Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
absoluta
Spanish answer:
se omite el sufijo -mente
Added to glossary by
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Apr 16 14:07
22 days ago
24 viewers *
Spanish term
Dip. Trans. IoL (En-Gr)
Native in: Greek 
Works in: English to Greek, Greek to English, Greek, and 7 more.
absoluta
Spanish
Social Sciences
Linguistics
Often in the adverbs section of DGE (see at the end of the link) I can see the feminine adjective. Can it also double as an adverb? I could not find any Spanish grammar rule to justify that.
For example, below, I would expect to see "absolutamente" instead of "absoluta".
III adv. -ως absoluta, totalmente ἀ. μέλας Ael.NA 16.11, ἀ. λευκή Luc.DMar.1.3, ὁ ἀ. πλημμελής Pl.Lg.731d.
http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge/ἄκρᾱτος
For example, below, I would expect to see "absolutamente" instead of "absoluta".
III adv. -ως absoluta, totalmente ἀ. μέλας Ael.NA 16.11, ἀ. λευκή Luc.DMar.1.3, ὁ ἀ. πλημμελής Pl.Lg.731d.
http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge/ἄκρᾱτος
Change log
Apr 19, 2024 10:50: Beatriz Ramírez de Haro Created KOG entry
Responses
+1
7 hrs
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
&
Spanish
Works in field
Spain
Golf, Literature and Religion Specialist
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, Spanish
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se omite el sufijo "mente"
Hi Spiros, this is the rule:
Si el adjetivo termina en vocal (excepto -e): tomamos la forma femenina y añadimos -mente.
Si el adjetivo termina en -e o en consonante: añadimos -mente.
Cuando enumeramos dos o más adverbios, solo el último toma la terminación -mente, los otros van en femenino.
Ejemplo: La jornada pasó lenta, tranquila y plácidamente.
https://www.gymglish.com/es/hotel-borbollon/gramatica-espano...
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Note added at 2 days 9 hrs (2024-04-18 23:10:49 GMT)
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Yes, dictionaries are no exception.
The elision of the -mente suffix in all but the last adverb is a common grammatical rule for all types of texts, including dictionary entries, which particularly benefit from brevity.
OTOH, repeating the -mente suffix is not incorrect. In fact, it can be a stylistic device in literary texts.
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Note added at 2 days 14 hrs (2024-04-19 05:06:38 GMT)
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Yes, dictionaries are no exception.
Dropping the -mente suffix from all but the last adverb is a common grammatical rule for all types of texts, including dictionary entries where brevity is a must.
OTOH, repeating the -mente suffix throughout a series of adverbs is not incorrect. In fact, it can be used as a stylistic/rhetorical device in literary texts.
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Note added at 2 days 21 hrs (2024-04-19 11:11:59 GMT) Post-grading
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Yes, every language is a world. Thanks for your feedback and best of luck!
Si el adjetivo termina en vocal (excepto -e): tomamos la forma femenina y añadimos -mente.
Si el adjetivo termina en -e o en consonante: añadimos -mente.
Cuando enumeramos dos o más adverbios, solo el último toma la terminación -mente, los otros van en femenino.
Ejemplo: La jornada pasó lenta, tranquila y plácidamente.
https://www.gymglish.com/es/hotel-borbollon/gramatica-espano...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 9 hrs (2024-04-18 23:10:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, dictionaries are no exception.
The elision of the -mente suffix in all but the last adverb is a common grammatical rule for all types of texts, including dictionary entries, which particularly benefit from brevity.
OTOH, repeating the -mente suffix is not incorrect. In fact, it can be a stylistic device in literary texts.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 14 hrs (2024-04-19 05:06:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, dictionaries are no exception.
Dropping the -mente suffix from all but the last adverb is a common grammatical rule for all types of texts, including dictionary entries where brevity is a must.
OTOH, repeating the -mente suffix throughout a series of adverbs is not incorrect. In fact, it can be used as a stylistic/rhetorical device in literary texts.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 21 hrs (2024-04-19 11:11:59 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Yes, every language is a world. Thanks for your feedback and best of luck!
Note from asker:
| I understand the economy of language logic, but in this case there's no running text but a dictionary entry! Have you seen a similar approach in other x language to Spanish dictionaries? |
| Thanks, Beatriz, a truly elucidating answer! It is so interesting the way adverbs are handled in different languages. For example, Germans dispense with such issues as any adjective can also be an adverb. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Toni Castano
: This is the rule. What is behind is just "economy of language".
11 hrs
|
|
Así es, saludos Toni.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
1 hr
Sakshi Garg
India
India
India
- Because every word matters
Native in: English (Variants: US, Australian, French, Wales / Welsh, Singaporean, British, New Zealand, Scottish, South African, US South, Canadian, UK, Irish, Indian, Jamaican) 
, French
adverbial form would be "absolutamente"
The usage of absoluta in Spanish, appears to be an example of how adjectives can be utilized adverbially in some linguistic instances, particularly in languages influenced by Latin, like Spanish. Typically, the adverbial form would be absolutamente, but in some structured or stylistic expressions, the adjective form absoluta can be used adverbially.
For more detailed information about Spanish adverbs, including the transformation of adjectives to adverbs using the "-mente" suffix, you might find the following resources helpful:
Rocket Languages - Spanish Adverbs:
This page provides a basic overview of how adverbs function in Spanish, including how adjectives are transformed into adverbs by adding "-mente" to the feminine form of the adjective.
https://www.rocketlanguages.com/spanish/grammar/spanish-adve...
Hola Qué Pasa - Spanish Words ending in MENTE:
This lesson covers the formation of adverbs ending in "-mente" in Spanish, providing clear examples and practices.
https://holaquepasa.com/spanish-adverbs-with-suffix-mente/
ThoughtCo - Creating Adverbs by Adding '-mente' to Adjectives:
This article offers an explanation on how to create adverbs from adjectives in Spanish by adding "-mente" to the feminine adjective form.
https://www.thoughtco.com/creating-adverbs-by-adding-mente-3...
For more detailed information about Spanish adverbs, including the transformation of adjectives to adverbs using the "-mente" suffix, you might find the following resources helpful:
Rocket Languages - Spanish Adverbs:
This page provides a basic overview of how adverbs function in Spanish, including how adjectives are transformed into adverbs by adding "-mente" to the feminine form of the adjective.
https://www.rocketlanguages.com/spanish/grammar/spanish-adve...
Hola Qué Pasa - Spanish Words ending in MENTE:
This lesson covers the formation of adverbs ending in "-mente" in Spanish, providing clear examples and practices.
https://holaquepasa.com/spanish-adverbs-with-suffix-mente/
ThoughtCo - Creating Adverbs by Adding '-mente' to Adjectives:
This article offers an explanation on how to create adverbs from adjectives in Spanish by adding "-mente" to the feminine adjective form.
https://www.thoughtco.com/creating-adverbs-by-adding-mente-3...
Note from asker:
| Thanks, Beatriz, a truly elucidating answer! It is so interesting the way adverbs are handled in different languages. For example, Germans dispense with such issues as any adjective can also be an adverb. |
Discussion