Spanish Word of the Day

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October 30th, 2012 at 12:09:02 PM permalink
Wizard
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Welcome to the Spanish Word of the Day. This is a sequel to the thread of the same title at Wizard of Vegas. Over 14 months that thread covered 318 Spanish words and phrases.

In the continuing effort of learing Spanish, one day at a time, this topic is being resumed here at Diversity Tomorrow. Here are some of the main characters you can expect to see, based on the thread at Wizard of Vegas.

  • Wizard: The enternal Spanish student. Despite his hard work, the Wizard can never seem to construct a simple sentence in Spanish without at least a few mistakes. In particular, he often blows the easy things, like not matching the right form of el/la/los/las to the subsequent noun. He also confuses para y por about 90% of the time. For his many stupid mistakes, he owes Nareed about 954 push ups.
  • Nareed: Our faithful teacher. Nareed lives near Mexico City and is a native speaker. Her tireless work cleaning up after the Wizard's many mistakes is never ending. When it comes to how people actually speak Spanish, at least in Mexico, there is no higher source than Nareed around here.
  • PacoMartin: Paco is an American "advanced student" who has a strong background in Spanish grammar and etymology. He is good at illustrating the meaning of words with images, especially of movie posters. Sometimes Paco and Nareed will disagree on something, which usually makes for educational and interesting reading.


Some others that come and go are Doc, FrGamble, and WongBo.

Here is an index of previously covered words in this thread.




130/10/12Banqueta 231/10/12Disfrazar 31/11/12Magrudada
42/11/12Arrepentirse 53/11/12Taimarse 64/11/12Desmayar
75/11/12Clausurar 86/11/12Correa 97/11/12Tartamudear
108/11/12Aguardar 119/11/12Exigir 1210/11/12Retar
1311/11/12Arrasar 1412/11/12 1513/11/12



With all the introductions out of the way, let's get onto some Spanish!
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
October 30th, 2012 at 12:17:42 PM permalink
Wizard
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Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Fecha: 30-10-12
Palabra: banqueta


Today's SWD means sidewalk. The dictionary says it also means stool.

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast banqueta y acera.

Ejemplo time.

Pisé un poco de chicle de burbuja alguien dejó en la banqueta. = I stepped in some bubble gum somebody left on the sidewalk.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
October 30th, 2012 at 1:17:10 PM permalink
WongBo
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1
Posts: 14
Is banqueta unique to Mexico? In New York,
I have only ever heard the word for sidewalk as vereda or acera.
October 30th, 2012 at 1:54:10 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Wizard
The dictionary says it also means stool.


Yes and no. yes, the dictionary says so. No, it's hardly ever used that way. It's a kind of simminutive of "banco" meaning stool. But to say a small stool, most epople say "banquito."

Quote:
The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast banqueta y acera.


None. They're synonims. Except acera gets odd looks down here.

Quote:
Pisé un poco de chicle de burbuja alguien dejó en la banqueta. = I stepped in some bubble gum somebody left on the sidewalk.


Just "chicle." In Spanish there's no distinction between varieties of chewing gum. Also "..QUE alguién dejó..."
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
October 30th, 2012 at 2:19:04 PM permalink
Wizard
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Quote: Nareed
Just "chicle." In Spanish there's no distinction between varieties of chewing gum.


How to you specify the kind of gum that makes bubbles, like Bubble Yum? For example, suppose I request that you get me some bubble gum at the store, what would I say? Note that I will not be happy with DoubleMint or anything that isn't for the purpose of blowing big pink bubbles.

Also, is it just Tijuana, or does every in Mexico love chicle? All over TJ kids are selling it, but I don't recall seeing that happening anywhere else in Mexico.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
October 30th, 2012 at 2:27:37 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Wizard
How to you specify the kind of gum that makes bubbles, like Bubble Yum?


You don't. I guess if you send someone for gum you tell him what brand you want and what flavor. I haven't chewed gum in years, so I've no idea what brands of bubble gum exist here these days. But I'm up to date on sugar-free mints.

Quote:
Also, is it just Tijuana, or does every in Mexico love chicle? All over TJ kids are selling it, but I don't recall seeing that happening anywhere else in Mexico.


There isn't a sidewalk in any part of the city not covered in filthy gum.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
October 30th, 2012 at 5:43:52 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569



This author's work (called Curbside boys) is translated using the word acera.

In English the words "curb" and "sidewalk" refer to different parts of the pedestrian area near a street. MW defines them as:
curb: A stone or concrete edging to a street or path.
sidewalk: A raised paved or asphalted path for pedestrians at the side of a road.

Despite the fact that "curb" and "sidewalk" physically go together, the word "curb" has a slightly different emotional meaning as it is closer to the street. The phrases "kick it to the curb" implies throwing away trash, and taxi companies often use "curbside pickup" but the phrase can have negative implications. The word "sidewalk" is basically neutral.

Does the word "acera" have any positive or negative connotations, or is it neutral?



The British use walkway to mean a more decorative sidewalk usually that goes through a park. Most of the time American designers follow that example to imply that the sidewalk is more than just poured concrete. How about in Mexico?
October 31st, 2012 at 6:39:35 AM permalink
Wizard
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Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Fecha: 31-10-12
Palabra: Disfrazar


In honor of el día de las brujas, today's SWD means to disguise/conceal. A related word is disfraz, which means a costume/disguise.

Ejemplo time.

Centima, por favor, disfrazas la pelecua negra para su disfraz de mujer maravilla. = Penny, please put on the black wig for your Wonder Woman costume.

In other Halloween news, one of my many nagging questions remains unanswered. In heavily Spanish-speaking neighborhoods in the U.S., what do kids say in lieu of "trick or treat"? In my experience, what look like Spanish-speaking kids in my neighborhood either say "trick or treat" in English or just stand there waiting for candy.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
October 31st, 2012 at 7:49:50 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Wizard
Centima, por favor, disfrazas la pelecua negra para su disfraz de mujer maravilla. = Penny, please put on the black wig for your Wonder Woman costume.


That's ten pushups for translating a proper name and doing so badly, and ten more for using "disguise" as "put." Get to it.

"Penny, por favor PONTE la peluca negra para tu disfraz de LA Mujer Maravilla"

I don't know whay superhero names sometiems get an article put in fornt of them and why some don't. But it's usually when they are translated. That's odd, too, no least becasue kids now say "Spiderman" while their elders say "EL Hombre Araña"
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
October 31st, 2012 at 8:30:19 AM permalink
Wizard
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Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: Nareed
That's ten pushups for translating a proper name and doing so badly, and ten more for using "disguise" as "put." Get to it.


I knew I would cost me for translating "Penny." I was just trying to show cultural sensitivity. Kind of like if I were talking about the Virgin Mary in I would say Maria if speaking in Spanish.

However, I don't see why disfrazas is wrong, as Penny was being asked to disguise herself. Maybe I should have used the reflexive, i.e. te disfrazas. Are you using poner because just a wig isn't really a disguise?
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
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