Spanish Word of the Day

Quote: Pacomartin

A look at the words in the King James Bible tells you how much English has changed.

You do know that was a joke, right?

Quote:

Don Quixote was written about the same time as the King James Bible. How different does the Spanish sound from modern Spanish?

I recall reading excerpts of it in class. It was not immediately understandable as Spanish.

Quote: Wizard

Seriously, since he is obviously referring to all men he meets, "their" is acceptable. I would have still said "he" to match with "a man," but that is just me.

It seems someone doesn't like to be corrected about changes to their native language >:)

Quote: Nareed

I recall reading excerpts of it in class. It was not immediately understandable as Spanish.

That is interesting since the story is often repeated that the original grammar books were presented to Queen Isabella. She asked what the point was of grammar, and she was told that they were written so that future generations could read and understand Cervantes.

Quote: Nareed

You do know that was a joke, right?

Yes, I knew you were joking, but it occurred to me that it was a good way to look at how words were used 400 years ago.

The word get has as it's base meaning "to obtain", so it is usually translated as obtener in Spanish. But the word actually has dozens of possible translations depending on the various meanings in English. As I said it is one of the most frequently used verbs in modern English.

It's interesting to see how seldom the word is used in KJ English. For instance in the entire New Testament, the word is only used a 14 times.

Modern use of the word "get"
"get" meaning "to obtain"
1. 2Cor.2 [11] Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
2. Luke.9 [12] And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
3. Jas.4 [13] Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
   
   "get" meaning "to succeed in coming, going, arriving at, visiting, etc"
4. Matt.14 [22] And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
5. Mark.6 [45] And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
6. Acts.27 [43] But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
   
   Archaic use of the word "get"
7. Matt.4 [10] Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
8. Matt.16 [23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
9. Mark.8 [33] But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
10. Luke.4 [8] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11. Luke.13 [31] The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
12. Acts.7 [3] And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
13. Acts.10 [20] Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.
14. Acts.22 [18] And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

Fecha: 9-3-14
Palabra: Encaramar

Today's SWD means to raise/lift up.

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast encaramar, levantar, y subir.

Ejemplo time.

Gilligan, encarama los cocos en la tierra entre la cochecito = Gilligan, lift those coconuts from the ground to the car.

Quote: Wizard

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast encaramar, levantar, y subir.

levantar means "to lift", subir means "to climb"

The DRAE says that "encaramar" comes from an Arabic word "karáma" which means to honor.
So it would seem that "encaramar" means "to raise someone to a position of honor".

Google translate uses "perch" and "embarrass" to translate "encaramar", which makes very little sense to me.

Quote: Wizard

Palabra: Encaramar

I've never encountered it before.

Quote: Pacomartin

Google translate uses "perch" and "embarrass" to translate "encaramar", which makes very little sense to me.

In the Harry Potter usage of the word it meant "perch."

Quote: Pacomartin

That is interesting since the story is often repeated that the original grammar books were presented to Queen Isabella. She asked what the point was of grammar, and she was told that they were written so that future generations could read and understand Cervantes.

<shrug> That wouldn't be the first prediction not to come true.

I dont' remember much about it. The story didn't seem that interesting, the language was rather obscure, and it's also mixed up in my mind with other stories from the period. If you want to contrast with something else, I don't always understand Shakespeare, either. And even something so recent as XVIII Century scholarship, while comprehensible, seems written in an alien style, at once too verbose and too refined.

And about 99% of what I know of El Quixote is what I've picked up from American pop culture.

Quote:

Yes, I knew you were joking, but it occurred to me that it was a good way to look at how words were used 400 years ago.

"I listen to the hyperspace communications and have read descriptions of your langauge left by my predecesors. It's as though you Settlers can settle worlds but not words." This is a line from Asimov's "Foundation and Earth" novel.

The point being language is constantly changing and will keep on constantly changing. Even when verbs stay relatively constant, new ones get added and there are new nouns and adjectives all the time. Not to mention linguistic fads, too. Take any article written today critical or appraising of social media and take it back ten years. It would be largely meaningless to the ancients of prehistorical 2004, wouldn't it?

Quote: Nareed

I don't always understand Shakespeare, either. And even something so recent as XVIII Century scholarship, while comprehensible, seems written in an alien style, at once too verbose and too refined.

The term "lengua de Cervantes" as an epithet for the Spanish language begins to be used early in the 19th century. Moby Dick is difficult for most people to read, and it is just over 160 years old. Even Shakespearean actors from the RSC will tell you that they don't understand everything in Shakespeare without some research.


¿Qué luz alumbra esa ventana?
Es el oriente, y Julieta, el sol.
Sal, bello sol, y mata a la luna envidiosa,
que está enferma y pálida de pena
porque tú, que la sirves, eres más hermoso.
Si es tan envidiosa, no seas su sirviente.

Quote: Pacomartin

The term "lengua de Cervantes" as an epithet for the Spanish language begins to be used early in the 19th century.

You just don't hear the term too often. Not in Mexico.

I do recall seeing an edition of El Quixote printed on two columns per page. On the left one was the original text, and on the right a modernized version (translation??).

Quote:

Moby Dick is difficult for most people to read, and it is just over 160 years old.

I've nevr tried it. But I've listened to Gibbon's "Declien and Fall" Volume I (of III), and it was a hard slough. It wasn't the 42+ hour duration, either. I gobbled up 42+ hours of US History from the Great Courses, and run through 24+ hours of Great Courses lecture series like popcorn.