As you all may or may not know (or care) one of my VERY favorite shows in the whole "mundo" (world) is "30 Rock"! I love love love it! Me encanta mucho! ( I really like it).........
So as I was watching "30 Rock" tonight (one of their episodes from season 1)......it hit me........This episode (a small part of it) is the perfect example for my "Lecciones Joyas" (Lesson-Gems) regarding; using words too "literally" when speaking a foreign tongue...........Mas después..........More later.......
Que esten bien!
Be well!
In the Garden of Dreams/En un Jardín de Sueños
Take time to see the unseen/Tome tiempo para observar lo oculto
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Lesson gem/Leccion Joya "Embarrassed"...."Embarazada"....?
Hola Amigos:
Don't you just love it when someone tells you (usually a language instructor) how much you already know of the particular language you are trying so desperately to learn?.......So here is me:
"Really? I was not aware that I already knew Korean?.......or "I guess I always knew that I knew some sign language?"......."Like this one?".........ooooooooooh come now have a little fun............
Okay so back to this "very serious topic"...........Perhaps "recognizing the fact that you may already know some Spanish; is probably the most "crucial" component of this exercise. So without further ado here are some ejemplos/examples:
A) pronto (prohn-toh)= rigth away/soon
B) conclusión (kohn-clue-see-ohne)=yup you guessed it"conclusion"
C) invención (in-vehn-see-ohne)= yup "invention"
And so on............
However.......You knew there would be a "however" here somehwere........The trouble begins in the "World of Words" (no not the "War of the Worlds" from Steven Spielberg with Tom Cruise, they had nothing to do with this one)...........Here goes that story:
Courtesy of Wikipedia..........
False friends (or faux amis, French for "false friends") are pairs of words in two languages or dialects (or letters in two alphabets) that look or sound similar, but (big but here) differ in meaning. .
Here are my Ejemplos/Examples:
A) Actual= same spelling in English NOT same meaning in Spanish
In Spanish= "actual" means current, this day, this moment......You get the idea.......So when you say in English: "The actual name given to that State was......... in Spanish you are saying: "The name given today or up this date is".........
B) My personal "favorita"/favorite is: embarazada (to be with child)........Oh yeah this is a fun one! So here goes this story...........
As you may or may not know "embarrassed" in English means NOT pregnant but ashamed or encumbered.......
Now in Spanish the problem begins with the fact that "embarazada" is the adjective that comes from the same root as the English word but (a big but here) nowadays or "actualmente" (this vocabulary word evolved a bit over time) it is exclusively used to mean "with child", pregnant, "preggos", "bun in the oven" and so on...........
My mama refers to this stage in life of pregnancy as: "the walking incubator"..... isn't that romantic?.......Ahhhhhhhh.........
More later........
An anecdote:
I knew this lady from Perú who was here in the US for sometime while she learned English. One say she came home from church telling how nice EVERYONE at the church was. How all of them shook her hand and welcomed her to the church.......I thought: "Wow I know no one at that church and I have been living around here since grade school". The next Sunday came and went and again my Latina pal came telling me how delightful everyone had been and not just to her but with one another......"Hmmmh?" I thought to myself.
The following Sunday I decided to go with my Peruvian friend to this "wonderful new" church.......
Well we got to the church and everything seemed as normal as one would expect at a church........We sat down listened, stood up, sat down , you get the idea........ Then my friend looks at me and says: "Okay here it comes" she says, "This is the time when we all greet one another"...........
Then it began: "Pleased to meet you", as my friend shook everyone hands who she could reach and then some.........
As we left the church I burst out laughing. My friend asked why I was laughing so crazily after church; my whole body went into convulsions. "Well", I said trying to be serious, "These folks are not telling you "nice to meet you". To which my friend replied in her Latina accent: "No?'.........I replied: "No", and tried to continue with a straight face.
"What these folks are actually telling you is: "Peace be with you!", "Not", I continue, "Pleased to meet you"............Then we both burst out laughing ........
Ahhhhhhhh that was a fun day!
Don't you just love it when someone tells you (usually a language instructor) how much you already know of the particular language you are trying so desperately to learn?.......So here is me:
"Really? I was not aware that I already knew Korean?.......or "I guess I always knew that I knew some sign language?"......."Like this one?".........ooooooooooh come now have a little fun............
Okay so back to this "very serious topic"...........Perhaps "recognizing the fact that you may already know some Spanish; is probably the most "crucial" component of this exercise. So without further ado here are some ejemplos/examples:
A) pronto (prohn-toh)= rigth away/soon
B) conclusión (kohn-clue-see-ohne)=yup you guessed it"conclusion"
C) invención (in-vehn-see-ohne)= yup "invention"
And so on............
