LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

I had read on the Internet that  English speakers confuse then with than . I found it difficult to believe mainly because the pronunciation of both words is different. Last night, however, I found palpable and visible proof of this in Bill Hayes' s  The Anatomist (2007, Kindle edition). I had read his Insomniac City (2018) mainly because it deals with his relationship with Oliver Sacks of whom I am a literary fan, and was, at that time, reading his On the Move . Lo and behold, I came upon this passage: "... I found something even more illuminating, though it is written so quietly it would be easy to miss: Offered own assistance . Carter than adds matter-of-factly, Gray will let do some ." It sticks out like a sore thumb to the point that my spell checker has underlined than in red as I typed it. Mr. Hayes meant then , not than . So it is true that educated, well-read speakers of English make this silly mistake. What is worse, his literary agent, his editor, and his...

It's my lucky day today. I have killed two birds with one stone and have added two phrases to my dictionary. I did not know that those people who spy on us behind the curtains of their windows are curtain twitchers . I knew of them but ignored they had a label. I then discovered that those who snoop behind "visillos" in Spain are viejas del visillo . Fancy that. Now I know that when walking down a lonely street and I feel two eyes on me, peeking behind a curtain, there's a curtain twitcher or viejo de los visillos spying. Then I will stop, look up, and give them the finger! (A tip of the hat to my daughter Laura Lynn for providing the information she gathered at a hen party in Madrid.)  

Today I was abulic and aimless and sat twiddling my thumbs when I heard I had a new e-mail in my inbox. It was from a Language Journal asking me whether I would consider reading an article and giving my thoughts about its possible publication. I opened the attachment to read:  Abstract . The purpose of the research is to study ... axiological phraseological units from the point of view of linguoculturology in the context of intercultural communication. That whetted my interest and I read: The article presents a linguoculturological analysis of ...  axiological phraseological units; the parameters of the description of axiological phraseological units are highlighted; the components of ... axiological phraseological units with value and anti-value meaning are revealed; the definition of the axiological vector of phraseologism is given.  I read further that: Values and anti-values are represented by axiological  phraseological units, the cultural background of whi...

Por razones de mi oficio, y que no vienen al caso, me he tenido que leer el Real Decreto 217/2022, de 29 de marzo, por el que se establece la ordenación y las enseñanzas mínimas de la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria aparecido en el BOE (Boletín Oficial del Estado.) Me he desmoralizado y desanimado mucho tras la lectura. ¿Será posible que todos mis años de estudio de la lengua castellana me han servido de nada? ¿Ha evolucionado tanto el idioma que me ha sobrepasado sin darme yo cuenta? Entresaco un parrafito a modo de ejemplo: "Competencia específica 2. 2.1 Comprender el sentido global, la estructura, la información más relevante en función de las necesidades comunicativas y la intención del emisor en textos orales y multimodales de cierta complejidad de diferentes ámbitos, analizando la interacción entre los diferentes códigos. 2.2 Valorar la forma y el contenido de textos orales y multimodales de cierta complejidad, evaluando su calidad, su fiabilidad y la idoneidad del canal ut...

Ayer, en Madrid, sentados en un banco de un pequeño parque, mi hija Laura y yo comparábamos su carga semanal lectiva en su colegio, y la mía en la universidad. Y como los temas vienen rodados, comentamos los horarios laborales de antaño y de hogaño. Mencioné el gran avance de la "semana inglesa", que sorprendió a Laura. Se trabajaba, como gran logro, seis días a la semana, de lunes a sábado. La "semana inglesa" permitía laborar los sábados por la mañana, no por la tarde, y los "productores" (como llamaba la dictadura a los trabajadores) libraban el sábado por la tarde. Esto es ya cosa del pasado, aunque creo que es bueno recordarlo. "Gastón propuso, a los postres que, pues era sábado y hacía semana inglesa, dedicásemos la tarde a un paseo..." Rafael López de Haro, Yo he sido casada , 1930. Esp. "La ley de ocho horas, la semana inglesa con la mitad del sábado de descanso..." Arsenio Torres, La carta magna del trabajo... , 1945. Arg. ...

  Los diccionario bilingües deben resolver problemas, no copiarse los unos a los otros. Cuando alguien nos hace una visita corta, de casi entrar y salir, por el motivo que sea, decimos en castellano que es "visita de médico" porque éstos suelen permanecer con el paciente lo justito. En inglés también se hacen visitas cortas, de compromiso, y decimos "whistle-stop visit." Creo que si rebuscamos y lo intentamos, siempre encontraremos fraseología paralela en otro idioma. La visita de médico (de cumplido, cortesía) A whistle-stop visit, brief (short) visit ¿Ya te vas? Me has hecho la visita de médico Your are leaving? That was a whistle-stop visit — “La visita del médico apenas duró unos minutos.” Adelaida García Morales, La lógica del vampiro , 1990. Esp. || “Visita de médico. Visita muy breve.” MM. Whistle-stop visit (whistle-stopping) La visita del médico (de cumplido, cortesía) You leaving? That was a whistle-stop visit ¿Ya te vas? Me has hecho la visita...

I have been a fan of Trunk and White 's The Elements of Style ever since my daughter Lorraine presented me with a copy in 2000. I keep it handy and I peruse it often. The wise recommendations in this short book can be applied to any language. "Writing good standard English is no cinch" we are told. Writing good standard Spanish is no cinch. Hastiness and laziness are the devils we must fight off. "... since writing is communication, clarity can only be a virtue." What is clear to the writer may not be clear to the reader. "Clarity, clarity, clarity" Strunk and White shout at us now, just as Thoreau wrote "Simplify, simplify" a hundred years before. This post is to remind you, and me, to reread and consult The Elements of Style often . It will stand us in good stead when we write English and Spanish.          

In languages, we all have our private vocabulary. There are words we use all the time that we prefer to others. Active vocabulary is called in academic jargon. We understand many phrases and words but never use them. only when we read or hear them. Professional linguists refer to these as passive vocabulary. Example: I often hear now the term "dude"  which my Random House dictionary defines as 1. A man excessively concerned with his clothes, grooming, and manners. 2. Slang: fellow, chap. It dates its origins as American, 1880-85. I have never used the word, and it is not in my active vocabulary. Why? I couldn't tell. I dislike the word and never heard it in my youth. Another example: "vale" as the Peninsular equivalent of ok is alien to my Spanish idiom. I have never used it and never will. I hear it gazillions in a given day. Very irritating. Why do I persevere in saying "supper" when everybody prefers "dinner"?  The concept of a private voc...

  The whole nine yards Y toda la pesca My wife likes to travel with bags, books, the dog, computer… the whole nine yards A mi mujer le gusta viajar con maletas, libros, el perro, el ordenador…y toda la pesca — “The  Whole Nine Yards  of Etymology everyone knows what the  whole nine yards means: the works, everything, the whole enchilada.” Patricia T. O’Conner, Origins of the Specious , 2009. US.

  A pesar de que somos países cristianos, o culturalmente cristianos, o quizá por eso, hay muchas expresiones en castellano sobre la religión. Hoy me he topado con un dicho en mi diccionario que me ha echo sonreír, especialmente la frase paralela en inglés: De día beata, de noche gata During the day pious Annie, during the night a bit of all right Carla va a misa a todas horas, de día beata y de noche gata Carla goes to church all the time, during the day pious Annie, during the night a bit of all right  

Hoy, domingo, en Butler, Pensilvania, han atentado contra la vida de Donald Trump . TVE ha dado la noticia y la presentadora, una profesional ducha en su profesión, que creo trabaja en televisión española desde antes de 1998, ha dicho: "Trump ha llevado su mano a su oreja", sin pestañear. Cabe la posibilidad de que estuviese leyendo esas palabras escritas por algún ignorante que las ha traducido del inglés. Debería haber dicho "Trump se ha llevado la mano a la oreja." Cada idioma tiene sus pautas y no debemos hacerles violencia para que sigan su curso evolutivo natural. En inglés diremos "my foot hurts" y en castellano exclamaremos: "Me duele el pie." Así de fácil. También diremos "my hair is gray" o "tengo el pelo gris." Es de cajón.  

Go to Collinsdictionary.com and search for "loop" where you will find the idiomatic expression " to knock someone for a loop " and the equivalent given in Spanish is " dejar a alguien pasmado ." If we then go to "pasmado" we find that "dejar pasmado a alguien" is to astonish or amaze someone. No trace of "leave (knock) for a loop", its exact equivalent. This is the result of employing two different teams in composing bilingual workbooks. My Phraseological Dictionary, English-Spanish , matches both languages perfectly. My ms has a total of 800,000 words and 33,000 entries, along with 34,000 translated sample sentences. Do not forget: "Throw (knock) for a loop" = Dejar a alguien de piedra (pasmado, alelado.) 

A good stock of Un buen surtido de I have a good stock of books in my home Tengo un buen surtido de libros en mi casa — “Bickleigh was known to have a good stock of wine and beer.” Michael Jaecks, The Las Templar… , 2004. US. Take stock of Hacer inventario We must take stock of our sales Debemos hacer inventario de nuestras ventas — “He’s  taken stock of  where he grew up, evaluated what he learned, and moved elsewhere.” Martin Melaver, Living above the Store , 2009. US. On the stocks En ciernes, en preparación, entre manos A new novel is on the stocks Una nueva novela en preparación — “Also on the stocks is a bill to bring about tax relief for these businesses.” Oxford Dictionary, 2024. UK. Out of stock Agotado The new fountainpen is out of stock La nueva estologtéfica está agotada Take (put) stock in Dar crédito a, fiarse  de It’s risky putting stock in what he says Es arriesgado dar crédito a lo que dice — “I hope that the lawmaker would ...

  The Real Academia Española and in their Diccionario de dudas, warns speakers of Spanish about the usage of the definite article "un, una": "Deben evitarse usos superfluos del artículo indefinido debidos al influjo del inglés, como su presencia ante atributos que denotan profesiones:  ―¿A qué te dedicas?   ―Soy un actor  (del  ingl.   I'm an actor. )"  This wrong usage is proliferating thanks to Wikipedia and its awful translations. We read that "Dickens era un novelista", Emily Dickinson "era una poeta", and more, much more.  Please, try to avoid this solecism.

  Speakers use phrases rather than words and prefer a long idiomatic expression to a simple verb. This mystery puzzles linguists and probably has something to do with the recondite workings of cells in the brain. I have come to the conclusion that the idiomatic expression is the second most important invention of language: first the word, the concept; second, the grouping of those words to create meanings and add spark and vivacity to the way mankind elicits thought, bringing joy and cheerfulness to speech. Language (and phraseology) has been changing since the dawn of time through a process of evolution that has not stopped and will never end. Neuroscientists may someday discover the intricacies of the brain's and language's relationship. In the meantime, try to express in one word the meaning of step up to the plate, throw for a loop, be in the stocks, rise to the bait, be on the stocks, pay scot and lot ... and let me know your ideas on the subject.

Be (keep) in the loop Estar (mantenerse) en la onda (pomada) Mark is no longer in the loop Marco ya no está en la onda — “I had spent the five past months in Iraq inserting myself into every huddle and attending every bigrade-level briefing, all with the goal of keeping myself in the loop.” Vivian H. Gambara et al ., Drowning in the Desert , 2008. US. Throw for a loop Dejar de piedra, de una pieza (pasmado) When I was told I was fired, it threw me for a loop Cuando me dijeron que estaba despedido me quedé de una pieza —  “… this driver bolt exposed to the bottom of the desk threw me for a loop.” PCWorld, February 26, 2024. US.  

On a large (small) scale En (a) gran (pequeña) escala They are going to do business on a large scale Van a hacer negocios a gran escala — “… when their behavior is channeled, on a large scale, into…” Daylykos. (COCA), 2012. US. Scales fall from one’s eyes Caérsele a uno la venda (de los ojos) When he gets married, scales will fall from his eyes Cuando se case se le caerá la venda de los ojos — “I know this sounds nutty, but do the research, and let the scales fall from your eyes.” danion.com, (COCA)2012. US. Tip (tilt) the scale (balance) Inclinar la balanza One member of the jury tilted the scale in my favor Un miembro del Jurado incline la balanza en mi favor — “ But anything that materially alters the relative risks or returns of the two asset classes will tilt  the scale …” American Spectator, vol. 35, issue 4, 2002. US.

Cuando el susto es morrocotudo y de campeonato, decimos en castellano "dar un susto al miedo." ¡Mucho susto es ese que hasta asusta al miedo! En inglés decimos "scare the devil" porque a satanás poco lo asusta. Dar un susto al miedo Scare the devil Víctor es tan feo que da un susto al miedo Victor is so ugly he would scare the devil — “… y viejas-viejas de darle un susto al miedo.” Fernando Quiñones, Las mil noches de Hortensia Romero , 1979. Esp.  

Upon listening to a discourse, I tend to grasp both the meaning conveyed and how it is conveyed. I practice this in spoken discourse, which is less structured and coherent than writing. The way the speaker presents their ideas, the words, and the idioms used are important to me. I am more alert to idioms now than I was before I embarked on my phraseological research in English and Spanish. I often wonder why the speaker uses a particular idiom, and the answer usually is that they have no other way to express their idea or feelings. Count it for joy, one can't win for losing, made of different clay, when push comes to shove, are phrases that express ideas and feelings hard to deliver otherwise.  "Count it for joy" implies finding happiness in difficult situations, which might take several sentences to explain without the idiom. "One can't win for losing" succinctly expresses the feeling of continuous bad luck or failure despite efforts. "Made of differen...

A ver qué les parece. Creo que los hispanohablantes tenemos dudas en clase o en una reunión. Levantamos la mano y decimos: "Tengo una duda sobre lo que ha dicho usted..." Y creo también que los anglohablantes tienen "questions." Así, en la reunión también levantan la mano pero dicen: "I have a question about what you said..." ¿Estoy en lo cierto? ¿Qué creen ustedes? Am I right? What do you think?   

 

  Sudar como un cerdo (pollo, caballo) Sweat like a pig (buckets) Sudaba como un cerdo He was sweating like a pig — “… jadeaba, tenía ojeras y sudaba como un caballo.” Mario Vargas Llosa, La tía Julia y el escribidor , 1977. Perú. Sudar la gota gorda Sweat blood (like a pig) Sudamos la gota gorda para pintar la casa We sweated blood painting the house — “Don Aldo sudó la gota gorda y no supo cómo salir del atolladero...” Expreso, 26/6/1997. Perú. Sudar tinta (china) Sweat blood Esta tarea me está haciendo sudar tinta This task is making me sweat blood — “… las mujeres me hicieron sudar tinta y bilis…” Gilberto Chávez, El batallador , 1986. Méx. Sudársela a uno Not give a damn, couldn’t care less Lo que David haga me la suda I don’t give a damn what David may do — “Las campanadas y la muchedumbre apretada en la Puerta del Sol me la sudan.” Fernando Aramburu , Los vencejos , 2021. Esp.

  Dar saltos de alegría Leap (jump) for joy Daba saltos de alegría en la boda She leapt for joy at the wedding — “La situación no es precisamente para dar saltos de alegría.” El Mundo, 31/03/1996. Esp. Estar loco de alegría Be beside oneself with joy Estaba loco de alegría He was beside himself with joy — “El pueblo se volvió loco de alegría.” Manuel Leguineche, El camino más corto , 1995. Esp. Ser la alegría de la huerta Be the soul of the party, be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Susana no es precisamente la alegría de la huerta Susan is not exactly the soul of the party — “Es la alegría de la huerta este Beenhakker.” ABC, 18/04/1989. Esp.

  En todas partes cuecen habas (y en la mía a calderadas) Everywhere birds sing (dogs bite, flowers bloom, rivers flow), the same everywhere Siempre es igual porque en todas partes cuecen habas It’s always the same because everywhere dogs bite — “Pero en todas partes cuecen habas.” Javier Pérez de Silva et al. , La televisión contada con sencillez , 2002. Esp. || “Ciertamente en todas partes se cuecen habas, pero aquí el homicidio se ha desbordado hasta límites que contradicen...” Tiempo, 16/4/1994. Colom. Ser algo habas contadas A cinch, as good as done, take it or dump it Este proyecto son habas contadas This project is as good as done / Sólo tienes tres opciones. Son habas contadas You only have three options, take it or dump it — “…aunque tampoco hay muchas opciones. Son habas contadas.” La Vanguardia, 24/10/1994. Esp.

Myths abound. People like and believe myths. Myths are comfortable but dangerous and false. Myths lure people into traps. Spanish-language learners hear the mermaid voices of myths that tell them that: 1. Spanish is easy to learn. Not true. Spanish verbs are a tough bone to chew, for instance.  2. Spanish is easy to pronounce. Spanish pronunciation is deceptive, difficult to master, and very different from English. 3. The 22 countries with Spanish as the official language speak the same. Not by a long shot. This may be so for educated Spanish, but street language differs considerably from country to country, even within a country. 4. Any native Spanish speaker will do as an instructor. Monolingual native speakers are usually the worst teachers. 5. Learning Spanish (or any other language, for that matter) is a breeze, and can be mastered in a few months.  6. The best Spanish is spoken in... Not true. The best Spanish is the easiest to understand. Clear, educated Spanish is alwa...

  A fly in the ointment Una contrariedad, dificultad, pega, inconveniente Jack is handsome, intelligent, rich, but the fly in the ointment is that he’s married Jack es guapo, inteligente, rico, pero la pega es que está Casado — “We enjoyed the play but the fly in the ointment was not being able to find my hat afterward.” McGraw-Hill’s Dictionary of American Idioms, 2006. US. A fly on the wall Ver por un agujerito I would like to be a fly on the wall to see her reaction to the news Me gustaría ver por un agujerito la reacción de ella ante las noticia — “In recent years the term - I don’t know where it originated — the phrase the  fly on the wall  has come into use, and critics talk about a story as observed by a  fly on the wall .” Matthew Bruccolli, Classes on Ernest Hemingway , 2007. US. Die (fall, drop) like flies Morir (caer) como moscas (chinches) At Waterloo soldiers died like flies En Waterloo los soldados murieron como moscas — “So peop...