LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

Religions have their own sets of beliefs, duties, and rituals that followers are expected to observe faithfully. It is hardly surprising, then, that English has the expression be religious about , meaning to do something with unfailing consistency, discipline, or dedication. Thus, "Some agents are religious about making sure the offer..." ( The Boston Globe , 24 July 2021, US). Likewise, "When drying wet hair, be religious about it." ( The Standard , 1 July 2022, UK). Spanish has a close equivalent: religiosamente . "Se lava el pelo todos los días religiosamente."

 Si buscamos el significado de "brain freeze" en inglés, se nos dirá que es "a brief, sharp headache, caused by something cold touching the roof of one's mouth." Sin embargo, lo traduzco como "írsele a uno el santo al cielo", que tiene significado muy distinto. ¿Por qué? Porque el Cambridge English Dictionary también añade que es "an occasion when someone cannot think clearly, or cannot remember something." O sea: "írsele a uno el santo al cielo" simple y llanamente: Sorry, I had a brain freeze. What were you saying? Lo siento, se me ha ido el santo al cielo. ¿Qué decías? — “… the regulators go into a brain freeze because they don’t know what to do.” Mother Jones, March-April, 2013. || “Excuse me, I just had a brain freeze on that.” Meet the Press, 10/27/2013. (10:30 am). US.

I often hear "We don't say that in English" and, in Spanish, "Eso no se dice en español" from the lips of native speakers who, as I have often said, are a language's worst enemies. I have also often paraphrased Ortega's idea that the horizon of our language is not the horizon of language itself. There is always more beyond the limits of our own linguistic knowledge. The average native speaker is convinced that if he or she has never heard a word or turn of phrase, it simply does not exist. Take the idiom to the manner born , for example. It may be rendered in Spanish as venir de buena cuna , ser de buena cuna , or ser de alcurnia . Here is a recent example: "Ian Fleming was to the manner born. His grandfather was one of the wealthiest merchant bankers..." ( Los Angeles Times , April 4, 2024). And, just in case a native English speaker still has doubts about its genuineness, here is another citation: "Geoff Cowan was, in many respects, to...

  A Phraseological Journey Ediciones del Serbal, Barcelona, published my A Phraseological Dictionary, English and Spanish in 1995. Two years later, I was invited by the eminent philologist and theologian Xesús Ferro Ruibal to speak about it at the I Coloquio Galego de Fraseoloxía in Santiago de Compostela — a great honor and a memorable occasion. But even then, I knew the work could go further. I sought a comprehensive dictionary of parallel idiomatic phrases in both English and Spanish. When the contract with Serbal expired in 2000, I chose not to renew it, determined to widen the scope and improve the book in every dimension. Other writing projects intervened, as often happens — man proposes and God disposes — but the idea never left me. Finally, in 2020, I found the uninterrupted time to spit in my hands, roll up my sleeves, and return to the task. Since then, I have worked four to five hours a day, Sundays and holidays included, and the dictionary has grown immensely: from...

  Celia y yo, gracias a nuestro bilingüismo, podemos pasar de un idioma a otro sin pestañear. Y hoy Celia trae cara de incomprensión. - Creo que sé el significado de "score (win) brownie points", que significa hacer méritos, ganar puntos con alguien, pero ¿de dónde proviene la expresión? -Internet te dirá que lo de brownie points proviene, se supone, de las Girl Scouts de Estados Unidos, que recibían esos puntos por buen comportamiento. En mi diccionario fraseológico en curso aporto dos citaciones: “But while the opposition tried to score brownie points…” The Times of India, August 20, 2024. Ind. || “Opposition has tried to score political brownie points over it.” Times Now, October 1, 2024. N. Zeal. Si le haces un recadito al jefe; si le paseas el perro al profe de mates; se le compras bombones al casero... you score brownie points , haces méritos, ganas puntos, en la estima, aprecio, de esas personas.  - Se emplea mucho en la conversación cotidiana. - sentencia Celia. ...

  Fish or cut bait (shit or get off the pot, shoot or give up the gun) Ni comer ni dejar comer, o comes o dejas comer Una expresión inglesa muy pintoresca es fish or cut bait , literalmente pesca o corta el cebo (o el sedal) . Se usa para urgir a alguien a que tome una decisión sin más dilación : decídete, haz algo, o deja que otro lo haga .  Equivale a otras locuciones inglesas algo más crudas o gráficas, como: shit or get off the pot ( cága o deja el retrete ), o shoot or give up the gun ( dispara o suelta el arma ). En español tenemos frases de similar sentido, aunque con imágenes distintas. Algunas son: Comer ni dejar comer , que se usa para describir a quien ni hace ni deja hacer. O comes o dejas comer , forma más directa que se ajusta bien a la idea inglesa. Un ejemplo en inglés aparece en The Paris Review , otoño de 2015 (EE. UU.): “… and there commenced a discussion of the meaning of the idiom fish or cut bait , which all of the men were accustome...

  Darn it—RTVE has done it again! The network continues to introduce foreign phraseology into Spanish, in effect plagiarizing English idioms. In yesterday's episode of La promesa , a character told his interlocutor: “Hay más maneras que una de pelar a un gato,” a near-verbatim translation of the English phrase “There is more than one way to skin a cat.” This construction has no grounding in traditional Spanish phraseology. A perfectly idiomatic and attested Spanish equivalent is Cada uno tiene su manera de matar pulgas , which conveys the same idea in native terms. Why then are RTVE's scriptwriters resorting to calques from English and passing them off as Spanish? Is this a case of linguistic laziness or a deliberate effort to 'modernize' the language at the cost of authenticity? This trend merits scrutiny. Are we witnessing the erosion of genuine Spanish idiomatic richness in favor of fashionable, borrowed expressions?

  When we want to project something -projects, ideas, habits, plans- into the distant future, we say that "in the long run" it will be beneficial, or "over the long haul" it will backfire... and Spanish expresses this idea with "a la larga" which is, at least, peculiar. But it is what it is and so: --“Aunque la modernidad y las otras razones de orden económico se esgrimen para defender la vía no legal indiscutiblemente, tal situación a la larga o a la corta...” Adelante, 20/11/2003. Cuba. --"... todo a la larga será ilegible." Enrique Vila-Matas, Canon de cámara oscura, 2025. Esp.

  A los ricos, que en inglés se les conoce como "the rich", se les envidia y odia porque tienen dinero, viven bien, no pasan necesidades, son más guapos, y tienen parejas más atractivas. Al contrario que a los pobres, no se les coloca en un pedestal y son objeto de la crítica feroz por parte de las religiones. Sin embargo, todos queremos ser ricos y por eso participamos toda suerte de juegos de azar. Veamos alguna fraseología en ambos idiomas sobre la palabra rico: Be filthy rich Estar podrido de dinero, forrado, ricacho, ricachón My girlfriend’s father is filthy rich El padre de mi novia está podrido de dinero — “People all over the world kill themselves for all kinds of reasons -- children, old people, the dirt poor, even the filthy rich.” Thestranger.com., 2012. US. Fools live poor to die rich Morir rico y vivir pobre Spend your money now, fools live poor to die rich Gástate el dinero ahora, no vivas pobre para morir rico — “Fools live poor to die rich.” G.G....

 Los pobres tienen buena prensa desde que las religiones nos pusieron en un pedestal. Yo soy pobre, pobre, de esos de llevar remiendos en los pantalones y de dar envidia a las ratas, y sé mucho de este tema. Unos ejemplos en inglés y castellano sobre la fraseología del pobre: A (the) poor man’s… De pobres… The bike is a poor man’s transportation La bici es transporte de pobres — “I grew up hunting, but it was poor man’s hunting. Mainly rabbits…” thereluctunctpaladin.com, 11/2012. US. Be dirt poor Ser pobre de solemnidad, pobretón, paupérrimo I’m dirt poor and eat only once a day Soy pobre de solemnidad y sólo como una vez al día — “People all over the world kill themselves for all kinds of reasons -- children, old people, the dirt poor, even the filthy rich. ” Thestranger.com., 2012. US. Better poor than… Antes pobre que… Better poor than a liar Antes pobre que mentiroso — “Better poor than honest. The rich are bad.” Enterpreneur, February 19, 2025. US. ...

