lunes, 18 de marzo de 2024

STATE


 

In a sorry state En un estado lamentable (deplorable)

The house is in a sorry state La casa está en un estado lamentable

“It’s a sorry state of affairs but there’s no quick fix.” Irish Mirror, 7 March, 2024. Ir.

Lie in state Estar de cuerpo presente

Dwight is lying in state in his own home Dwight está de cuerpo presente en su propia casa

“… where Mother Teresa lay in state for a week before her funeral.” Irish Independent, 26 June, 2023. Ir.

State of mind Estado de ánimo

I’m not in a state of mind to talk to you right now No estoy en un estado de ánimo como para hablar contigo en este momento

“… concentrating on a healthy state of mind through positive thought…” The Courier, August 19, 2020. Aus.


viernes, 15 de marzo de 2024

PRONUNCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA


 

I recommend Tomás Navarro Tomás, Manual de pronunciación española, from where I lift this quotation: "... la lengua española presenta importantes diferencias de pronunciación, no sólo entre los diversos países en que se habla, sino entre las regiones de un mismo país, y frecuentemente entre las comarcas y lugares de una misma región. Estas diferencias  son entre las regiones de España más hondas y abundantes que entre las naciones hispanoamericanas... la pronunciación hispanoamericana se parece más a la andaluza que a las demás regiones españolas." 

Tomás Navarro also writes: "... tratándose de personas cultas, la diferencia fonética entre castellanos y andaluces o hispanoamericanos son mucho menores que entre las clases populares." 

This treatise on Spànish phonetics is a must-have. It is available online. 

SPANISH GRAMMAR CHEAT SHEET



SPANISH GRAMMAR CHEAT SHEET, (Editatum, 2021) is not a run-of-the-mill Spanish grammar. It is the marrow, the quidity of Spanish grammar. There are plenty of books out there that want to teach you Spanish the runaround way. There´s no vocabulary here. You will find the foundation bricks to set your Spanish on firm ground. As the title says, it's a cheat sheet to keep handy while studying, speaking or writing the language of Cervantes. 

SPANISH SOLECISMS TO AVOID




We tend to think that what we hear a native speaker say is Bible truth. Not always, and we must be on the alert lest we repeat their nonstandard or ungrammatical daily usage. Be wary of what you hear from a native´s lips: they are not always correct. For example:
"Yo de ti" is incorrect for "yo de tú". Yo de tú no me casaría con Petra.
"Después que" is incorrect for "después de que". Después de que me besase, se echó a llorar.
"Delante mío" is incorrect for "delante de mí". Estaba delante de mí, mirándome con asco.
"Andé" is incorrect for "anduve". Anduve dos kilómetros hasta el pueblo.
"Antes que" is incorrect for "antes de que". Antes de que te vayas, limpia el baño. 
You will find more tips in my Hablar y escribir con corrección, Editatum, 2018.

 

  

jueves, 14 de marzo de 2024

STRUNK & WHITE ON WRITING


The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, is a little book I recommend, not only to would-be writers but also to would-be learners of English. In 100 pages, the authors condense all there is to know about writing and speaking. We are exposed to simple facts that most students are not aware of. For example: "The colloquial have got  for have  should not be used in writing." He has not got any sense should be He has no sense. You have got a problem should be you have a problem. We are told about the usage of people and person: "If of six people, five went away, how many people would be left? Answer: one people." (one person, of course.) Many Spàniards begin by saying: "La verdad es que..." and Strunk and White tell us: "The truth is..., a bad beginning for a sentence. If you feel you are possessed of the truth, simply state it. Do not give it advance billing." And ditto for the fact is el caso es


miércoles, 13 de marzo de 2024

STEPHEN KING - ON WRITING



Muddy prose is the result of muddy thinking. Clear, easy-to-understand writing is a joy forever. I mention this because, of late, I have been reading and rereading prose that made no sense, even after going over sentences several times. Why this? I take it personally and think that poorly written prose is an insult to the reader. The writer does not give a hoot whether his muddy writing makes sense or not and puts the effort to decipher the hastily written piece squarely upon our shoulders. Most people who put their fingertips to the keyboard do not know their craft and scoff at grammar. "Grammar is not just a pain in the ass; -says Stephen King-  it is the pole you grab to get your thoughts up on their feet and walking." Further: "Simple sentences provide the path you can follow when you fear getting lost in the tangles of rhetoric." And how about vocabulary? "One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you are maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones." Most of what Mr. King writes about can be applied to any language. Stephen King, On Writing, 2000. 

sábado, 2 de marzo de 2024

THE SECRET TO LANGUAGE ACQUISITION



I have found the secret to language learning. Self-appointed language experts, eager to cater to humanity´s leanings toward sloth, holler from rooftops (Facebook, Instagram, Tic-Toc) that the best method is to speak and scoff at grammar and memory. Heed them not. Language-acquisition methodologies come and go but the rock-bottom foundation stays which is memory. Memorize, memorize, and memorize vocabulary, patterns, and phraseology. The human brain's memory capacity is still unknown and probably the same in everyone. Fear it not, and I urge you to join me in this crusade to bring memorization back and restore its importance, especially in language learning. It is also a keen way to keep the brain active and alive till old age.