Spanish Word of the Day

Quote: Pacomartin

So "Me engañaron" must literally mean "they cheated me"

Thanks. I get it. Let's move onto new business.

Fecha: 21-10-13
Palabra: Acorbardar

Today SWD means to frighten. In the reflexive, acorbardarse, it means to be frightened.

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast acorbardar y asustar.

Ejemplo time.

Gilligan vistió como un caníbal a le acorbarbar a Mary Ann. = Gilligan dressed like a cannibal to scare Mary Ann.

Quote: Wizard

Fecha: 21-10-13
Palabra: Acorbardar

Today SWD means to frighten. In the reflexive, acorbardarse, it means to be frightened.

Actually it means to become cowardly, or pehaps to get cowardice, usually when confronting something dangerous or scary.

Quote:

Gilligan vistió como un caníbal a le acorbarbar a Mary Ann. = Gilligan dressed like a cannibal to scare Mary Ann.

That makes absolutely no sense. It can't even be translated back, but let me try "Gilligan dressed like a cannibal to the make cowardly Mary Ann."

BTW, it's not a very useful word.

Gilligan estaba vestido como un caníbal para asustar a Mary Ann

I see the noun "cobarde" much more often than the verb.

Quote: Wizard

If me engañé means I cheated myself, I don't understand why me engañaron wouldn't also. They both involve the past tense of engañar. I'd interpret the difference to be that me engañé meant I cheated myself once, and me engañaron means I did it habitually, and perhaps still do.

You seems to be having trouble with conjugations. See, in english most verbs, if not all, have a limited number of conjugations. For example cheat. In present it's I/you cheat, he/she/it cheats, we/you/they cheat. IN the past tense all persons conjugate as cheated. In spanish it's different. In present tense: yo engaño, tu engañas. el/ella engañan, nosotros engañamos, ustedes/ellos/ellas engañan. And in past yo engañé tu engañaste, el/ella engañó, nosostros engañamos, ustedes/ellos/ellas engañaron.

See the difference? That's one reason why pronouns are often omitted in discourse. It's enough for me to say "engañé a Mike," for example, without having to bring up a pronoun. If I say "cheated Mike" in English, you've no idea who performed the action.

And I still find English a better language.

Quote: Nareed

IN the past tense all persons conjugate as cheated.

In the sentence, "I was cheated" the word "cheated" is actually a verb functioning as an adjective. In grammar we call that a "past pariticiple". In English, very often the "past participle" is also the same as "simple past verb".

In Spanish the participle is yet another ending (-ado ending). "Fuí engañado"

In general it seems like English tends to have more functions for a single word. In Spanish there are usually more specific meanings of words.

One Spanish speaker in Oaxaca always said he was amazed by sentences like "I have a hammer", and "I have hammered" where English uses the word "have" for two completely different uses. I think the translation is "Tengo un martillo" and "He martillado".

Quote: Nareed

You seems to be having trouble with conjugations.

That was a temporary lapse of reason. Not to say that I understand a damn thing about Spanish verbs, but I should have got that one. I'd prefer to just be punished with a lot of push-ups and get on with new material. I think I might take to Catholicism, because I like the idea of serving a punishment for my many sins.

Fecha: 22-10-13
Palabra: chiquero

Today's SWD means pig pen.

The question for the advanced readers is to find or deny if it shares the same etymology in the prefix as chiquito.

Ejemplo time.

Arnold huyó del chiquero de nuevo. = Arnold escaped from the pigpen again.

Quote: Wizard

The question for the advanced readers is to find or deny if it shares the same etymology in the prefix as chiquito.

I have to go with "deny". Chiquito is a diminutive of Chico + "ita" and chiquero is probably Moorish in origin. I don't know if "pocilga" is more common in Mexico.

I assume it can be used in the colloquial sense as well.

Quote: Pacomartin

I don't know if "pocilga" is more common in Mexico.

Since the bulk of the population migrated to the cities and away from the countryside, I don't think either is what you'd call common.

Quote: Nareed

Since the bulk of the population migrated to the cities and away from the countryside, I don't think either is what you'd call common.

Lupe says the word for a pig pen is chiquero.

For extra credit, is there a common etymology between chiquero y charco. It is called a chiquero because pigs like to play in charcos de lodo?