LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

  Arrugársele (encogérsele) el ombligo a alguien Get cold feet David estaba dispuesto a firmar, pero en el último momento se le arrogó el ombligo David was ready to sighn but in the last minute he got cold feet — “… al ser informado de que había sido espiado se le había  encogido en ombligo.” La Vanguardia, 16/06/1995. Esp. Contemplarse (mirarse) el ombligo Contemplate one´s navel Debes tomar una decisión en vez de contemplarte el ombligo You must make a decision instead of contemplating your navel — “Estamos finalmente superando una época de autocomplacencia, de mirarnos el ombligo…” La Vanguardia, 01/07/1994. Esp.   Ser (creerse) el ombligo del mundo One thinks the world revolves around one David se cree importante y que es el ombligo del mundo David believes himself important and that the world revolves around him — “… a veces los universitarios nos creemos el ombligo del mundo.” La Vanguardia, 14/04/1994. Esp.

Decimos "dear friend, she is very dear to me" que equivale al castellano poético "caro amigo" con el significado de "querido". Pero tanto "dear" como "expensive", aún significando lo mismo tienen matices: Expensive : Se aplica a algo que cuesta mucho dinero. (caro)  Dear : Se aplica a algo que cuesta más de lo que vale. (costoso) Inexpensive da a entender que es una ganga. Cheap sería de bajo precio y calidad.

Parece que a la gente actual le encanta hablar de enfermedades. Esta gente que sufre de hipocondria, se alimenta de información médica de segunda mano, via televisión, Instagram, YouTube, y de lo que le cuentan amistades y parientes. Tan pronto saben de que fulano de tal tiene una enfermedad, la pregunta de rigor es: ¿Se pega? Aquí "pegar" significa que es contagioso. Nosotros tenemos el problema bilingüe de estar al tanto en dos idiomas. Pues es "is it catching?" Everything is catching , todo se pega, y muy en especial la estupidez y la falta de rigor. 

  El idioma inglés es consciente de las desventajas de no tener siempre género en los sustantivos. Si digo que voy a salir a tomar café "with a friend" no doy información sobre si es hombre o mujer. En realidad no importa, pero a veces es esencial dar esa información. El inglés, como todos los idiomas, recurren a triquiñuelas para expresar una idea. Voy a tomar café "with a female friend" o "with a woman friend" aclara el sexo del "friend." Yo no doy esa información porque, creo, no es relevante: "a friend" es "a friend" independientemente de si es "female" o no. ¿Verdad?  Woman: Se refiere a una persona del género femenino, de más de 18 años. "She is an intelligent and healthy woman." Se emplea para identificar el género de nombres: "policewoman, woman friend, womandriver..."  Female: Describe el sexo de persona o animal: "a female cat, a female elephant", sin importar edad. Y también s...

Burn the midnight oil Quemarse las cejas Goethe burnt the midnight oil all his life, writing Goethe se quemaba las cejas escribiendo, toda su vida — “State lawmakers and the governor are burning the midnight oil.” WTNH, CT - 24 Jul 2003. USA. Give (get) a dose of strap oil Zurrar (curtir, sacudir, cascar, calentar) la badana If you keep on talking like that you are going to get a good dose of strap oil Si continúas hablando así te van a zurrar la badana Oil (grease) someone´s hand (palm) Untar, engrasar If we oil the Mayor´s hand he will sign the contract Si untamos al alcalde, firmará el contrato Pour (throw) oil on the flames Echar leña al fuego Don´t mention money or you´ll be pouring oil on the flames No menciones lo del dinero o echarás leña al fuego — “Careful not to throw any oil on the flames because of their invasion of Iraq, the United States gave up any idea of having China condemned.” Reporters Sans Frontièrs, 24 Jul 2003. France. P...

 I often feel very discouraged when composing my PHRASEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY , in English and Spanish. Over four years, several hours a day, trying to figure out how to parallel expressions in both languages, is a daunting experience, especially for me, endowed with a rather limited I.Q. But today, somehow, I feel more cheerful about the whole business and have been playing, taunting, poor old ChatGPT, having fun, and chuckling at the weird occurrences of that AI. (We are still waiting to be told the exact I.Q. of the Intelligence of ChatGPT.) Look up in any dictionary or in ChatGPT or in Google Translate the following idiomatic expressions, independently, in either language, and you´ll see what I mean.   Cuando (que) las aguas vuelvan a su cauce When dust settles Cuando la guerra en Ucrania termine, cuando las aguas vuelvan a su cauce, visitaré Kiev When the war in Ukraine ends, when the dust settles, I will visit Kiev — “… prefieren esperar, haciendo como si nada, e...

