Brazilian Portuguese Self Assessment

Angela Acosta | Brazilian Portuguese

Listening

May 6, 2017
B1 I can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. I can understand the main point of many radio or TV programmes on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.

I think that I am at the B1 level on my way to B2. I have been regularly attending the Portuguese lunch table for the past few years and I can follow conversations with other people at the table. I can understand topics that are familiar to me as well as instructions. I can understand most audio material, especially music. I can follow a conversation that uses some idiomatic expressions and slang. I have been learning a lot about colloquiums used in Brazil as well as Brazilian culture and society (i.e. we discussed the impeachment of the Brazilian president at the lunch table).

Here is a Sertanejo song that I really like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8jD3F9PI7Q&list=PLa7mizOIcKpSZVIDS6BNb3q8rSBoFNP8u

Reading

May 6, 2017
B2 I can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints. I can understand contemporary literary prose.

I have not read much in Portuguese lately since I have not taken formal classes in a year. However, there is a lot of overlap between Spanish and Portuguese vocabulary and grammar. These similarities means that I am at a higher level reading and writing Portuguese than speaking. I can understand the plot of literary texts, news articles, and some academic sources. I can obtain information from texts, but I would like to improve my reading ability for modern literature since I have not yet read a novel in Portuguese.

This is my Duolingo fluency level for Portuguese (it was at 44%, but I have not been doing the lessons as frequently). The Duolingo lessons help me with reading short texts, listening, and improving my vocabulary and grammar.

Spoken Interaction

May 6, 2017
B1 I can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. I can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events).

I think that I am somewhere between B1 and B2 for spoken interaction. I hope to travel to Brazil in the future to speak more fluently. I can participate in conversations at the Portuguese lunch table about a variety of topics. We often talk about Brazil, Smith College, and I will reference Florida frequently. I can give my opinion on a variety of topics clearly. Since I have not yet traveled to Brazil, I do not have experience doing many everyday tasks (i.e. talking on the phone, dealing with emergencies, and doing interviews).

Spoken Production

May 6, 2017
B1 I can connect phrases in a simple way in order to describe experiences and events, my dreams, hopes and ambitions. I can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. I can narrate a story or relate the plot of a book or film and describe my reactions.

I hope that I can reach a B2 level by practicing speaking Portuguese more often. I think that I am at the B1 level because I can describe my research project clearly using the correct words for my academic field. I can describe books that I have read and I enjoy discussing my personal experiences and goals. While taking Portuguese classes, I have given several short prepared presentations on familiar topics, such as my hometown and the Tour de France.

I do not have a recording of my presentations, but I am including the PowerPoint for my presentation about Gainesville, Florida from Portuguese 220, Fall 2015.

Gainesville Angela Acosta

Writing

May 6, 2017
B1 I can write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. I can write personal letters describing experiences and impressions.

I considered myself at the B2 level the last time I did a language assessment (February 2016), but I unfortunately have not been writing much in Portuguese lately. I have written several essays of several pages in length in the past, but I would need to refresh my grammar and stylistic elements for essays if I were to write an essay now. I can write descriptions of events and write emails that describe my experiences and make enquiries. I am most comfortable writing informal letters, but I can also write formally.

Spanish Self Assessment

Angela Acosta | Spanish

Listening

May 6, 2017
C1 I can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly. I can understand television programmes and films without too much effort.

I think that I am somewhere between C1 and C2 for my listening skills. Since there are so many accents and country-specific words in Spanish, I think that I have reached a C2 level specific to Spanish spoken in Spain. In terms of all types of spoken Spanish, I am at the B2/C1 level when there are a lot of unfamiliar colloquiums in a conversation. I would like to understand regional variations of Spanish better while improving my listening skills for Iberian Spanish. While I know some slang and many idioms, I am most comfortable listening to academic debates and discussions.

I can understand announcements on the radio and in the airport as well as spoken speech. I can follow abstract topics and notice irony and sarcasm. I no longer feel restricted by my listening ability to participate in a conversation in Spanish.

