Rare Linguistic Diploma and Dictionary Set: Emeterio Barcelon y Barcelo-Soriano – Real Academia Española Appointment & Saturnino Calleja Spanish Pocket Dictionary

Diploma from the Real Academia Española (RAE)
Recipient: Emeterio Barcelon y Barcelo-Soriano
Date: October 23, 1947
Location: Madrid, Spain
Designation: Miembro Correspondiente Extranjero (Foreign Corresponding Member)
Region Represented: Manila, Filipinas

This 1947 diploma from the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE)—one of the oldest and most prestigious linguistic institutions founded in 1713—recognizes Emeterio Barcelon y Barcelo-Soriano (1897–1978) as a Corresponding Member in the Philippines. A painter, lyricist, professor, and writer, Barcelon was an advocate for Hispanic culture. His appointment came at a time when the Philippines was shifting toward American English, positioning him as a central figure in preserving the Spanish language in Southeast Asia. He later became President of the Academia Filipina and was also honored by other Spanish academies.

Diccionario Popular de la Lengua Española
Publisher: Saturnino Calleja, Madrid (Editorial Saturnino Calleja S.A.)
Edition: Tercera Edición Minerva – Para Bolsillo (Third Minerva Pocket Edition)
Period Estimate: Late 19th to Early 20th Century
Library Markings: Balanghay Literary, with ownership and censorship stamps

A compact yet comprehensive Spanish-language reference, this Diccionario Popular de la Lengua Española mirrors the breadth of the Royal Spanish Academy’s dictionary, updated with scientific and industrial terms in everyday use. Published by Saturnino Calleja, known for educational works, this pocket edition was widely used by students and educators in Spain’s former colonies. Signs of wear, annotations, and provenance markings reflect its role in the everyday life of language beyond the center of empire.