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The Spanish American Reader
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About this book
The Spanish American Reader, compiled by Ernesto Nelson, is a language‑learning volume that introduces readers to commercial and everyday Spanish through a series of annotated excerpts. The opening pages consist of detailed footnotes that define terms such as “casas de comercio,” “negocios,” and “mercancía,” offering both literal translations and contextual variants. These notes are followed by a practical dialogue about where one can purchase furniture, complete with examples of phrasing for credit purchases, price negotiations, and the handling of commercial paperwork. By interweaving vocabulary lists with realistic conversational snippets, the book functions as a bridge between textbook theory and the language used in markets, shops, and offices throughout Latin America.
The style is that of a late‑19th‑ to early‑20th‑century instructional text, marked by formal explanations, parenthetical grammar reminders, and a focus on precise agreement in Spanish. Its tone is didactic yet conversational, making it especially suitable for students of Spanish who wish to master commercial terminology and everyday interactions. Learners who enjoy structured, example‑driven material, particularly those interested in business, trade, or historical language usage, will find this reader both accessible and enriching.
The opening · free to read
[1] =Casas de Comercio=, Commercial houses. RELATED WORDS: =Casa de negocio=, business house; =comercio=; =almacén=, store; =tienda=, shop.
[2] =en estos días=, in these days. VARIANTS: =Actualmente=; =en los tiempos que corren=; =en estos tiempos=; =hoy día=.
[3] =negocios=, business. RELATED WORDS: =Operaciones mercantiles=; =estar= or =entrar en negocios=; =asuntos=; =cosas del comercio=.
[4] =Como todo el mundo=, As everybody. See I, 173.
[5] Note that in Spanish, much more strictly than in English, the agreement depends upon the grammatical construction rather than the meaning.
[6] =fortunas=, fortunes. RELATED WORDS: =Riqueza privada=; =riqueza pública=; =hacerse rico=, to become wealthy; =disfrutar de buena posición=, to be in good financial standing.
[7] =levantadas.= VARIANT: =Fortunas que comerciantes ... han levantado=.
[8] =comerciantes=, merchants. RELATED WORDS: =Mercader=; =agente de comercio=; =agente de negocios=; =agente de cambios=, moneychanger; =agente de bolsa=, stock broker; =perito= =mercantil=, business expert.
[9] =por lo que se ve=, by what we can see. VARIANTS: =Por lo visto=; =según puede juzgarse=.
[10] =ganancia=, earnings. RELATED WORDS: =Entrada=, income; =producido líquido=; =resultar un saldo en favor=, to show (showing) a balance in favor.
[11] =grandes.= =Grande= belongs to the class of adjectives having different meanings according to whether they precede or follow the noun. See I, 45.
[12] =tan comunes ... como=, as common ... as; so ... as. VARIANT: =¿Abundan los grandes almacenes en la América latina tanto como aquí?=
[13] Note that this verb requires the reflexive construction in Spanish.
[14] =toda clase de=, every variety of. VARIANTS: =Todo género de=; =todas las mercancías imaginables=.
[15] =mercancía=, merchandise. RELATED WORDS: =Mercadería=, goods; =géneros=, anything to be bought or sold; =abastos=, provisions; =existencias=; =efectos=, stock on hand; =surtido=, assortment; =objetos de venta=; =artículos=.
[16] =Le diré a usted=, I will tell you. VARIANTS: =Diré a usted=; =ahí verá=; =ya verá=; =ahora verá usted= (or =lo sabrá usted=).
[17] =cierta independencia.= See 11.
[18] =Cada casa=, Each house.
[19] =desde ... hasta=, from ... to.
[20] =vendedor=, one who sells, a salesman. RELATED WORDS: =Comisionista=; =representante=; =corredor=, broker; =abastecedor= or =proveedor=, purveyor; =viajante=, traveling salesman; =agente=.
[21] =que apenas es algo más que=, who is scarcely more than. VARIANTS: =Que no pasa de ser=; =que no llega a=.
[22] =un pobre buhonero.= See 11.
[23] =toda=, every.
[24] =gran ciudad=. See 11.
[25] =firma= (=razón social=), firm, company. RELATED WORDS: =Socios=, members of the firm; =consocios=, associates; =socio capitalista=; =socio industrial=.
[26] =organizadas.= See 7. VARIANT: =Firmas poderosas que algunos hombres ... han organizado=.
[27] Note especially the agreement of the adjective here.
[28] =compañía.= Note that the abbreviation in common use is Cía.
[29] =sociedades=, firms; associations. RELATED WORDS: =Sociedad comercial=; =sociedad en compañía=; =sociedad en comandita=, silent partnership; =sociedad anónima=; =sindicato=.
[30] =que han alcanzado.= See 7 and 26. VARIANT: =La prosperidad alcanzada por=.
[31] =a que usted se refiere.= VARIANTS: =De que usted hace mención=; =de que se trata=.
[32] =más de lo que.= Here the second member of the comparison refers to the whole idea expressed in the first clause. See I, 168.
[33] =figurarse=, to seem.
[34] =a manos de=, into the possession of. VARIANT: =A poder de=.
[35] =En cada ramo=, In each line of business. Compare with 18.
[36] =casas mayoristas=, wholesale houses.
[37] =al por mayor=, by the wholesale.
[38] =Más de una.= Compare with más que una.
[39] =Más de una= (plural in meaning, singular in form) =importa= (and not importan). See 5.
[40] =dichas casas=, said houses. VARIANTS: =Tales casas=; =las casas a que nos referimos=. Note that here the plural construction is resumed.
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