cual flechas

Question

Cual flechas, deliciosos rayos de sol atravesaron de un golpe el bosque, y en lo alto, entre las copas de los árboles, se veía el cielo azul.

I get the meaning, but why does it say "cual flechas"? I'm not sure what cual is doing here at all, but why isn't it cuales? Those arrows . . .

Answer 1

samdie said:

Natasha said:

lazarus1907 said:

samdie said:

I would suggest "exclamatory" in lieu of "exclamative" (which the OED marks as "now rare" [either as a noun or as an adjective]).

You're right: false friends, you know...

huh?

I believe he referring to "exclamativo/a" (in Spanish ) which would tend to suggest (quite reasonably) "exclamative" as the English equivalent. In a similar vein, you'll recall a recent discussion about "artículo" as a possible translation for "article" (as in a "magazine article").

Oh, okay. False cognates, false friends. Got it!

Answer 2

Natasha said:

lazarus1907 said:

samdie said:

I would suggest "exclamatory" in lieu of "exclamative" (which the OED marks as "now rare" [either as a noun or as an adjective]).

You're right: false friends, you know...

huh?

I believe he referring to "exclamativo/a" (in Spanish ) which would tend to suggest (quite reasonably) "exclamative" as the English equivalent. In a similar vein, you'll recall a recent discussion about "artículo" as a possible translation for "article" (as in a "magazine article").

Answer 3

lazarus1907 said:

samdie said:

I would suggest "exclamatory" in lieu of "exclamative" (which the OED marks as "now rare" [either as a noun or as an adjective]).

You're right: false friends, you know...

huh'

Answer 4

samdie said:

I would suggest "exclamatory" in lieu of "exclamative" (which the OED marks as "now rare" [either as a noun or as an adjective]).

You're right: false friends, you know...

Answer 5

lazarus1907 said:

That "cual" is quite literary, actually, and particularly used in poetic language; people don't normally talk like that. It means, basically, "como". Used in exclamative sentences, and also in literary language, is equivalent to "cómo" (surprise!). There you got the first words of Don Juan Tenorio:

¡Cuál gritan esos malditos! (how those wretched people shout! )

I would suggest "exclamatory" in lieu of "exclamative" (which the OED marks as "now rare" [either as a noun or as an adjective]).

Answer 6

lazarus1907 said:

That "cual" is quite literary, actually, and particularly used in poetic language; people don't normally talk like that. It means, basically, "como".

Used in exclamative sentences, and also in literary language, is equivalent to "cómo" (surprise!). There you got the first words of Don Juan Tenorio:

¡Cuál gritan esos malditos! (how those wretched people shout! )

Okay, much better! (I was about to ask James if we could replace cual with como.)

Y como siempre, ¡muchas gracias a todos!

Answer 7

That "cual" is quite literary, actually, and particularly used in poetic language; people don't normally talk like that. It means, basically, "como".

Used in exclamative sentences, and also in literary language, is equivalent to "cómo" (surprise!). There you got the first words of Don Juan Tenorio:

¡Cuál gritan esos malditos! (how those wretched people shout! )

Answer 8

In this context it is an adverb meaning "like." "Like arrows, delicious rays of sunlight shot across the forest, ..."