Spanish Vocabulary: An Etymological Approach

Section 2.1. “Learned” Latin Words

SECTION . “Learned” Latin Words We have seen in Section . that Spanish words of Latin origin can be divided into two general categories—“learned” or “popular”—according to the degree of restructuring they have undergone. For the native English speaker, the “learned” words should provide little difficulty, since they are, in the vast majority of cases, similar in both form and meaning to English counterparts. “Learned” Latin nouns most frequently represent abstract concepts (e.g., nation , division, liberty, virtue). This should come as no surprise: concrete objects (e.g., finger, knife, bird) are by their very nature far more susceptible to popular “deformations”. In this section we will focus on nouns having the following endings: () -ción () -sión () -tad / -dad () -tud All of these are feminine nouns. For the first two groups, we will also introduce related words that have the same base: nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Numerous other “learned” Latin words will be found in Parts III and IV of the text, as well as in the annexes. . Words Ending in -ción These correspond to English words ending in -tion. In the large majority of cases, there is an associated verb ending in either -ar or -ir, and very often other associated nouns, adjectives, and verbs having similar (sometimes identical) English counterparts. Thus, to centralización correspond: centralización centralization —centralizar —(to) centralize —central (adj. & n.f.) —central, headquarters, electric power station —centro —center, middle —centrar —(to) center —centrífugo —centrifugal —centrípeto —centripetal T4311.indb 33 T4311.indb 33 8/31/07 6:42:45 AM 8/31/07 6:42:45 AM  CLASSICAL VOCABULARY while for abolición: abolición abolition, abolishment —abolicionista —abolitionist —abolir —(to) abolish English -mption corresponds to Spanish -nción: asunción assumption [Asunción, Paraguay] consunción consumption (illness) exención exemption presunción presumption redención redemption There are more than two thousand -ción nouns. A sample follows: abdicación abdication —abdicar —(to) abdicate abnegación abnegation, self-denial, altruism abreviación abbreviation, shortening, abridgement —abreviar —(to) abridge, (to) abbreviate, (to) shorten —abreviatura —abbreviation (of a word) absolución absolution, pardon, acquittal —absolver —(to) absolve, (to) acquit abstención abstention —abstener(se) —(to) abstain —abstinencia —abstinence —abstinente —abstinent abstracción abstraction (incl. “preoccupation or absentmindedness”) —abstracto —abstract —abstraer —(to) abstract, (to) become absorbed or lost in thought aclamación acclamation, acclaim —aclamar —(to) acclaim acumulación accumulation —acumular —(to) accumulate T4311.indb 34 T4311.indb 34 8/31/07 6:42:46 AM 8/31/07 6:42:46 AM “LEARNED” LATIN WORDS  —acumulador —accumulator (esp. UK def. “storage battery”) adaptación adaptation —adaptar —(to) adapt, (to) accommodate —adaptable —adaptable adicción addiction —adicto (adj. & n.) —addicted, addict, follower or supporter —adicto al trabajo —workaholic adjudicación adjudication, awarding or settling by decree —adjudicar —(to) adjudicate, (to) award administración administration, manager’s office —administrar —(to) administer —administrativo —administrative —administrador —administrator admiración admiration (including “wonder”) —signo de admiración —exclamation point (¡ . . . !) —admirar —(to) admire —admirador —admirer —mirador —mirador, lookout, watchtower —mirar —(to) look upon, (to) view —mirada —glance, look —mirón —spectator, onlooker (gen. pejorative, i.e., “nosy”) adopción adoption —adoptar —(to) adopt —adoptivo —adoptive adoración adoration —adorable —adorable —adorar —(to) adore adulación adulation —adular —(to) adulate, (to) flatter alienación alienation (emotional, or of property) —alienar —(to) alienate, to dispossess ( enajenar) alteración alteration, change T4311.indb 35 T4311.indb 35 8/31/07 6:42:46 AM 8/31/07 6:42:46 AM  CLASSICAL VOCABULARY —alterar —(to) alter, (to) disturb, (to) upset ambición ambition —ambicioso —ambitious amplificación amplification —amplificar —(to) amplify —amplificador (adj. & n.) —amplifying, amplifier amputación amputation —amputar —(to) amputate anotación annotation, note —anotar —(to) annotate, (to) note, (to) score ( marcar) aplicación application (in most senses except “request”, “form”) —aplicar —(to) apply (in most senses except “to request”) —aplicado —applied, hardworking asimilación assimilation —asimilar —(to) assimilate, (to) be similar to asociación association —asociar —(to) associate, (to) join —asociado (adj. & n.) —associated, associate, member ( socio) asunción assumption, Assumption (cap.) —asumir —(to) assume —asunto —matter, subject, affair, business —asuntos exteriores —foreign affairs calificación qualification, grade (mark), rating —cualificación —professional qualifications (for a specific job) —calidad —quality, condition, rank —cualidad —quality, property, characteristic —calificar  cualificar —(to) qualify (characterize, rate, etc.)  Cualidad and calidad are, broadly speaking, equivalent. The former applies more to quality in the sense of property or intrinsic nature, the latter more to quality in...