Here is a part of an interview with Vicente Aleixandre discussing his childhood. I listened to this interview for my Mellon Mays project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXZ8T59wgSQ

Reading

April 13, 2017
C2 I can read with ease virtually all forms of the written language, including abstract, structurally or linguistically complex texts such as manuals, specialised articles and literary works.

 

sombra-del-paraso-ayer-y-hoy-0

This is one of the articles that I consulted for my Mellon Mays project. The article discusses the reception of Sombra del Paraíso at the time of publication and from the perspective of current readers. Sobejano, a prolific literary critic, argues that the six parts of the collection serve a unifying purpose. He offers short interpretations of the six sections of the book as well as the first, middle, and last poems. He divides the book into three moments: the unification of the reader with nature, the inspiration for readers to immerse themselves in the joy of the universe, and dreaming of the promise of God.

While I primarily read academic articles about Spanish literature, I can understand newspaper articles and other genres that are written in informal and formal registers. I have read fictional and academic books, such as the biography of Vicente Aleixandre. I am capable of incorporating literary criticism in my own textual analysis and I can understand both the direct and indirect meaning of texts.

Spoken Interaction

May 6, 2017
C2 I can take part effortlessly in any conversation or discussion and have a good familiarity with idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms. I can express myself fluently and convey finer shades of meaning precisely. If I do have a problem I can backtrack and restructure around the difficulty so smoothly that other people are hardly aware of it.

Spoken interaction is where I have seen the most improvement since my first year at Smith. I am much more comfortable talking to people in Spanish on a variety of topics without worrying about limitations in my grammar and vocabulary. I can converse comfortably at the Spanish lunch table as well as to specialists in my field. Both native and nonnative speakers can understand me without any difficulty. I spoke fluently to academics about my Mellon Mays research during my trip to Spain last summer. I feel like I can convey my personality in Spanish, which includes making jokes with friends.

I am satisfied with my fluency level, but I would like to improve my skills in nonacademic situations. I sometimes have trouble knowing what to say at hotels and restaurants since I have less practice making reservations. I’m hoping that more exposure to different social situations will help me improve my spoken interaction in those areas.

Spoken Production

April 13, 2017
C2 I can present a clear, smoothly-flowing description or argument in a style appropriate to the context and with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points.

This is a recording of myself speaking Spanish for my UNC Chapel Hill application.

This is the prompt: A .mp3 or .wma file of a few minutes’ duration, in which you identify yourself by name in English; then, in the target language, chat about your professional goals and read a short literary passage of your choice.

When I was preparing for this recording, I did not want to just speak extemporaneously. While I feel comfortable doing so, I wanted to talk about certain aspects of my experiences learning and studying Spanish in particular order. I treated it more like a formal presentation and I referred to my notes only to remember the content rather than the grammatical structure. I also wanted to speak more formally since I was addressing the selection committee. Although I sometimes make mistakes while talking, I am able to correct them quickly.

Writing

May 6, 2017
C2 I can write clear, smoothly-flowing text in an appropriate style. I can write complex letters, reports or articles which present a case with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points. I can write summaries and reviews of professional or literary works.

As a Spanish major at Smith College, I have written papers, letters (formal and informal), and projects with a variety of registers and styles. I feel comfortable writing in Spanish for almost all occasions. This means that I can write papers in the appropriate style relating to my academic field of Hispanic Language and Literature. I can write personal correspondence to express my opinions and emotions informally and I can write formal letters for applications and requests for research assistance. I can write logically and present a unique argument without letting grammar or vocabulary hinder the reader’s understanding of my work.

I have included a summary and analysis of “Adiós a los campos” by Vicente Aleixandre. I wrote this essay this semester prior to translating the poem to better understand the complexity of each stanza.

Summary “Adios a los campos”

Going Digital with Literary Translation

I am translating selected poems from Vicente Aleixandre’s book Sombra del Paraíso (Shadow of Paradise) and I have reached the point in my research where I would like to share my translations with a wider audience. Some of the main ideas about my translations that I drew on a mind map that I created at the Translation Studies retreat are accessibility, community of readers, and digital humanities. After having created a translation methodology and produced several drafts of my translations, I am currently thinking about about how literary translation can extend beyond an academic audience. When Aleixandre’s book was first translated into English, the book was mostly available in university libraries. I aspire to make my translations available through other mediums in the hope that Latino/as and other English speakers will be interested in reading Aleixandre’s work.

I am currently in the process of deciding how I intend to use digital humanities to share my translations. Last semester, I went to a lecture for a South Asia Studies class and I learned about how an art historian used digital humanities to learn more about Mughal painters. I started researching about digital humanities in the context of Spanish literature and how I might utilize it for my own research. I used my creativity, curiosity about translation, and innovation skills to synthesize digital humanities tools and methodologies to design a framework that would make sense for my research project and experiences with technology. A challenge I faced was the ability to turn what was once an idea for a book of translation into a digital artifact. I became resourceful in deciding which aspects of my original book design I wanted to maintain in the digital version since I did not have a digital model that I was basing my work on. It is up to me to design my portfolio in a way that will keep my project organized and accessible.

I have now specified the components of my online translation project, which include presenting both the English translation and original Spanish text. In addition, I hope to add footnotes to incorporate my translation decisions and point to particularly difficult imagery or idiomatic expressions. I plan to include some historical, cultural, and biographical information about Vicente Aleixandre and the Spanish Civil War. I hope to make readers aware of the process of translation and the uniqueness of Aleixandre’s poetry in Spanish. By using a digital platform such as a blog or website, I can make the reading experience more interactive so that readers do not need to wade through a long preface to learn about the poet they are about to read. While I hope that the poetry will stand alone in English, I want to give readers access to my translation methodology and perhaps various drafts of my work. Unfortunately, drafts of Aleixandre’s work in Spanish is limited.

Ultimately, as I move forward in learning about digital humanities, I hope to make literary translation more accessible outside of academia. Aleixandre writes about our place in the cosmos and all readers will be able to make a connection with the world that Aleixandre depicts in his poetry. The poems I translate fall under similar themes of paradise and paradise lost to give readers a short sample of Sombra del paraíso in its entirety. As I continue translating, I hope to better understand Aleixandre’s poetry and to look at translation from the perspective of my future audience.

My mind map:

Mind map

 

 

Spanish Self-Assessment after Researching in Spain

Angela Acosta | Spanish
Listening
Reading
Spoken Interaction
Spoken Production
Writing

Listening

September 30, 2016
C2 I have no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided I have some time to get familiar with the accent.

After spending more time around Spanish speakers, I can listen to a conversation or recording with little trouble. I can grasp the literal meaning of what I am listening to as well as understanding jokes, sarcasm, and pick up on emotions evoked from certain phrases or words.

I am comfortable listening to a variety of Spanish accents, but I prefer listening to and interacting with people from Spain. I listened to a lot of Spaniards during my trip to Spain this past summer and I mostly had difficulty with cultural conventions, rather than the meaning of what people were saying. Sometimes I may not understand certain colloquial expressions or regional words (ie the twenty ways to say “straw” in Spanish), but I can keep up with the speed of a conversation very well.

I would also like to mention that this score refers primarily to my ability to listen to casual conversations one would hear at a cafe and academic talks related to the humanities. I would not be as knowledgeable about certain professions or disciplines such as welding, engineering, or computer science, that I do not have background knowledge in.

“La Lengua de las Mariposas” is a Spanish film that I watched in my class called “Performing Memory and Change in Latin America and Spain”. I enjoyed the film and understood the actors clearly since I am more used to Spanish dialects from Spain.

Reading

October 6, 2016
C2 I can read with ease virtually all forms of the written language, including abstract, structurally or linguistically complex texts such as manuals, specialised articles and literary works.

I think that I close to a C2 level for my academic reading related to Spanish literature. Due to the diversity of the Spanish speaking world, it can be difficult to dive into a text written by an author who uses colloquialisms that I do not know. After all, each country has a different way to say “straw” in Spanish.

I have extensively read Spanish literary criticism relating to the Generation of 1927 in Spain and Vicente Aleixandre. While I consult a dictionary when unsure about a word, I can read almost as fast in Spanish as I read academic papers in English. I have experienced some difficulty reading Argentinian texts, for example, as I am not as familiar with using “vos” and its conjugations.

I have not read manuals and other specific technical texts, but I am very comfortable reading material for Spanish class and my research. Overall, I understand the rhetorical terms and specific words used to describe Spanish literature.

This is a Spanish article from ABC about Aleixandre’s book Sombra del paraíso: http://www.abc.es/cultura/abci-vicente-aleixandre-resistencia-belleza-201605220247_noticia.html

Spoken Interaction

October 6, 2016
C1 I can express myself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. I can use language flexibly and effectively for social and professional purposes. I can formulate ideas and opinions with precision and relate my contribution skilfully to those of other speakers.

I think that I am somewhere between a C1 and C2 level of spoken interaction because I can interact with someone I do not know and reply without knowing the topic of conversation in advance. I do not find myself struggling to think of a word, expression, or verb conjugation. I feel comfortable talking about unfamiliar topics, answering interview questions, and speak with confidence and fluency near the level of that of a native speaker. I also think that I can convey my emotions well in Spanish by using irony, sarcasm, and making jokes.

The reason that I don’t think that I am at a C2 level is that I sometimes do not know how to respond to someone right away. This has to do with thinking about the right response for a social situation, or feeling uncertain about how to reply. I take longer to respond in English and Spanish when I am speaking to an acquaintance and respond more quickly when talking to friends.

Here is a recording of me speaking Spanish extemporaneously about my favorite hobbies!

Spoken Production

September 30, 2016
C2 I can present a clear, smoothly-flowing description or argument in a style appropriate to the context and with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points.

I have given several presentations in Spanish and spoken more formally in Spanish class. I can present a topic clearly and describe a literary text, such as one of Aleixandre’s poems, in great detail. I can talk about the nuances of a poem and discuss rhetorical devices and the structure of the poem. I also adapt my register depending on the audience.

While in Spain, I had many opportunities to talk formally about my research about Vicente Aleixandre. For example, I spoke with a professor at the University Complutense of Madrid and I had a great time discussing the Generation of 1927 in Spain and the history surrounding the group of poets.

Writing

October 6, 2016
C1 I can express myself in clear, wellstructured text, expressing points of view at some length. I can write about complex subjects in a letter, an essay or a report, underlining what I consider to be the salient issues. I can select a style appropriate to the reader in mind.

As part of my Mellon Mays project, I have benefited from writing extensively about Aleixandre’s poetry. I continue to learn about the standards of academic writing for Hispanists and I have mastered all of the verb tenses and can use a variety of sentence structures. I consider myself near a C2 level for writing related to familiar topics and literature. I would not be a C2 level for philosophical or scientific papers. I also make occasional mistakes common for native English speakers.

This is an email that I composed to inquire about  researching at the Library of the Cultural Center of the Generation of 1927 in Málaga, Spain, which I visited during my May trip.

Estimado señor o señora:

Soy una estudiante de Smith College en los Estados Unidos. Estoy haciendo investigaciones en el programa de becas llamado Mellon Mays en preparación para escribir una artículo sobre Sombra del paraíso por Vicente Aleixandre el año que viene.

Tengo planes para hacer investigaciones en España este mes y me gustaría solicitar una cita para acceder a las fuentes de la biblioteca del Centro Cultural Generación del 27. En concreto, estaré en Málaga el 20 de mayo. Abajo incluí una lista del material que quisiera consultar.

Por favor, déjeme saber qué tipo de documentación necesito para confirmar mi condición de investigadora. Incluí una carta de mi consejera de Mellon Mays para mis investigaciones para otro archivo.

Muchas gracias,

Angela Acosta

“The Memory of a Man Is in His Kisses”

The Memory of a Man Is in His Kisses

6/30/16

Calderón, Emilio. La memoria de un hombre está en sus besos. Barcelona: Stella Maris, 2016. Print.

Vicente Aleixandre once wrote, “The memory of a man is in his kisses”, an apt phrase for a biography about Aleixandre. Aleixandre was a lover of life and his loved ones. While I often gloss over biographical details about writers, Aleixandre’s life is inextricably linked to his own poetry. Many Spanish literary critics and writers are eagerly reading this new biography and learning about unknown details about Aleixandre and the hardships he faced living through a difficult period of Spanish history.

Prior to reading this biography, I read all of the previous biographies and biographical sketches about Aleixandre. These include Leopoldo de Luis’ 1970 biography (edited again in 1978), José Luis Cano’s 1981 biography for his poetic anthology, and Antonio Colinas’ 1982 text of Aleixandre’s life and works. Three biographies along with an autobiographical sketch by Aleixandre would seem sufficient for telling the life story of a Nobel recipient. These biographies contain precise biographical information in connection to the dates of publication of Aleixandre’s works. They are written with care by Aleixandre’s own friends from later literary generations. The best way to explain how they fall short is by stating that none of the aforementioned biographies truly allow a reader to get to know who Aleixandre was as a person. We know where he went to school as a child, but who were his friends, how did he interact with his world, and did his parents love him? The questions go on and on and Calderón’s biography thankfully answers many of these questions.

Calderón’s biography is over 500 pages with a section with photographs of Aleixandre and his friends and family. The biography consists of twenty-five chapters that chronologically recount Aleixandre’s life. The final chapter focuses on Aleixandre’s house, Velintonia, which is currently for sale. Calderón hopes that the Association of Friends of Vicente Aleixandre will successfully find a way to protect the house and, in effect, Aleixandre’s legacy. The date of publication (March 2016) is the most obvious difference between the new biography and the earlier ones. The earlier biographies were written by friends during a time in which Aleixandre was still alive so crucial details about Aleixandre’s personal life were omitted. Calderón’s biography is more holistic than the others because it addresses Aleixandre’s poetry, family, relationships, and twentieth century historical events. Calderón finds a sense of camaraderie with Aleixandre for having grown up in the same city, Málaga, as the poet.

Prior to reading the biography, I grappled with the difficulty of getting to know Aleixandre as a person. He passed away years before I was born and his poems remained largely unread by the general population in Spain following his death. While I will never know him as well as his close friends who visited him weekly at his house in Madrid, I can still learn about the reasons why Aleixandre wrote what he did and how his life affected his writing. While reading the biography, I learned about the details of his chronic illnesses, his whereabouts during the Spanish Civil War, and more about his past lovers. I knew key facts and dates from previous biographies, but there were a lot of gaps in my knowledge. One of which was the fact that Aleixandre had several lovers throughout his life, not just Andrés Acero who was his partner prior to and during the Spanish Civil War.

The biography included well-documented anecdotes about Aleixandre’s life and that of others. For example, I learned about Andrés Acero’s hardships after fighting in the Spanish Civil War and resettling in Veracruz, Mexico. Naturally, the biography included many surprising revelations about Aleixandre’s life that would surprise avid readers. For example, I did not know that Aleixandre tried to go to France during the Spanish Civil War due to health complications. Calderón documents each stage of Aleixandre’s life and includes many quotations from the author himself about personal and public matters. These primary sources give definitive responses to Aleixandre’s political opinions and attitudes about his poetry. One of the chapters even features a questionnaire that Aleixandre filled out in which he divulged that he is shy.

Overall, I am very satisfied with the biography. The amount of research that Calderón completed prior to composing the biography is incredible. Vicente Aleixandre seems like a more relatable poet now that I have had a glimpse into his life. I can visualize the different events that marked his life better than I could after reading the other biographies. I can imagine Aleixandre exploring the sunny beaches of Málaga as a boy and befriending Emilio Prados at school. However, I think that the overall organization of the chapters needs editing. By virtue of working with such a large amount of information, the chapters often jump from topic to topic without much transition between paragraphs. Moreover, Calderón often assumed that readers knew certain pieces of information about Aleixandre and the Generation of 1927. On a few occasions, he generalized certain facts too much. For example, he mentioned that Aleixandre is well known in Latin America without giving any additional information.

What does Calderón’s biography mean for me as a researcher?

My research incorporates Aleixandre’s biography and era with my interpretation of his book Shadow of Paradise. I ponder how the Spanish Civil War plays a role in this postwar book. While he seldom mentions his life and politics in his poetry, the book’s dark tone references the difficult war years. Since Aleixandre’s poetry discusses man’s place in the universe, I think that a good understanding of the poet himself is paramount to my analysis. I hope to continue to read more primary sources by the poet himself that will enable me to understand his philosophy of life in his own words.

I find myself in a unique position as an American researcher of Aleixandre. Calderón’s designated audience includes Spanish researchers, professors, and students. I did not grow up in Spain so I am not familiar with the general public’s attitudes towards Aleixandre and his work. Calderón phrased some sentences by saying “us Spaniards” to point out specific cultural or historical details that they would be familiar with. Often, I also understood Calderón’s references. However, I have been studying Aleixandre and the Spanish Civil War for over a year and some Spaniards may not immediately recognize a particular detail about the Spanish Civil War (an important historical event hardly covered in schools).

The main goal of my project is to make Aleixandre’s poetry and information about the era in which he lived accessible. I hope to encourage Americans to read and enjoy his poetry since anyone can relate to the themes of his poems. As I mentioned, Aleixandre writes about the human condition and the struggles and happiness that go along with being a human. Many Spanish critics insist that Aleixandre’s poetry belongs to their cultural heritage and his poems should remain in Spain. While I agree that Aleixandre’s poetry serves an important purpose for the postwar generations of Spanish poets, it should also be shared globally in translation. Aleixandre mentored dozens of poets and inspired them to keep writing and sharing their creativity in Spain and throughout Europe. As I continue my research, I hope to introduce Aleixandre and other modern poets to Americans.

Some final thoughts about the biography:

Even though Aleixandre is one of the most well-known poets of the twentieth century, Calderón’s biography offers a glimpse of who Aleixandre was as a person. He had lovers, experienced hardships as he suffered from chronic illnesses, and made mistakes. He is human and as he often said, “There are no literary friends, but friends without any other descriptions”. He writes about love and grief in a way that someone with a considerable amount experience can. His life, both the good and the bad, goes hand in hand with his poetry.

 

My Portuguese Self-Assessment

Angela Acosta | Portuguese
Listening
Reading
Spoken Interaction
Spoken Production
Writing

Listening

February 13, 2016
B1 I can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. I can understand the main point of many radio or TV programmes on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.

I really like this song and can understand it without much difficulty. I usually understand what people are talking about in television programs and Sertaneja songs. I can understand the professor well in class, and I’m pretty comfortable listening to Brazilian accents.

Reading

February 13, 2016
B2 I can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints. I can understand contemporary literary prose.

I think that I’m a B2 in reading because I can draw from my Spanish skills to read short contemporary literature and articles. I do need a dictionary for specialized words, but for the most part I can understand the grammatical structure and vocabulary. Without a dictionary, I’m somewhere between a B1 and B2.

This is an article that I read in my Portuguese 220 class: DaMatta, a casa e a rua

Spoken Interaction

February 13, 2016
B1 I can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. I can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events).

I think that I am a B1 in spoken interaction because I can talk to people during class discussions about a variety of topics, using a variety of verb tenses and vocabulary words. I haven’t spent time in Brazil, but I can talk to people at the Portuguese language table and we can carry on conversations for several minutes at a time.

Spoken Production

February 13, 2016
B1 I can connect phrases in a simple way in order to describe experiences and events, my dreams, hopes and ambitions. I can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. I can narrate a story or relate the plot of a book or film and describe my reactions.

I think that I’m a B1 in spoken production (on the way to a B2) because I can give class presentations on specific, familiar subjects with clarity.

Writing

February 13, 2016
B2 I can write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to my interests. I can write an essay or report, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view. I can write letters highlighting the personal significance of events and experiences.

I think that I’m a B2 in writing because I can draw from my knowledge of Spanish to write essays about specific subjects and argue my point. I’ve done a lot of creative writing in my classes and I can convey my sense of humor well in Portuguese.

This is an essay that I wrote for POR 220 about school segregation in Gainesville, Florida.

Revisado Trabalho 4

My Spanish Self-Assessment

Angela Acosta | Spanish
Listening
Reading
Spoken Interaction
Spoken Production
Writing

Listening

February 13, 2016
C1 I can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly. I can understand television programmes and films without too much effort.

I think that I am a C1 in listening because I can understand native speakers from a variety of different countries clearly without getting lost in the conversation. I can watch films/television without needing to pause to look up words, but sometimes I don’t know all of the cultural context.

Here’s a Spanish song that I enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPeNUfc8hGk

Reading

February 13, 2016
C1 I can understand long and complex factual and literary texts, appreciating distinctions of style. I can understand specialised articles and longer technical instructions, even when they do not relate to my field.

I think that I am a C1 in reading because I can read complex literary criticism without much difficulty. I can read poetry and literary works without having to refer to a dictionary much unless the language is archaic.

This is the original poem that I’m translating:

CIUDAD DEL PARAÍSO

A mi ciudad de Málaga

Siempre te ven mis ojos, ciudad de mis días marinos.
Colgada del imponente monte, apenas detenida
en tu vertical caída a las ondas azules,
pareces reinar bajo el cielo, sobre las aguas,
intermedia en los aires, como si una mano dichosa
te hubiera retenido, un momento de gloria, antes de hundirte para siempre en las olas amantes.

Pero tú duras, nunca desciendes, y el mar suspira
o brama por ti, ciudad de mis días alegres,
ciudad madre y blanquísima donde viví y recuerdo,
angélica ciudad que, más alta que el mar, presides sus espumas.

Calles apenas, leves, musicales. Jardines
donde flores tropicales elevan sus juveniles palmas gruesas.
Palmas de luz que sobre las cabezas, aladas,
mecen el brillo de la brisa y suspenden
por un instante labios celestiales que cruzan
con destino a las islas remotísimas, mágicas,
que allá en el azul índigo, libertadas, navegan.

Allí también viví, allí, ciudad graciosa, ciudad honda.
Allí, donde los jóvenes resbalan sobre la piedra amable,
y donde las rutilantes paredes besan siempre
a quienes siempre cruzan, hervidores, en brillos.

Allí fui conducido por una mano materna.
Acaso de una reja florida una guitarra triste
cantaba la súbita canción suspendida en el tiempo;
quieta la noche, más quieto el amante,
bajo la luna eterna que instantánea transcurre.

Un soplo de eternidad pudo destruirte,
ciudad prodigiosa, momento que en la mente de un Dios emergiste.
Los hombres por un sueño vivieron, no vivieron,
eternamente fúlgidos como un soplo divino.

Jardines, flores. Mar alentando como un brazo que anhela
a la ciudad voladora entre monte y abismo,
blanca en los aires, con calidad de pájaro suspenso
que nunca arriba. ¡Oh ciudad no en la tierra!

Por aquella mano materna fui llevado ligero
por tus calles inerávidas. Pie desnudo en el día.
Píe desnudo en la noche. Luna grande. Sol puro.
Allí el cielo eras tú, ciudad que en él morabas.
Ciudad que en él volabas con tus alas abiertas.

Spoken Interaction

February 13, 2016
C1 I can express myself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. I can use language flexibly and effectively for social and professional purposes. I can formulate ideas and opinions with precision and relate my contribution skilfully to those of other speakers.

I think that I am a C1 in spoken interaction because I can conduct conversations about my Mellon Mays project and Aleixandre’s poetry in Spanish with my adviser. I feel comfortable talking in Spanish and I seldom have trouble finding the right word or conjugation.

While I am not a native speaker, I pronounce words accurately and clearly and people usually understand what I’m saying.

Specialized topics such as computers and science would be very difficult to talk about.

Spoken Production

February 13, 2016
C1 I can present clear, detailed descriptions of complex subjects integrating subthemes, developing particular points and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion.

I think that I am a C1 in spoken production because I can give class presentations on topics within Spanish literature. I can talk alone for a sustained period of time.

Writing

February 13, 2016
C1 I can express myself in clear, wellstructured text, expressing points of view at some length. I can write about complex subjects in a letter, an essay or a report, underlining what I consider to be the salient issues. I can select a style appropriate to the reader in mind.

 

Trabajo 1 Angela Acosta

I think that I am a C1 in writing because I can write long essays clearly and with a sustained argument. I can express my thoughts clearly in a variety of writing styles such as a letter, academic essay, or poem.

With a dictionary, I think that my writing can approach the C2 level.