modernismo

Forms

modernismo m (plural modernismos)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Spanish moderno + -ismo.^[1][2] Corominas dates it to 1899, the same year as modernista.^[3] The base moderno is from Late Latin modernus, a derivative of modo (“just now”).^[3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest hit in the CDH is in José Cadalso's Cartas marruecas (1774–1778), where the word names a liking for the new and scorn for the old: a fuerza de querer sacar la quinta esencia del modernismo, han llegado a perder la cabeza “by trying to distil the quintessence of modernism they have ended up losing their heads”.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In 1880–1881 Menéndez Pelayo spoke of a theological modernismo, calling it the term of his own day.^[4] From the 1890s Colombian and Spanish writers used it for the new literary current, and in 1900 Juan Valera listed it beside naturalism, decadentism and symbolism.^[4] The Academy entered it in 1899 with the general sense, an excessive liking for modern things with contempt for old ones, especially in the arts and literature.^[5] Today's dictionaries add the Spanish and Spanish-American literary movement of the turn of the century, the decorative and architectural style of the same years, and the Catholic movement that tried to reconcile doctrine with modern philosophy and science.^[6][7] Wikcionario notes that Pope Pius X condemned this religious current in 1907.^[2]

Timeline

• 1774–1778 – José Cadalso uses the word in the Cartas marruecas.^[4]
• 1880–1881 – Menéndez Pelayo writes of a theological modernismo.^[4]
• 1893 – a Colombian letter by Antonio Gómez Restrepo uses it for the new literary school.^[4]
• 1899 – Corominas's date for the word; the Academy's dictionary enters it.^[3][5]
• 1900 – Juan Valera lists el modernismo among the literary fashions of his time.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A liking for what is modern and new, with contempt for what came before: Su modernismo le hace despreciar la música antigua.^[6][7]
2. (literature) modernism: the literary movement of Spain and Spanish America of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, marked by formal renewal and refinement.^[6][7][1]
3. (art) The artistic style, chiefly in architecture and decoration, of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inspired by natural forms; Art Nouveau.^[6][8]
4. (religion) The movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that sought to bring Christian doctrine into line with modern philosophy and science.^[6][7][2]

Related words

• modernista
• modernidad
• modernizar

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Wikcionario (Spanish Wiktionary), es.wiktionary.org
3. ^ a b c Corominas, Joan (1973), Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua castellana, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. moderno
4. ^ a b c d e f g Real Academia Española (2013–), Corpus del Diccionario histórico de la lengua española (CDH), version 3.1, https://apps.rae.es/CNDHE, p. s.v. modernismo
5. ^ a b Real Academia Española (1899), Diccionario de la lengua castellana, 13th ed., Madrid: Imprenta de los Sres. Hernando y Compañía, p. 666
6. ^ a b c d e Real Academia Española; Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española (2014–), Diccionario de la lengua española, 23rd ed., online version 23.8, https://dle.rae.es, p. s.v. modernismo
7. ^ a b c d Moliner, María (2007), Diccionario de uso del español, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. modernismo
8. ^ Battaner Arias, Paz (dir.) (2017), Diccionario general de la lengua española VOX, Barcelona: Larousse Editorial, p. s.v. modernismo