Spanish Word of the Day

November 7th, 2012 at 2:44:58 AM permalink
Wizard
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Member since: Oct 23, 2012
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Fecha: 7-11-12
Palabra: Tartamudear


Today's SWD means to stutter. When I try to pronounce it I can't help but stutter.

Ejemplo time.

Cuando Ginger me pregunta soy sólo capaz de tartamudear en respuesta. = Whenever Ginger asks me a question I am only able to stutter in reply.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
November 7th, 2012 at 6:42:56 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: FrGamble
yo gusto la biblioteca!


I know Mike commented on this phrase already, but I would like to add a viewpoint.

The English verb disgust is used with the same format as the Spanish verb gustar.
In English we say "The library disgusts me". But when we want to say the positive version, we switch to the word "like", which is Anglo Saxon in origin. We say "I like the library".

In Spanish if you are saying the positive, you must use the format similar to the way we use disgust in English. "The library does not disgust me". Or in Spanish "Me gusto la biblioteca!".

The word gusto in English (obviously from Italian, but ultimately from the same Latin root as Spanish "gustar") has actually been used as a loanword in English as far back as Shakespeare's time. It is not a recent change to the language.

In general, English would be simpler if we always used the same root, along with different prefixes, like "re-", "dis-", "anti-", etc. However, more often than not we switch root words from one which is Latin in origin to one that is Anglo-Saxon. Very often the simple meaning (i.e. no prefix) we commonly use the Anglo Saxon based word, but we use the Latin root for variations.
For example the word "know" is used in English far more often than "cognizant". But English speakers use "recognize" frequently, but do not use the archaic word "beknow" (to be aware or conscious of). We still use the words "unbeknown" or "unbeknownst" if we are trying to sound eloquent.

November 7th, 2012 at 7:30:07 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Wizard
Fecha: 7-11-12
Palabra: Tartamudear


I've a feeling we've done this one before...

Quote:
Cuando Ginger me pregunta soy sólo capaz de tartamudear en respuesta. = Whenever Ginger asks me a question I am only able to stutter in reply.


"Caundo Ginger me pregunta ALGO...." or "Cuando Ginger me hace una pregunta..."
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
November 7th, 2012 at 8:54:37 AM permalink
Wizard
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Member since: Oct 23, 2012
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Quote: Paco
The English verb disgust is used with the same format as the Spanish verb gustar.


The way my first tutor explained it is to liken gustar to please, as in the library pleases me. I think you made the same comparison a while back.

Quote: Nareed
I've a feeling we've done this one before...


Maybe we've talked about it, but it isn't on the previous SWD list, which I usually check.

Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
November 7th, 2012 at 11:51:32 AM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Wizard
The way my first tutor explained it is to liken gustar to please, as in the library pleases me. I think you made the same comparison a while back.


I am repeating myself (for the Father's sake).

But the Latin word gustare "to taste" is the ancestor of both Spanish verbs gustar and disgustar and the English verb disgust. It seems easier to remember since they have the same root.

Yes, the word "please" is from Latin word placere "to be acceptable, be liked, be approved" and it does follow the same format as in "the library is pleasing to me".

But in English, the verb "please" has been expanded to the intransitive sense (e.g. do as you please); and the imperative sense (e.g. please do this). The assumption is that the latter is a shortening of if it please (you) which was in the language at least 300 years earlier. It is much more common to use please in one of these two senses.

Other Spanish verbs or phrases that use the indirect object in Spanish (and in English) are:

aburrir to bore
fascinar to be fascinating to
bastar to be sufficient
importar to be important to
caer bien (mal) to (not) suit
interesar to be interesting to
dar asco to be loathsome
molestar to be a bother
parecer to appear to be
doler (o:ue) to be painful
picar to itch
encantar to "love" something
quedar to be left over, remain
faltar to be lacking something
volver (o:ue) loco to be crazy about
November 7th, 2012 at 9:16:17 PM permalink
Wizard
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Fecha: 8-11-12
Palabra: Aguardar


Today's SWD means to wait for. It should not be confused with aguantar, which means to put up with.

The question for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast aguardar y esperar.

Ejemplo time.

Hemos estado aguardando doce años para ser rescatando de este isla. = We have been waiting twelve years to be rescued from this island.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
November 7th, 2012 at 11:35:50 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Wizard
The question for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast aguardar y esperar.


They are synonyms, but one word is of Germanic origin, while the other is Latin. Esperar is related to "spirit" and is sometimes translated as "to hope for", but can also mean "to wait for".

Despite the resemblance to the noun agua which means "water", and the verb aguar which means "to water" the verb aguardar is semantically unrelated.

The verb aguardar is derived from the verb guardar which comes from the noun guarda which is from the Germanic word warda. It is the same word that is the ancestor of English words "guard" and "ward".

The verb aguantar despite it's similar spelling is also unrelated semantically. It was a word in the old SWD. It comes from an Italian word agguantare which means "grab" which is derived from another Italian word guanto which means "glove". English gets the word "gauntlet" from these words.
November 8th, 2012 at 3:19:45 PM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Wizard
Hemos estado aguardando doce años para ser rescatando de este isla. = We have been waiting twelve years to be rescued from this island.


Loosely: "We have been being waiting 12 years to being rescuing from this island."

"Hemos aguardado 12 años para ser rescataDOS..."

"Estado agaurdando" is not precisely a pleonasm, but it's kind of redundant. Also, while "aguardar" and "esperar" are synonimous, "esperar" is the one used more often.
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER
November 9th, 2012 at 1:35:00 AM permalink
Wizard
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Member since: Oct 23, 2012
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Fecha: 9-11-12
Palabra: Exigir


Today's SWD means to demand.

Ejemplo time.

¡Gilligan, exigo que tu dejas molestarme! = Gilligan, I demand that you stop bothering me!

In other news, Paco, I believe you know some Catalan. Doc has a question about it at WoV.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
November 9th, 2012 at 7:07:29 AM permalink
Nareed
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 346
Posts: 12545
Quote: Wizard
¡Gilligan, exigo que tu dejas molestarme! = Gilligan, I demand that you stop bothering me!


:)

Basically "Gilligan, I [non-word] that you to stop bothering me"

"Gilligan, exiJo que dejes de molestarme"

Remember the G in Spanish sounds like a J in Spanish when used in front of an E or I. Therefore in present tense the conjugations are "exiJo, exiGes, exiGe."
Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER