Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Department of Spanish Language and Literature
- Code
- BMI-SPAD14-152E
- Title
- Spanish lexicology and lexicography
- Usual semester
- Autumn
- Published semester
- 2026/27/1
- ECTS
- 3
- Language
- es
- Learning outcomes
- The aim of the course is to familiarise students with the theoretical and practical aspects of the study of the Spanish lexicon, with particular attention to lexicographical and didactic aspects. It will cover the main components of the Spanish vocabulary, the history of its development, the lexical differences between the different varieties of the language and the main works in the history of Spanish lexicography. Prerequisites As the course is part of the Master's program in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture, students are expected to have the following prior knowledge and skills in order to enroll: knowledge of Spanish at least at level C1 (guest students who are not native Spanish speakers and come from institutions that do not have an IIA with the Department of Hispanic Studies at ELTE are required to present a DELE or SIELE Spanish language examination certificate). proficiency in basic linguistic topics and methodology; knowledge of various morphologic and semantic concepts and phenomena Knowledge and skills acquired or expected during the course A) Knowledge Students are familiar with the terminology and research objectives, methods of interpretation and theoretical problems of Spanish lexicology and lexicography; know the composition of Spanish vocabulary, the different methods of word formation; know the sources of information that can be used in teaching and learning Spanish, opportunities for learning, dictionaries, textbooks, teaching aids, ways of organizing learning, key methods, teaching and learning strategies. B) Ability Students are able to use their knowledge to recognise and correctly interpret the formal and semantic properties of Spanish lexical units; are able to use Spanish fluently, correctly, confidently and appropriately in a given context; are able to use dictionaries and scientific studies on vocabulary in a competent way; are able to use their knowledge to search for and provide answers to language pedagogical questions. C) Attitude Students strive to improve their general and professional language skills, consciously representing the communication standards of the diverse Spanish-speaking area; are commited to continuous self-education using available technologies and literature, among other tools; are open and interested in the study of the vocabulary of the Spanish language and in dictionary issues; understands and accepts the geographical and social diversity of the vocabulary used in modern Spanish. D) Autonomy and responsibility Students are committed to intensive learning; perform learning-related tasks independently; take responsibility for their own work, development, achievements and failures.
- Course content
- Basic concepts of lexical morphology. Methods of word formation. Basics of lexicology and lexical semantics. Components of the Spanish lexicon. Popular and erudite words, loanwords, elements of inner origin. Vocabulary and dictionaries. Semantic change. Etymology. Geographical variations of the vocabulary. Vocabulary acquisition. Teaching vocabulary in the Spanish classroom.
- Assessment method
- This course is a lecture, which means that students' knowledge will be assessed through an exam, which can only be taken during the official exam period (from mid-December to the end of January). There will be three exam dates (one in December, two in January). The December exam date will be announced during the first week of classes, the two January dates will be published in Neptun in November. The last of the three exam dates is also the retake exam, which must be taken into account when choosing the date. During the same semester, a student may take an exam no more than twice. If a student fails to appear for an exam without a valid excuse, they will have used up one of their two exam attempts. The only acceptable reason for an excused absence is a serious medical condition, for which a doctor’s note must be provided. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule their exams and coordinate their other commitments so that they can attend at least one (or two, in case of a failed exam) of the three exams. It is not possible to change exam dates at the student’s request or to announce alternative exam dates. If you fail the exam and have no further opportunities to retake it, you may try again during the next semester’s exam period under the same conditions as before. In such cases, the course will appear in Neptun as a so-called "exam course", which means there will be no classes, so you will need to prepare for the exam on your own, using the material from the previous semester. (Of course, you can also consult with the course lecturer during office hours.) Please note that such exam courses will not be automatically published in the Neptun system for the next semester; if you wish for this to happen, please notify the course instructor in writing by early February at the latest. The exam is to be taken in person only (see below for details); online exams and other alternative assessment methods (e.g., submitted papers) are not permitted. The exam is written and is based on the material discussed throughout the course, the materials uploaded to the course’s Moodle page by the end of the semester and the compulsory reading. The exam will consist of two parts: Part A: a 20–25-point test (true/false, multiple-choice) Part B: a 75–80-point exam comprising various types of questions (essay, short-answer, explanations of concepts, recognition of linguistic phenomena discussed during the semester, etc.) The approximate duration of the exam is 90 minutes. To pass, students must score at least 60% on the exam (based on the combined results of both parts). The percentage points earned are converted into marks as follows: 0% – 59%: “fail” (1) 60% – 69%: “pass” (2) 70% – 79%: “satisfactory” (3) 80% – 89%: “good” (4) 90% – 100%: “excellent” (5) Once the marks have been entered into Neptun, students may request to view their exam papers. Check the lecturer’s office hours on https://espanol.elte.hu/en.
- Bibliography
- Alvar Ezquerra, M. (1995): La formación de palabras en español, Madrid, Arco/Libros. Medina Guerra, A. M. (coord.) (2003): Lexicografía española, Barcelona, Ariel. De Miguel, E. (2009): Panorama de la lexicología, Barcelona, Ariel. Guerrero Ramos, G. (1995): Neologismos en el español actual, Madrid, Arco/Libros. Lang, Mervyn F. (1997): Formación de palabras en español, Madrid, Cátedra. Further required reading is part of every course syllabus.