I know that at a moment´s notice (en cualquier momento), I may be fired. I made a huge mistake that did not escape my boss´s notice (no pasó inadvertido), so I thought that perhaps I should serve notice (hacer saber) that I may leave my employment. I must give prior notice (previo aviso) or else I will not get paid. I will sit tight and wait until further notice (hasta nuevo aviso). Perhaps they will take no notice of my mistake (no see darán cuenta). My future in this company is bleak, I think!

  Make (a) noise Hacer (meter) ruido, armar barullo Don´t make a noise! They are all sleeping ¡No hagas ruido! Están todos durmiendo — “… made a noise like the beating of a tin board with sticks.” Louis Hughes, Thirty Years a Slave , 2004. US. Make a noise in the world Tener éxito en la vida, ser alguien en la vida I´m sure your son is going to make a noise in the world Estoy seguro de que tu hijo va a ser alguien en la vida — “ That busy animal that makes such a stir and such a noise in the world…” “Matthew Henry et al., The NIV Matthew Henry… , 1992. US.

  Yo  estaba negro (angry, peeved, irked) de tanto esperar. Todos en la sala gritaban, se movían y danzaban sin tino, aquello parecía una merienda de negros (Chinese fire drill). Por fin pusimos los términos del contrato negro sobre blanco (in writing), pero me dijeron que me pagarían en negro (under the table). Lo pasé muy mal, las pasé negras (had a tough go) pero en realidad lo que más me puso negro (upset me) fue que todos se reían. " Me ha tocado la negra " (I´m jinxed) pensé para mis adentros y sabía ya que tendría que trabajar como un negro (work one´s ass off) en el futuro. Me vi negro (hard put to) para abandonar aquella oficina.  Estar negro Merienda de negros Negro sobre blanco Pagar en negro Pasarlas negras Poner negro Tocar la negra Trabajar como un negro Verse uno negro

Notwithstanding some Catalans' yearnings for independence from Spain, the fact that all of them are bilingual in Catalan and Spanish is a godsend many other inhabitants in the Peninsula do not have. They need to appreciate that bilingualism is a gift that few people possess. Those rabid Catalanists would erase Spanish from the face of the Catalonia map, condemning the population to be monolingual in a language -Catalan- that, with all due respect, does not have the widespread importance Spanish has in world communication. This shows that politics and personal interests blind politicians who are willing to sacrifice the intellectual future of a population in order to achieve their narrow monetary and power objectives. Being able to speak both Catalan and Spanish is an intellectual gift the rest of Spaniards do not possess. When nationalism and language mix, language is always the loser and it is used as a weapon to divide, not to reconcile.   

  Come full circle Volver al principio, estar como antes In actual fact, we have come full circle En realidad estamos como antes — “I also came full circle in terms of my interest in domestic workers.” Arvonne Frase et al., Developing Power… , 2004. US. High circles Altas esferas He works in high government circles Trabaja en altas esferas gubernamentales — “… and if the dance of her genes had revolved in high circles, she would have made a very respectable Duchess.” Janine Turner, Holding her Head High… 2008. US. Run around in circles Dar vueltas como un tonto We are running around in circles getting nowhere Estamos dando vueltas como un tonto sin llegar a ninguna parte — “… going around in circles, like traveling in vain.” Ewa Mazierska et al., Crossing New Europe… , 2006. US. Run in circles Dar vueltas tontamente, dar vueltas tontamente I have a sense of running in circles without a plan Tengo la sensación de que estoy dando vueltas tontamente, sin un ...

Estoy muy preocupado y creo que estoy perdiendo contacto con la realidad, especialmente con la realidad literaria de la lengua castellana. Leo revistas, libros, periódicos, investigo... pero de repente la realidad literaria me sorpende, y me da una buena bofetada. Acabo de enterarme de que una tal Clara Sánchez ha sido nombrada académica de la Real Academia Española. ¡Y yo aquí, en  Babia, sin ni siquiera saber quién es la tal Clara! Al parecer es una fina escritora y gran estilista que tiene méritos y premios suficientes (10)  como para que la elijan miembro de la "Docta Casa." Y yo en las nubes, en Babia, en la higuera. ¿Cómo puede ser eso? Pero la cosa no para ahí, resulta que se me ha escapado un eminente escritor, ganador de 18 premios literarios y poseedor de la Cruz de la Reina Isabel la Católica, don Juan Gabriel Vásquez , escritor, ensayista, traductor, novelista, biógrafo, catedrático, un verdadero polígrafo, en resumen... ¡y yo aquí, a verlas venir! ¡No tengo perd...

Several languages and dialects are spoken in Spain. The main ones and their figures are Catalan (Mayorquín, valenciano): 9,000, 000 speakers. Gallego: 2,500,000 speakers. Aranés: 5,000 speakers Basque: 700,000 speakers. Spanish: 47,000,000 speakers.   

  Nacer Be born Pedro nació en Pittsburgh Peter was born in Pittsburgh Nacer (venir al mundo) con un pan bajo el brazo Be born with silver spoon in one´s mouth Pedro nació con un pan bajo el brazo Peter was born with a silver spoon in his mouth Nacer de culo Be born to bad luck Siempre tengo problemas; nací de culo I always have problems; I was born to bad luck Nacer de pie (con estrella) Be born with a silver spoon in one´s mouth, be born lucky Juan nació de pie y lo tiene todo John was born lucky and he has everything Nacer para Be born to Nací para profesor I was born to be a teacher Se nace, no se hace Born, not made Los poetas nacen, no se hacen Poets are born, not made Volver a nacer (nacer de nuevo) Come back to life, be born again Casi nos atropella ese camión; hemos vuelto a nacer That truck almost ran us over; we have been born again

Like the rest of Europe, Spain is the home of several languages. Spanish is spoken by one hundred percent of the population and the rest, which we could label "regional" languages, Aranés, Gallego, Catalan, Basque, and Valenciano, have varied percentages of native speakers, all of whom, as I have already said, have a good command of Castilian, with different accents, intonations, and phraseology, also comparable to different accents, intonation, and phraseology in German, French, Italian and other continental languages. This is nothing to write home about except that, until a few weeks ago, Spanish was the only means of parliamentary communication in Congress since the advent of democracy after the Dictator´death, 1975. Unfortunately, the Socialist government decided to use languages as political weapons, approving a law permitting regional languages to be used in parliamentary procedure, with simultaneous translations into and from Spanish, forcing Aitor Esteban to address ...

  I won´t give up. I shall never tire of exposing online and AI translators and warning all and sunder against their shortcomings and dangers. Am I a stick-in-the-mud old foggy? You judge for yourselves. Put them to the test. I have on many occasions, in fact, just now I got "palo en el barro/lodo" and "persona pegada al barro" for stick-in-the-mud. Now everything goes but not quite. Beware of AI and other online translators lest you make a fool of yourself.  

I intuit that for the average language student, bilingualism refers to the mastering of two languages, right? "In my book", the definition is amplified, engulfing culture as well. And by "culture" I refer to history, music, religion, philosophy, or, in short, the framework of a person´s intellectual baggage which must be duplicated or mastered in the two languages of the true bilingual speaker. If we talk to a Spaniard about Alexander the Great , we must say Alejandro Magno . Saying Alejandro el Grande will sound weird to him. If a Spanish-speaker talks about the Las mil y una noches , he should remember that The Arabian Nights will be more comprehensible to the English speaker.  El lago de los cisnes turns into Swan Lake , as The Flight of the Bumblebee will be better understood than El vuelo del moscardón . An Englishman should not quote The Merry Wives of Windsor and instead mention Las alegres comadres de Windsor . The British cross the English Channel whe...

  I do not mean to flog a dead horse, but I must insist.   Sorry. Active reading is the best way to polish, improve, and perfect your foreign language. By active reading, I mean looking up the unknown words and jotting them down in a notebook. If you can copy the context, i.e. the whole sentence where they appear, so much the better. The sentence that illustrates the meaning of a word is called a "citation." Once in a while, you can review your notes, reflect upon them, memorize them, and incorporate them into your vocabulary. This is the way to expand the horizon of your vocabulary. This proactive measure will always keep you in good stead in your language studies. No pain, no gain! 

We have milestones in our lives, milestones we remember and treasure. I have many intellectual milestones I often remember and always treasure. On Fridays, my two daughters and I used to go to Oxford Bookstore in Madrid, Paseo de la Habana, and buy books to read over the weekend. I acquired many exciting titles from Penguin Books , which we still have. In that bookstore, I was able to discover new British authors. Reviewing some of my books today, I discovered two that I loved: Memento Mori and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie , by a Scottish woman, Muriel Spark (1918-2006). I recommend both titles and the writer who brings fond memories of a gone-by era in my life.   

  Hacer de las suyas Be up to one’s (old) tricks Víctor está haciendo de las suyas otra vez Victor is up to his old tricks again — “… los especuladores comenzaron a hacer de las suyas.” El Universal, 12/09/1996. Venez. Ir uno a lo suyo (la suya) Look out for number one, after (for) himself Pablo sólo va a lo suyo Paul only looks out for himself — “… cada uno va a lo suyo sin preocuparse de los demás…” El Diario Vasco, 19/09/1996. Esp. Ser uno muy suyo Be fussy, particular Cristián es muy suyo y muy difícil de contentar Christian is very particular and difficult to keep happy — “Mi marido, que es muy suyo, ha decidido…” Agustín Gómez-Arcos, Queridos míos… , 1994. Esp. Suyo afectísimo Yours ever, yours truly Suyo afectísimo, Joe Smith Yours ever, Joe Smith — “Sin otro particular, se reitera suyo afectísimo, s.s. y amigo…” Julián García Candau, Madrid-Barça , 1996. Esp. Tardar uno lo suyo Take one´s sweet time Pablo tardó lo suyo en contestar Paul t...

I acknowledge that counting noses is difficult, but it is even more difficult to count tongues. Wherever you turn, you are confronted with conflicting reckonings about the amounts of people who speak Spanish as their mother tongue, home use, social interaction, and family. Some say 450 million speakers use Spanish as native speakers. Some others elevate the figure to 550 million. Recently, the highest bidder was, so far, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, from Madrid, who elevated the count to 600. According to ChatGPT, the total number is 460 million. Whatever the figure may be, I am not worried: I will never have the chance, or the time, to talk to so many people; besides we talk less and less, in any language so, go figure! Also, the worth of a language does not lie in the amount of speakers it has.     

Si no tenemos práctica, podemos dudar si escribir backward o backwards. Las dos son correctas, como también los son: Forward / forwards Toward / towards Afterward / afterwards Y así tenemos: backward and forward o backwards and forwards . So, worry not!     

  Collins Bilingual Online Dictionary gives us an example and a translation for "en frío": " Cuando se contemplan las cifras totales en frío , when one calmly or cooly considers the total numbers."  Let´s try another approach. Collins -again- renders "in the cold light of day" thus: "a la luz del día, pensándolo con calma." In reality, " in the cold light of day " is the perfect equivalent of " en frío ": " Cuando se contemplan las cifras totales en frío... When one considers the total numbers in the cold light of day... "En frío", when we are detached and calm and no longer so involved... when we see the issue "in the cold light of day." It does take time and certain research to find the exact equivalents of idiomatic expressions, in different languages.   

  El Diccionario de María Moliner explica que la frase " en frío " significa: "sin estar emocionalmente influido por las circunstancias." Y el DRAE dice: "Con distancia de la emoción producida por una situación." Ninguna de las dos definiciones son dechados de rigor, pero nos valen. "Ayer, en la fiesta, le dije a Petra que la quería pero hoy, en frío, no estoy tan seguro." No se puede traducir al inglés por "in cold." "Después de dos días, lo piensas en frío y lo llevas mejor." (Diario de Navarra, 12/05/1999.) "Aunque, juzgados en frío, la mayoría de los personajes merecerían una severa condena moral." Mario Vargas Llosa, La verdad de las mentiras , 2002.

  Ya sabemos que la fraseología propia de un idioma, de cualquier idioma, presenta complejos retos y que por eso se debe aprender de memoria o consultar diccionarios de prestigio que nos guiarán y explicarán el significado. Este es el caso del modismo inglés " in the cold light of the day " que no es "en la fría luz del día." El Cambridge English Dictionary nos explica: " If you think about something in the cold light of day, you think about it clearly and calmly, without the emotions you had at the time it happened...  " Y nos da el ejemplo: "The next morning, in the cold light of day, Sarah realized what a complete idiot she had been." "I was a bit drunk and very enthusiastic, and I told her I loved her, but in the cold light of day I realized my mistake." "Seemed like a good idea to purchase at the time, but in the cold light of day, what on earth was I thinking?" (Tim Healing, Three Men in a Niva , 2007.) "However, in...