  I prompted ChatGPT to find synonyms for the idiom "to put the cart before the horse" and, no sooner said than done, I got back several, of which I chose three: Building the second floor before the foundation Starting at the top of the ladder Putting the roof before the walls are built I preferred the first because it parallels the Spanish "empezar la casa por el tejado". Then I searched for citations supporting the meaning and usage but to no avail. I went back to Chat GPT only to be told bluntly that this AI had made up the expression and advised me to feel free to use it as my own. As an anecdote, and to prove a point, I have added the three "idioms" to my Phraseological Dictionary to show that now AI and social media on the internet are changing language, and speakers no longer hold the reins of language evolution as in the past. AI and Social Media have a crucial say in how humans use and treat language today. 

  Some English idioms, expressions, and clichés have recently become more prominent or trendy. While idioms are timeless, newer phrases often arise from internet culture, media, and evolving societal norms. Here are a few contemporary ones that have gained traction of late: Touch grass : A playful or sarcastic way to tell someone to get offline and reconnect with reality. You've been arguing online for hours—go touch grass! ● “… that someone would find that offensive. People need to touch grass.” Daily Mail, January 3, 2025. UK. I was today years od when : A humorous way to express learning something new or surprising for the first time. I was today years old when I found out penguins have knees. ● “I was today years old when I found out that someone could be called The Most Reverend.” The Spinoff, September, 19, 2022. N. Zeal. Caught in 4K : Refers to being caught doing something wrong, especially on video or with undeniable proof. You said you didn’t eat the cake, b...

  Some words, expressions, and idioms, seem to shadow us and be everywhere. Of late, "my word is my bond" dangles in front of me constantly. I hear it in films, TV programs, and conversations, and even I read it in print.  Of course, it's just sheer chance I encounter the expression so often. Random linguistic encounters happen all the time but it is a coincidence that the present Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has sent politics and ethics topsy-turvy, down the drain, by declaring that he does not lie or go back on his word... he simply changes his mind. "Mi palabra es sagrada" would be a good Spanish equivalent, although not for Mr. Sánchez, because "my word is my bond" is a meaningless phrase no longer in use and which, as far as he is concerned, has no credibility. He has upended the basic foundations of society. La palabra ya no es sagrada and my word is no longer my bond. Time to reread George Orwell and  1984. 

English has invented the humorous expression enough to choke a horse to express the idea of an excessive quantity.  Spanish has para parar un tren to express the idea that the amount is so excessive that it could stop a train in its tracks: tiene dinero para parar un tren . Enough and to spare , enough to sink a ship, plenty and then more  are English variations. Para dar y tomar , para dar, vender y regalar are Spanish alternatives. Enough to choke a horse Para parar un tren I have a lot of work, enough to choke a horse Tengo mucho trabajo, para parar un tren — “Here’s a fine idea, much better than killing you, he said with venom enough to  choke a horse . ” Ian Irvine, A Shadow on  he Glass , 2009. US.  Para parar un tren (carro) Enough to choke a horse (to sink a ship), plenty and then more Tengo trabajo para parar un tren I have enough work to choke a horse — “Hay pruebas como para parar un tren.” Víctor Chamorro, El muerto resucitado , 1984. Esp. ...

