RAE returns the tilde to the adverb “solo”

The RAE ruled this Thursday that the adverb “only” (which is the equivalent of only) can have an accent, like the demonstrative pronouns “this, that and that”, with its feminine gender and plural, when in the opinion of the writer there is a risk of ambiguity.

This innovation, as sources from the plenary session of the Language Academy explained to EFE, was claimed for years by academic writers who believed that should be “decriminalized” the use of a tilde in these words because there were cases of ambiguity.

Until now, the RAE determined that the word “only”, both when it is an adverb and the equivalent of only and when it is an adjective, as well as the demonstrative “this, that and that”, with its feminine and plural forms, regardless of whether they function as pronouns or as determinants, they should not have an accentaccording to the general rules of accentuation.

And although previously the spelling rules prescribed the use of a tilde in the adverb itself and demonstrative pronouns to distinguish them from the adjective itself and demonstrative determiners, when both interpretations were possible in the same statement and cases of ambiguity could arise, (“Works only on Sundays”: works only on Sundays or works without company on Sundays), were considered possible ambiguities. can almost always resolve the context itself.

The general recommendation was not to label the words, although this was optional when their use carried the risk of ambiguity but was not defined in whose opinion, the sources explained, noting that there were cases of scrutiny and opposition where its use detracted from note because it previously depended on the criteria of the teacher or examiner. The new thing that will be introduced now is that becomes the criteria of a writer text mark or not these words.

Academician and writer Arturo Pérez-Reverte expressed to EFE his satisfaction with this newspaper and indicated that all scholars agreed in introducing this wording, since it does not destroy the original wording, but allows a more reasonable use of the tilde in these cases, since it is the author of the text who decides whether to use it or not.