Posted on 07/23/2010 7:16:55 PM PDT by Palter
Harrap's Giant Paperback Spanish dictionary has under the word pelo nm (cabello) hair, the following expression:
tomar el p. a alguien to pull s[ome]b[ody]'s leg.
Regarding the subjunctive, a very important part of the Spanish language. We use it about 2% of the time, the Spanish use it about 45% of the time. English usage for example: If I WERE king, I would do... Obviously you are not king, so it is an expression of wishful thinking.
The Spanish use the subjunctive form of the verb in expressions like: You need to do so and so. I hope you get it done today. Bring me a beer. In other words any situation that involves the actions of another, might or might not happen. Thus we see the operative difference between Germanic certainty and Latino uncertainty, lack of decisive action. It probably explains the lack of progress in most Hispanic countries.
This reminds me of one of my mother’s (Prussian ancestry) favorite expressions. “Do it now, and that’s an order!” It also is reflected in the manana (tomorrow) attitude of Latinos, although that may be partly due to tropical heat. With temperature 98 degrees at 2:30 pm, I feel a little manana myself.
Regarding the subjunctive, a very important part of the Spanish language. We use it about 2% of the time, the Spanish use it about 45% of the time. English usage for example: If I WERE king, I would do... Obviously you are not king, so it is an expression of wishful thinking.
The Spanish use the subjunctive form of the verb in expressions like: You need to do so and so. I hope you get it done today. Bring me a beer. In other words any situation that involves the actions of another, might or might not happen. Thus we see the operative difference between Germanic certainty and Latino uncertainty, lack of decisive action. It probably explains the lack of progress in most Hispanic countries.
This reminds me of one of my mother’s (Prussian ancestry) favorite expressions. “Do it now, and that’s an order!” It also is reflected in the manana (tomorrow) attitude of Latinos, although that may be partly due to tropical heat. With temperature 98 degrees at 2:30 pm, I feel a little manana myself.
I've heard that many gringos mistakenly think "manana" means "tomorrow" when it really just means "not today".
There's some truth in it, but John McWhorter suggests that some skepticism is required.
Sometimes there aren't exactly equivalent single words in two languages, but the distinctions involved are readily understood by people in both cultures.
People have worked up complicated philosophical treatises based on the existence of a foreign word representing a particular complex of meanings without realizing that you can find words with interesting and distinctive bundles of meanings in any language, including one's own, without their being grave philosophical consequences.
Bump for later.
Chomsky’s error probably stems at east in part from his ideology. He is a collectivist and believes that humans are merely mechanical devices and are totally interchangeable. Apparent differences merely demonstrate flaws in the manufacture or differences in education.
One interesting language factoid that always struck me was trying to explain to a non-English speaker the difference between a "house" and a "home." Not easy...
Bump for later
WSJ Ping
Great Article
Yes, I know that. I guess a less confusing translation would be “later, man, later.”
I always had fun trying to explain why we say “go to school,” but “go home.”
True enough; but then again, the leftists (see Lysenko) traditionally believed that genes were much less important than environment. That’s what always confused me a bit about Chomsky...your point removes a bit of that confusion.
thanks. I’m not saying it’s wrong — just that I lived ina Spanish-speaking country and know a lot of Spanish-speakers here, and I’ve never heard that expression.
thanks fdor your thoughful and enlightening answer. I appreaciate it.
My son, who referenced words pictorially when he was young could see a sentence like this unfold like a video. It is very action oriented. The German language seems very detail-oriented, hung up on all the adjectives. Our adjectives can be very subtly emotionally nuanced - see a Thesaurus. On the other hand, I understand the Japanese language is very simple and has one word meaning many things. Perhaps the inflection of verbal expression changes the meaning.
One expression I learned from a foreign language dictionary (English and another language) was "Queen Anne is dead" (in other words, "that's old news"). I had never heard anyone use it, but maybe it's still in use in England.
In other news, Francisco Franco is still dead.
How about “Bob’s your Uncle.”
Am I missing something?
Bob’s Your Uncle is another English self evident phrase that makes no sense to Americans. It means that a set of instructions has been completed.
Example: put peanut butter on one slice of bread and jelly on the other. Put the two together and Bob’s your Uncle.
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