Some Aspects of Present-Participial Usage in Six Modern Spanish Novelists

Abstract

progressive forms in Spanish and English. The material, as it was finally collected, yielded little information on the original problem. Nevertheless, the results which were obtained suggest several interesting conclusions. The accompanying chart contains the information gathered from a count of 300,000 words. To establish a norm for future comparison, three modern novelists of established reputation in Spanish literature and three contemporary novelists of recognized ability were selected, with 50,000 words of continuous text from each.' Although the bare results are evident from the chart, considerable basis for amplification and discussion is provided by the data. As a starting point, let us take the final result-the grand total of 2752 presentparticipial forms. This averages almost exactly one present participle in every 109 words, or in the average Spanish novel, two to three forms per page. While this average obviously does not establish the primordial importance of the present participle, neither can the matter be dismissed as of minor consequence. And quite apart from its numerical occurrence, the Spanish language without the present participle would be lacking in one of its most flexible modes of expression. It should also be remembered that this frequency count was based on literary texts; it is possible that the present participle, used especially in the periphrastic conjugations, is employed more commonly in everyday conversation. For purposes of analysis the present participle may be conveniently separated into two categories; its use independently and its use in forming the periphrastic, progressive forms. Of course, serious difficulties arise apropos of this division, and the question is immediately asked: When is a verb a true auxiliary? Even such a familiar phrase as AMll, estuvo comiendo may, by changing the vocal pattern, take on a different emphasis as in AllM estuvo, comiendo. Obviously, in the latter case the word comiendo does not