Question 1

Why use ni instead of o to connect the two items in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Because the main verb is negated by no. In English, you might say the committee "didn't announce a punishment or a period," but Spanish requires negative agreement. Once you have no before the verb, you must use ni to connect the negative options, creating the common no... ni... structure.

Question 2

Plazo is translated as "period" here. How is it different from período?

Accepted Answer

While período refers to any general stretch of time, plazo specifically refers to an allotted timeframe, term, or deadline for something to be completed. Un plazo indefinido means the committee didn't establish a clear timeframe or deadline for their process.

Question 3

Is definitivo a false friend here, or does it mean "definitive"?

Accepted Answer

It's a partial false friend. While it can mean "definitive," in contexts like this it translates best as "final" or "conclusive." A castigo definitivo is a final, permanent punishment from which there is no further appeal, rather than just the "most authoritative" version of a punishment.

Question 4

Why does comité have a written accent mark?

Accepted Answer

Spanish words ending in a vowel naturally stress the second-to-last syllable (like the English word "committee"). However, the Spanish word comité stresses the final syllable. The written accent mark is required to break the natural stress rule and show you exactly where to put the emphasis.

El comité no anunció un castigo definitivo ni un plazo indefinido.

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