LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

Último, pasado. "Last week", la semana pasada. "The last page of the book", la última página del libro. "He is the last person I would ask for money", es la última persona a quien pediría dinero. No confundir con "latest", que es el último, con la idea del más reciente: "His latest book is a mystery novel", su libro más reciente es una novela de misterio. "His last book was a mystery novel", su último libro (ya no va a haber más) fue una novela de misterio. "Last but not least" es un cliché estúpido que todos aprenden, aun cuando ignoran cosas fundamentales de la gramática inglesa, y que debemos rechazar por cursi, bobo. “Last but not least, Keith is an historian who has frequently visited Mexico and it doesn’t faze him that I, as a Mexican, should come to his country to write about its artists.” So very English. (London: Serpent’s Tail, 1990). Terry and David Fredman nos comentan: “The final person or item mentioned...

La lengua inglesa, como la castellana, forma muchas palabras nuevas juntando varias ya conocidas: coliflor, agridulce, bajamar, contradecir, por ejemplo. Veamos algunas de las miles que existen: Pigpen -- cochiquera Flowerpot -- maceta Ladybug -- mariquita Eyelid -- párpado Handbag -- bolso Afternoon -- tarde Newstand -- quiosco Armpit -- sobaco Armchair -- sillón Horseman -- jinete Eggplant -- berenjena Farmhouse -- casa de labranza Graveyard -- cementerio Cowboy -- vaquero

Negative adverbs: never, seldom ever, hardly, rarely, not only, nor, nowhere. Estos adverbios pueden abrir una frase para dar énfasis, y en ese caso se invierte el orden como si fuese pregunta: I seldom work on Sundays - Seldom do I work on Sundays She will never do that again - Never will she do that again You will find this nowhere else - Nowhere else will you find this I seldom visited her in those days - Seldom did I visit her in those days We rarely drink after six - Rarely do we drink after six. He insulted me and also took my car - Not only did he insult he also took my car.

A- Este prefijo se encuentra en palabras como: Abed, en la cama. He is still abed Afire, en llamas. The man set the house afire Afresh, de nuevo. We will start afresh Aloud, en voz alta. I could not speak aloud because everyone was sleeping Alike, igual, similar. They are alike in character Adrift, a la deriva. Adrift in the waters Afloat, a flote. Banks are trying to stay afloat Anew, de nuevo, otra vez. She sang the song anew Aside, Al lado. Put this aside. Atop, Sobre, encima. Superman was seen atop the building Apiece, a cada uno. This cost us ten dollars apiece.