Palabras moribundas by Pilar García Mouton and Álex Grijelmo (review)

Palabras moribundas begins with an alphabetical index of 159 potentially dead or dying words, from ababol to zorrocloco. In the introduction, the authors provide an example of how a word that fell out of usage in the nineteenth century has been resuscitated with a different but nevertheless related meaning in the twentieth century. They explain, for example, how the word azafata, derived from the Arabic term azafate, meaning tray or platter, was used to refer to a female attendant who would assist Spanish nobility with clothing and accessories. When attendants to the nobility ceased performing that function, the term died out. It then found new life with the advent of flight as the Spanish equivalent of “flight attendant.” Subsequently, the use of azafata has expanded in meaning to include other forms of transportation, such as train and bus, and in the most recent edition of the Real Academia Española’s Diccionario de la lengua española, the term expanded again to include men, azafato.

García Mouton and Grijelmo explain how they have spent years analyzing and rescuing words perceived to be dying or already classified as dead as hosts of the segment Palabras moribundas on the National Spanish Radio program, No es un día cualquiera. The radio segment is characterized by active participation from the listeners who call in live or write via e-mail with the expectation that their insights will be shared at the end of the program. These contributions bring the program to life as they enrich the discussion and offer a comprehensive perspective of the terms under analysis. It was precisely García Mouton and Grijelmo’s work on that radio segment, asking listeners when they last used or heard a particular word or phrase, that lead to the present book. While the authors’ radio audience draws mainly upon listeners residing in Spain, they often cite examples of the vitality of many terms in Latin America that had been lost or were dying in European dialects. They attribute the reintroduction of these terms into peninsular Spanish to immigration to and from Latin America.

In Palabras moribundas, the authors strive to prevent some words from falling into disuse and seek to revive others. They present an engaging analysis of select words and include anecdotes and examples from listeners of the radio program, program guests, and the program’s director, Pepa Fernández. The authors expound upon the ever-changing nature of language. New nouns and verbs enter the lexicon at an amazing rate, driven in large part by technological developments, changes in customs and styles, urbanization, and the incorporation of words from other languages. Some of these terms take root and are passed from generation to generation. Others, as appears to be the case with cederrón, have a very short shelf life.

Each entry begins with a brief etymological description of the word. The authors draw from a wide array of languages, including Arabic, Caló, English, French, Mapuche, and Mozarabic. Each entry generally includes the definition(s) cited in the Diccionario de la lengua española. Examples of usage in Spanish-language literature are abundant and span several centuries to include Spanish and Latin American authors, such as Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina, Galdós, Unamuno, Rubén Darío, Lorca, and García Márquez. In some instances, the authors cite modern-day usage in songs by musicians, such as Joaquín Sabina and Joan Manual Serrat, and from reputable Internet sources, such as Wikilengua.

Never short on enthusiasm, the authors passionately characterize some words, such as bonita, curiosa, and divertida. The text is not laden with linguistic jargon. When the authors do include technical terminology, they clearly define it, as is the case of the term hipocorístico when they explain the meaning of the suffix -ete in the phrase de bracete, and the term polisémica when they list numerous meanings for the word apañar. In some entries, the text...