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Spanish Word of the Day
| December 28th, 2013 at 9:44:05 AM permalink | |
| Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 | Fecha: 28-12-13 Palabra: Trabajo colectivo y responsabilidad As we celebrate Kwanzaa, the third principle is "Collective Work and Responsibility." I may not know how to say that in Spanish, but in Swahili it is "Ujima." Since I obviously didn't understand what self-determination was, let's turn to Wikipedia for help with today's principle. It says Ujima means, "To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together." Ejemplo time. El Sr. Howell esta un republicano entonces no cree en trabajo colectivo y responsabilidad. = Mr. Howell is a Republican so don't believe in collective work and responsibility. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
| December 28th, 2013 at 12:16:03 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Sr. Howell es un republicano ... Sr. Howell está muerta ... Professions, party affiliations, etc use the verb "ser", while "being dead" uses the verb "estar". It is one of the problems with the "temporary/permanent" explanation of the verbs given in almost every Spanish class. In a sense "being Republican" is essential to his person, while "being dead" is a state that he is in. I know that Nareed finds the accent annoying to type, but está and esta are two different words. She just differentiates by context. |
| December 28th, 2013 at 12:47:30 PM permalink | |
| Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 |
I'm not saying you're wrong, of course, but it makes no sense to me. There is a chance Mr. Howell could change parties. However, once you're dead, you're dead. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
| December 28th, 2013 at 5:31:22 PM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
Unfortunately Paco is right. EL Sr. Howell ES un Republicano, or ES Republicano, means "Mr. Howell IS A Republican." EL Sr. Howell ESTÁ UN Republicano doesn't really carry meaning. It would be like saying "Mr. Howell Republican being is," mroe or less. BTW, Paco, the proper gender here is male, so "EL Sr. Howell está muertO." Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| December 28th, 2013 at 9:40:08 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
That is the problem with teaching that one verb is "to be" for permanent situations, and one verb is "to be" for temporary situations. It is not the actual etymology. One verb means a state. Death is a state of being. So is time and position. It is why we use the words station and status. Now it just so happens that most of these things are also temporary. The other verb refers to something's "essence". Being a Republican or a policeman or a professor can be changed, but right now they are essential to a description of that particular person. Many of these things are permanent. Of course some adjectives change meaning with different verbs. They always warn you about "calor" since Gringos are apt to say "Yo es muy calor". Which implies that you are "essentially" hot. The implication is you are turned on, or a prosititute. |
| December 29th, 2013 at 2:38:24 AM permalink | |
| Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 | Fecha: 29-12-13 Palabra: Economía cooperativa The fifth principle of Kwanzaa is Cooperative Economics. In trying to translate this into Spanish I realized the words for economy and economics are the same -- economía. I would think this might lead to confusion in some situations. Like whether you're taking about the economy right now or economics in general. For example, how would one say: I study economics. The economy of Tijuana is prosperous. Ejemplo time. Cuba es un modelo de economía cooperativa. = Cuba is a model of cooperative economics. Hopefully after Paco's lecture on ser y estar, the es above is right, but knowing me, probably not. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
| December 29th, 2013 at 4:10:30 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |  Cuba is a model of cooperative economics. Cuba = a model of cooperative economics. Correct! When "to be" is a simple linking verb showing equality you use "ser". |
| December 29th, 2013 at 5:37:30 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
Actually that's perfect. But it kind of discredits this whole Kwanza thing (kind of??) Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| December 29th, 2013 at 6:15:07 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
If you look at the evolution of the word in English (see below), you see changes in the way the word was used. By context in English you know if the word "economy" is being used as a noun or an adjective. economy (n.) 1530s, "household management," economy (adj.) (1821) at first meant simply "cheaper", then "bigger and thus cheaper per unit or amount" (1950) economics (n.) 1580s, "art of managing a household". Meaning "science of wealth" is from 1792. economic (adj.) 1590s, "pertaining to management of a household," Meaning "relating to the science of economics" is from 1835 and now is the main sense... economical retaining the older one of "characterized by thrift." economist (n.) 1580s, "household manager," |
| December 29th, 2013 at 8:59:46 PM permalink | |
| Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 | Fecha: 30-12-13 Palabra: propósito Today is the fifth day in our celebration of Kwanzaa. The 5th principle is "purpose." What purpose?, you might ask. According to Wikipedia purpose means, "To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness." Karl Marx couldn't have said it better. Ejemplo time. La Sra. Howell no tiene ningún propósito en este isla. = Mrs. Howell has no purpose on this island. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |