The term resolana has two different meanings. On the one hand, it refers to the place where the effects of the sun's rays are intense. On the other hand, it refers to the phenomenon of the reverberation of solar rays.
A place to protect ourselves from the intense heat
We speak of resolana or resol to indicate that in a place there is no type of sun protection that provides shade. In this sense, resolana is especially annoying because it produces intense heat and makes vision difficult. When this happens we look for some shade protection in which the direct impact of the Sun softens its damaging effects.
However, it should be noted that we can find ourselves under a shade and suffer the indirect effects of heat.
In Mexico, this word is equivalent to resistero, the time after noon when the sun's heat is most intense. On the other hand, in Colombia this term is used to refer to the faint impact of the Sun at sunset.
It is also used to refer to the place where the impact of the Sun hits and where it is possible to shelter from the annoyances of the wind.
How is resolana produced?
A light bulb can completely illuminate a room because its light bounces off all the objects in it. The same happens with the action of the sun's rays, since sunlight bounces in all directions. This phenomenon is produced by the reverberation of the sun's rays.
The bodies that emit light, such as the Sun, are logically luminous. In this sense, we see objects not because they emit light, but because sunlight bounces off or reflects off of them.
Word family derived from sun
The word we are analyzing reminds us that from a specific word we can form a wide vocabulary of derived words. A set of words that come from a primitive denomination make up the same family.
In Spanish, the plant that follows the movements of the Sun is known as sunflower. A solana is the side of a mountain and is so named because this mountainous area is where the greatest solar radiation is received. When someone is exposed to the sun's rays too long, they can get heatstroke.
Continuing, that which moves around the Sun is known as circumsolar. When in the movement of the Sun this is at the point furthest from the equator, the solstice occurs.
The list of words that share semantic origin could continue with the following terms: parasol, solanera, extrasolar, solecito or parasol.
Photo: Fotolia - kei907
