obtenida la escritura ante un notario o escribano publico, debe[27] Ud. buscar un arquitecto o un ingeniero[28] para trazar el plano _de_ la futura casa, de acuerdo con sus deseos y dentro de la suma que Ud. se propone gastar. Cambiadas[29]

las ideas entre el propietario y el ingeniero o el[30] arquitecto, este[31] hace una licitacion privada entre constructores, distribuyendo[32] entre ellos las planillas _de_ especificaciones y de condiciones que se hayan[33] convenido. Aceptada una[34] de las ofertas recibidas, se firma el contrato[35] y se solicita de la munic.i.p.alidad el permiso para construir el edificio.

--Quien se encarga de[36] buscar los albaniles?

--El constructor, sea directamente o[37] por intermedio de[38] su capataz. Y no solo[39] busca los albaniles sino tambien[40] los proveedores de los materiales. Asi,[41] hace un convenio con una fabrica _de_ ladrillos por la provision de los que[42] necesita, fijando de antemano[43] la fecha de las entregas y la forma de pago.[44]

--Una carpinteria, o varias,[45] toman a su cargo[46] la fabricacion de las puertas y ventanas con sus marcos, celosias y postigos, asi como[47]

las escaleras interiores balaustradas, zocalos, molduras, tabiques, guardarropas, estanterias fijas y ascensores domesticos o estantes giratorios.

--De que[48] se hacen los pisos?

--En las habitaciones, de madera, y los pisos pueden ser lisos, es decir,[49] sin dibujos, o de parquet, y en este caso[50] se escogen los motivos, las guardas, etc., al gusto del propietario.[51]

--Una herreria se encarga de las verjas para puertas y portones y de los demas objetos de fierro.[52]

--Se[53] usa todavia poner rejas en las ventanas,[54] como se las ve[55] en grabados _de_ Espana?

--En unas cuantas ciudades que conservan las tradiciones de la madre patria. Por lo general se ven verjas en los jardines, en las ventanas pequenas o las que ofrecen un acceso peligroso desde la calle, las cuales[56] por eso se mantienen abiertas solo _de_ dia.[57] El herrero hace, como se lo dije[58] ya, los balcones de hierro, el armazon de las claraboyas, las escaleras, sobre todo las que se llaman de caracol, que son generalmente de hierro y se conocen con ese nombre[59] por estar[60]

construidas sobre un eje.

--Se fabrican por alla[61] baldosas, mosaicos y azulejos?

--En pequena escala.[62] Por lo general[63] se importan de Europa y Estados Unidos, vendiendose[64] en establecimientos especiales juntamente con otros articulos que se designan con el nombre de[65]

materiales de construccion. Aqui entran[66] no solo azulejos para los cuartos de bano y la cocina[67]; mosaicos para las veredas o aceras,[68]

el zaguan, los patios,[69] corredores y galerias[70]; baldosas para los patios interiores y azoteas; pizarras para el techo; sino tambien frisos de marmol, pedestales para jardines, objetos de cemento armado,[71] de piedra o de terracotta, cristales, vidrios de color para puertas-cancelas,[72] banderolas, ojos de buey, etc.

--Se emplea[73] el gas o la electricidad en el alumbrado?

--Uno y otro sistema[74]; pero en las ciudades grandes el gas se usa con preferencia como combustible en la cocina. Como iba diciendo,[75] una casa electricista corre con la instalacion de conductores, medidores, toma-corrientes,[76] llaves, fusibles, asi como de las campanillas con sus cuadros indicadores, pilas, transformadores, etc., mientras otra casa especialista, de las[77] denominadas[78] de artefactos de luz electrica, proporciona las aranas, los pendientes, los brazos, los faroles y los plafonniers.