spanish version

DESCRIPTION AND INSTRUCTIONS

MGARCI SYSTEM

(Multiligual Generator of Automatic Retrieval of Concordances and Ideas)
(Multiligüe Generador Automático de Rebusca de Concordancias e Ideas)

The MGARCI system offers an automatic, sophisticated and rather precise tool for the search, scrutiny, and analysis of electronic texts in multiple languages. All texts will have similar structure for queries and similar instructions. The system comprises basically a lemmatized CONCORDER (that facilitates a large range of searches of various forms by just writing their lemma, together with multiple verbal, nominal, adjectival, and adverbial locutions), and a THESAURIZER that will allow the user to move from words to ideas, from ideas to words, and will help in identifying words that are related to a specific idea in a given text. An added advantage of the system is the building of fast, automatic indexes, downloadable into a file for separate, independent study of words, lemmata, locutions, appreciative forms, exclamations, proper nouns, etc., by clicking on a button in the upper row. In a not distant future the system may be made available to institutions and individuals.

The screen: The screen is designed with an aim to offer a comfortable work environment within which, without leaving it, the user can realize the various searches. It shows three frames that interact with each other: an upper row similar for all texts, over two resizable columns.  The upper row shows the name of the author and the title of the book under analysis, with several options that are explained by placing the mouse indicator over them.

NOTA: First time users are advised to effect the searches as they are being explained. It should also be noticed that the examples belong to the edition of Don Quijote

ADVANCED DIRECT SEARCHES

1) whole word or beginning of word should be written directly: a, dar, cont, tra.
2) internal cluster should be written preceded and followed by a hyphen: -güe-, -ísim-, -nch-
3) ends in should be written preceded by a hyphen: -mente, -ísimo.
4) lemma [dictionary entry], should be written preceded by @: @bueno, @dar, @hombre, @perro. Each lemma will show in the list the various forms represented in the text, including those with appreciative suffixes, diminutive and augmentative, plus superlatives and adverbs in -mente; upon clicking on each form, its individual concordance will be displayed in the right column; upon clicking on the lemmatic form on top of the list --with @--, the global concordance of all forms will be displayed in order of occurrence in the text.
5) several words, contiguous or in proximity, should be written joined by +, for example (in Don Quixote), hidalgo+lanza+astillero; this search is case sensitive; thus, if one searches Caballero+de, the system will display the famous knights mentioned in the text.
6) lemma + word or lemma should be written joined by +, with the lemma preceded by @; for example, @atar+manos; @caballero+@andante. Please notice that this type of search in large texts (like Don Quixote) may be slow.

ADDITIONAL SEARCHES WITH THE OPTION MENU

Palabras. It shows the complete list of words in the book sorted by alphabetical order. The list can be scrolled by writing an initial letter or group of letters or complete word.

Termina en. It shows the complete vocabulary of the text sorted by alphabetical order of ending. A specific ending can be searched by writing in the search box it preceded by hyphen: -mente, -ísimo, -dad.

Lemas [dictionary forms]. It shows all the lemmata represented in the text. A specific lemma can be searched by writing in the search box the lemma form preceded by @:@bueno, @dar, @hombre, @perro. Each lemma, on clicking, will show all the forms found in the text, including those with pronominal suffixes, superlatives, and appreciative forms. On clicking on the lemma form on top of the list, the system will display the concordance of all its forms by order of appearance in the text; on clicking on specific form the display will be limited to that form, also in the order of appearance in the text.

Frecuencia. It shows all the lemmata sorted in the order of frequency of use. As a curiosity one can observe in Don Quixote that Sancho and Quijote appear in the list one right after the other.

Apreciativos. It shows the nouns, adjectives, etc. bearing diminutive or augmentative suffixes, thathave been identified in the text, by alphabetical order of endings. The list is limited to appreciative forms that are not normally included in the dictionary. This feature may be useful, as many others, for comparative studies

Locuciones varias. It shows a series of adverbial, adjectival, nominal locutions identified in the text, sorted in alphabetical order of its first word. This feature may also be of interest in comparative studies.

Locuciones verbales It shows an extensive list of verbal locutions, of various types, sorted in alphabetical order of the initial verb. On clicking on each phrase, the system will display it in the various verbal forms identified in the text. The results my also be of great help for comparative studies. This type of search, however, when dealing with very extensive texts (like Don Quixote) may very well be rather slow.

Inter. It shows all the exclamative and interrogative expressions found in the text. This feature may also be of interest in comparative studies, particularly in plays.

Nombres propios. It shows the list on proper names of persons, cities, etc. that have been identified in the text.

Sin lema. It shows those words that have not been identified in the available database. These words may include words of certain interest like proper names, archaic forms, neologisms, idiosyncratic words, etc.

ANALYSIS, DEFINITION

This feature is particularly useful for student of Spanish as a second language. Each word will display, with its concordance, its short analysis together with instructions for more a detailed one, its definition, translation to various languages, etc., plus access to the Spanish Dictionary of the Royal Academy.

CONCORDANCE

Each word and phrase object of search in the left column is linked to its context to be displayed to its right, followed by the name of the author, title of the book under consideration and a specific location in the text; also, a link to a facsimile Second Edition of Ian Cuesta, Madrid 1605, in parallel texts. On clicking on the location, the user will move to the full text. The text may contain links to notes (indicated with n) and to an English translation (indicated with T) in parallel texts, by paragraphs, with an option on top of each chapter to move to its translations to French, German, and Italian

TESORO

Tesoro or Thesuarus means ideological dictionary or dictionary of related ideas and serves to facilitate the reader going from words to ideas, from ideas to words. On clicking, two options are shown: Campos semánticos, fields of large ideological reach, and Grupos léxicos , subdivisions within each Campo, of more restricted scope. The user will see all related words identified in the text under each Campo and Grupo. The Tesoro is also activated by searching the lemma, preceded by @, (@abad, @caballo, @violencia) or by clicking on the option Lema. The Tesoro has been built during several years with the consultation of various ideological dictionaries, among them Diccionario de ideas afines de Eduardo Benot, together with more modern ones like Diccionario ideológico by Julio Casares, Diccionario de ideas afines by Fernando Corripio, Diccionario ideológico de la lengua española by Manuel Alvar Ezquerra y el Thesaurus: Gran Sopena de sinónimos y asociación de ideas, by David Ortega Cavero. The user, with this tool, will be able to find, for example, the various animals represented in the text, their breeding and products; people's trades, occupations, jobs; words related to Religion, the Universe, Medicine. The Tesoro offers, many possibilities for research that each user can exploit according to ability and ingenuity. Adenda (on top bar). It offers a seriesof complementary features, special for each text. Among them, the Diccionario multiuso of easy access and link to the DRAE (Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy); it also offers word translations to and from several languages.
 Notice. As in other features, the words of the Campos and Grupos are selected by an automatic process with the widest concept of inclusion, comprising the range of meaning found in the dictionary for any of the words;   while the process of including the omitted is most difficult, it will be relatively easy for a knowledgeable reader to exclude unrelated items.  

CONTACT US. Any communication on errors or omissions will be greatly appreciated. The system is set to offers many other possibilities; please send us suggestions on anything dimmed to be of interest. E-MAIL