Comparative phraseology allows us to observe that what we are seeking is meaning. The idea that an occurrence is going to take place no matter what unless a miracle happens or God intercedes is expressed in these two examples in English and Spanish: Unless a miracle happens Si Dios no lo remedia Unless a miracle happens, I’ll lose my job soon Si Dios no lo remedia, perderé el empleo pronto — “There’s doom ahead, unless a miracle happens.” Interest.com.nz., July 22, 2023. N. Zeal. Si Dios no lo remedia Unless a miracle happens Si Dios no lo remedia, perderé el empleo pronto Unless a miracle happens, I’ll lose my job soon — “… allí seguirá, si Dios no lo remedia.” El País, 01/08/1976. Esp. || “… porque si Dios no lo remedia, nos espera más de lo mismo.” La Voz de la Afición, nº 19, 05/2007. Esp.    

  Todos conocemos a gente que se cree que todo viene dado, que la vida está hecha para ellos, que los demás les deben algo. La lengua inglesa tiene una modismo muy gracioso para lanzarlo a todos los que creen que la vida es Jauja: Life is not all beer and skittles No todo el monte es oregano, no todo es jauja We must work hard; life is not all beer and skittles Tenemos que trabajar duro; la vida no es jauja — “But people have this glorious notion of politics being all beer and skittles and all these staff running around at your beck and call.” Brisbane Courier Mail, 20 Jan 2004. Aus.  

Today, this afternoon I decided to call it a day and dragged myself away from the computer. I zapped away from channel to channel trying to find a TV program of interest when I heard a lady say that "la curiosidad mató al gato" and the interviewer saying: "¡Correcto, ese es el refrán!" I jumped up and opened my computer in search of such a "Spanish refrán". CREA does not list it. CORDE shows 5 hits. The earliest is dated 1983, ABC: "... que la curiosidad mató al gato." Up till 1983 this business about the cat was unknown in Spanish, and instead the expression "ver, oír y callar" was used: “Mi padre me repetía constantemente que yo tenía que ver, oír y callar.” (El Mundo, 30/09/1995. Esp.) Other versions are: Oír, ver y callar, son cosas de gran preciar. El que del mundo quiere gozar, debe de ver, oír y callar. And what about the original English Curiosity killed the cat ?   Beware of poking your nose into the affairs of others; it may g...

  Today, I feel as if I am dying on my feet. I went for a morning stroll and saw what a rotten day it was. This neighborhood is the pits, really. And it all boils down to the Spanish "asco": Morirse de asco Dying on its feet El espéctáculo se muere de asco The show is dying on its feet — “… a costa de que otros sigan muertos de asco.” Tiempo, 11/06/1990. Esp. Qué asco de… What a rotten… Qué asco de vida What a rotten life — “¿Cómo es que se llama? Qué asco de memoria tengo.” Humberto Moreno-Durán, El toque de Diana , 1981. Colom. Ser algo un asco Be the pits Trabajar nueve horas al día es un asco Working nine hours a day is the pits — “La vejez es un asco. Los viejos se vuelven unos cobardes.” Proceso, 19/01/1997. Méx.

We all like to look our best and dress up in the latest fashion. Language has mirrored the idea of dressing well in several peculiar idiomatic ways: Put on the dog Ponerse de tiros largos, como un pincel, ponerse uno guapo There’s no need to put on the dog to go to that restaurant No es necesario ponerse de tiros largos para ir a ese restaurante — “Put on the dog: get dressed up.” Etymonline, 2022. US. Dressed (up) to the nines (to kill, to advantage, to the teeth) Hecho un pincel (un brazo de mar, de tiros largos, cromo), ponerse guapo, ir muy puesto Jack se ha ido a la fiesta hecho un pincel Jack’s gone to the party dressed to the nines — “... she says. James is much happier with her recent publicity photos, which show her dressed to kill on a leopard-skin sofa.” Portland Tribune, OR - 4 Jul 2003. US. Palo compuesto no parece palo Dress up a stick and it does not appear to be a stick Susana cuando se apaña está más guapa porque palo compuesto no parece pal...

  Few admit to being superstitious - ¡toco madera! - but no matter how spiders are dreaded, they will be let go because: Quien rompe una tela de araña, a ella y a sí mismo se daña If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive Soy muy supersticioso y quien rompe una tela de araña, a ella y así mismo se daña I am very superstitious and if you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive