LAS LENGUAS INGLESA Y ESPAÑOLA de Delfín Carbonell

Spanish politics is a bit topsy-turvy these days, affecting everyone and all levels of society, especially language. We are witnessing surprising changes in meanings. For example, for the president (PM) of the government, Pedro Sánchez, "to lie" now means "to change one´s opinion, or have a change of heart." If he said he would not amnesty anyone, and now he does, he did not lie but simply changed his mind. Mr. Pedro Sánchez is turning language upside down which, I believe, will have far-reaching consequences and affect, primarily, the meaning of the verb "to trust."     

Often people lie (tell untruths) for the heck of it, for the sake of it, even when it is not necessary. As I am very naïve, I tend to believe what I am told. So, you can imagine! In Spanish, we " decimos mentiras " whereas in English " we tell lies ." Some of my friends " lie more often than they tell the truth " or in Spanish " mienten más que hablan ." This business of lying is a bad habit, like picking one´s nose, and generates more lying, so much so that we say " una mentira hace ciento " or " a lie makes many " because once you start with this, you cannot stop and must keep on lying.  In Spanish people " mienten como bellacos " or " they lie through their teeth " all the time.  There´s a peculiar expression in both languages: " Pagué diez euros por el pan, no, miento , pagué dos. " " I paid ten euros for the bread, no, I tell a lie , I paid two. "  Two interesting proverbs: " S...