Spanish Word of the Day

Fecha: 10-12-13
Palabra: Otorgar

Today's SWD means to grant.

The assignment for the advanced readers is to confirm or deny a common etymology with the English word otorhinolaryngology, which is the area of medicine specializing in the head and neck.

Ejemplo time.

Me otorgó mi genio tres deseos. = My genie granted me three wishes.

Before you tell me that I said "My genius granted me three wishes," please look up "genie" in any translator and see what you get.

As is common to English we have two synonyms; "forbidden" from Old English and "prohibited" from Latin via Old French.

The Boer wars in South Africa were in the late 19th century, which was famous for having concentration camps, scorched earth policies, and the taking out of large industrial centers. In many ways it was a precursor to the World Wars.

Quote: Wizard

Before you tell me that I said "My genius granted me three wishes," please look up "genie" in any translator and see what you get.

genio (Del latin genĭus) Ser fabuloso con figura humana, que interviene en cuentos y leyendas orientales.
El genio de la lámpara de Aladino.

Mi Bella Genio was the translation for "I dream of Jeannie"

Quote: Pacomartin

Mi Bella Genio was the translation for "I dream of Jeannie"

I would have thought that means my beautiful genius/genie. I'm not sure how one would know which one.

Quote: Wizard

I'm not sure how one would know which one.

The word , genie was used in a French translation of "Arabian Nights" to render Arabic jinni, singular of jinn, which it accidentally resembled, and attested in English with this sense from 1748.

So in English, French or Spanish there is no link between the meaning of the word and it's use to denote the name of this supernatural creature. So it's meaning must be deduced entirely by context..

in English I favor using "d'jinn" or "djinn"

Quote: Wizard

The assignment for the advanced readers is to confirm or deny a common etymology with the English word otorhinolaryngology, which is the area of medicine specializing in the head and neck.

1) None.

2) The medical specialty means "ears, nose and throat."

Fecha: 11-12-13
Palabra: Lisonjear

Today's SWD means to flatter.

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast lisonjear y halagar.

Ejemplo time.

Lisonjear te llegará en todas partes. = Flattery will get you everywhere.

Quote: Wizard

The assignment for the advanced readers is to compare and contrast lisonjear y halagar.

Lisonjear is from the Provençal dialect.

2) $5 word.

Quote: Wizard

Lisonjear te llegará en todas partes. = Flattery will get you everywhere.

1) "Flattery will come to you everywhere"? I don't think that's right.

Try "....te llevará A todas partes." This literally means "...will take you everywhere," but that's a lot closer to the original intended meaning.