Spanish Word of the Day

Quote: Wizard

I'm in no position to correct Nareed, but as someone tring to learn the language when I see poner I ask myself, okay what kind of idiom is it in this time. For example, pone de pie. means stand up. I think it is common to say se puso for he/she became.

Yes the verb is highly idiomatic and sometimes Nareed just uses the primary definition in her explanations. For instance "poner la mesa" is translated "set the table" instead of "put the table", and "poner de acuerdo" is translated "reach an agreement" and not "put an agreement". The verb also has slang definitions.

(Mexico, slang) To contribute; to bring. Carlos pone la casa, yo pongo los refrescos.
(Spain, slang) To turn on, make horny Me pones mucho.

I try to look for idiomatic uses, and often I send it to someone in Galicia who helps me with European choice for a verb (which is often different than in Mexico). I am working under the assumption that many of the professional translators of your children's books are European.

But that particular translation doesn't agree with anything I can find on line, and it gives the machine translators fits.

Quote: Wizard

I was hoping to buy some Los Tigres del Norte CDs,

If you run out of coasters, you can always use a napkin or a paper towel.

Quote: Nareed

If you run out of coasters, you can always use a napkin or a paper towel.

Or give them to you as a gift.

Fecha: 10-1-13
Palabra: Torbellino

Today's SWD by itself means whirlwind. However, in the context I found it, it referred more to the sense of being overwhelmed, where in English we might say "my head is spinning."

Ejempo time, from Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal.

La cabeza de Harry era un torbellino. = Harry's head was swimming.

Quote: Wizard

Or give them to you as a gift.

Oh, thanks. But I'm all set for coasters.

Quote: Wizard

I was hoping to buy some Los Tigres del Norte CDs, but they didn't have any CDs at all.

I think if you listen to Cafe Tacuba people in Mexico City will think you are cooler.

Quote: Pacomartin

I think if you listen to Cafe Tacuba people in Mexico City will think you are cooler.

No, no. that's "El Café de Tacuba." It's a restaurant in Polanco. It used to be great, even though it affected a low-class style (typewritten menus in ratty plastic and vynil covers, paper napkins, etc); but it has declined sharply over the years. I'm not sure if it's even still around.

Quote: Pacomartin

I think if you listen to Cafe Tacuba people in Mexico City will think you are cooler.

They might. I listened to those tracks and still prefer Los Tigres. When I requested them by roving musicians in San Jose del Cabo they seemed impressed I had heard of them.

Fecha: 11-1-13
Palabra: Duende

Today's SWD means goblin/elf. This bothers me because elves and goblins are not the same thing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but goblins are magical, but elves are very close to humans. Nobody ever said that Santa employed any goblins to make toys.


Goblin.


Elf.

In the Harry Potter, the word used was goblin, which got translated into duende.

--Duenos días -- digo Hagrid a un duende desocupado--. = "Morning," said Hagrid, to a free goblin.

Quote: Nareed

No, no. that's "El Café de Tacuba." It's a restaurant in Polanco. It used to be great, even though it affected a low-class style (typewritten menus in ratty plastic and vynil covers, paper napkins, etc); but it has declined sharply over the years. I'm not sure if it's even still around.

Mexicans had their own version of "flappers" in the 1920's. The style originated in El Paso, Ciudad Juárez border towns, and the style took it's name from the word, "pachuco" which was slang term for a resident of those cities. The most famous pachuco was Tin Tan who made Spanglish well known to the rest of Mexico in movies from the 1940's to the 1960's. The suits were called Zoot Suits.


Tin Tan is the well dressed man on the right. The image on the left is of Cantinflas, who may have been the most popular comedian of all time in Mexican films. Cantinflas's big turn in American films was in "Around the World in 80 days".

The movies spread the subculture in the 1940's from Los Angeles to Mexico city where "El Café de Tacuba" was centerpiece of the culture. The cafe just turned 100 years old, so it is probably one of the oldest restaurants in Mexico City.

"Cafe Tacvba" is an alternative rock (roughly 20 years old) that took it's name from the restaurant. The band formally spells their name with the letter v today, because of legal issues with the restaurant.