jueves, 3 de mayo de 2018

LISTEN/ESCUCHAR. OÍR/HEAR


Image result for to listen

This business of comparing languages is fascinating, thrilling.
While at the wheel this morning I heard a radio speaker say: "¿Me escucha usted bien? Es que yo no me escucho..." And here we have met the problem: the confusion in Spain between the verbs escuchar, to listen, and oír, to hear.
"Habla más alto que no te escucho" is rather common for "Habla más alto que no te oigo."
Why is that? Search me!
But it is a fact, to the point that Spaniards trying to learn English export this stupid mistake. But English is clear, at least on this point:
We listen to classical music, escuchamos música clásica.
We hear the neighbors fight, oimos pelear a los vecinos.
You must listen to what your father says, debes escuchar lo que dice tu padre.
No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír, None so deaf as those who won't hear.

I explain this issue further in my GRAMÁTICA INGLESA, Anaya/Oberón.




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