However.......You knew there would be a "however" here somehwere........The trouble begins in the "World of Words" (no not the "War of the Worlds" from Steven Spielberg with Tom Cruise, they had nothing to do with this one)...........Here goes that story:
Courtesy of Wikipedia..........
False friends (or faux amis, French for "false friends") are pairs of words in two languages or dialects (or letters in two alphabets) that look or sound similar, but (big but here) differ in meaning. .
Here are my Ejemplos/Examples:
A) Actual= same spelling in English NOT same meaning in Spanish
In Spanish= "actual" means current, this day, this moment......You get the idea.......So when you say in English: "The actual name given to that State was......... in Spanish you are saying: "The name given today or up this date is".........
B) My personal "favorita"/favorite is: embarazada (to be with child)........Oh yeah this is a fun one! So here goes this story...........
As you may or may not know "embarrassed" in English means NOT pregnant but ashamed or encumbered.......
Now in Spanish the problem begins with the fact that "embarazada" is the adjective that comes from the same root as the English word but (a big but here) nowadays or "actualmente" (this vocabulary word evolved a bit over time) it is exclusively used to mean "with child", pregnant, "preggos", "bun in the oven" and so on...........
My mama refers to this stage in life of pregnancy as: "the walking incubator"..... isn't that romantic?.......Ahhhhhhhh.........
More later........
An anecdote:
I knew this lady from Perú who was here in the US for sometime while she learned English. One say she came home from church telling how nice EVERYONE at the church was. How all of them shook her hand and welcomed her to the church.......I thought: "Wow I know no one at that church and I have been living around here since grade school". The next Sunday came and went and again my Latina pal came telling me how delightful everyone had been and not just to her but with one another......"Hmmmh?" I thought to myself.
The following Sunday I decided to go with my Peruvian friend to this "wonderful new" church.......
Well we got to the church and everything seemed as normal as one would expect at a church........We sat down listened, stood up, sat down , you get the idea........ Then my friend looks at me and says: "Okay here it comes" she says, "This is the time when we all greet one another"...........
Then it began: "Pleased to meet you", as my friend shook everyone hands who she could reach and then some.........
As we left the church I burst out laughing. My friend asked why I was laughing so crazily after church; my whole body went into convulsions. "Well", I said trying to be serious, "These folks are not telling you "nice to meet you". To which my friend replied in her Latina accent: "No?'.........I replied: "No", and tried to continue with a straight face.
"What these folks are actually telling you is: "Peace be with you!", "Not", I continue, "Pleased to meet you"............Then we both burst out laughing ........
Ahhhhhhhh that was a fun day!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Lesson gem/Leccion Joya
A brief note about learning languages........
One of the many ways in which learning a second language helps you "the learner" is by opening/developing what you already know. Huh?........Okay it's like this: knowing a first language is a sort of segue way into knowing an another.......Huh?,,,,, Okay stay with me here......
It is much easier for one to learn to read in a second language if one already knows how to read in ones own language.......If you can read then YOU CAN read. Period. The ability to read transfers rapidly across languages.....Get it?......As a reader you already know all the rules to follow on how to read (left to right, sounds etc) now you just need to apply them to the reading of foreign language.
Basically the old adage that: "Old dogs can't learn new tricks" is definitely NOT the case in acquiring language. The older you are the more of an advantage you have.....See I knew that getting old had its advantages!
Hope this helped!
One of the many ways in which learning a second language helps you "the learner" is by opening/developing what you already know. Huh?........Okay it's like this: knowing a first language is a sort of segue way into knowing an another.......Huh?,,,,, Okay stay with me here......
It is much easier for one to learn to read in a second language if one already knows how to read in ones own language.......If you can read then YOU CAN read. Period. The ability to read transfers rapidly across languages.....Get it?......As a reader you already know all the rules to follow on how to read (left to right, sounds etc) now you just need to apply them to the reading of foreign language.
Basically the old adage that: "Old dogs can't learn new tricks" is definitely NOT the case in acquiring language. The older you are the more of an advantage you have.....See I knew that getting old had its advantages!
Hope this helped!
George Lopez
Hola Amigos:
As a Latina I could not go on writing without mentioning the great George Lopez. I love his stand up act and his new television show "a la Johny Carson" but with more "sabor" (flavor).
I like Mr. Lopez not only because he is a superb comedian in his own right but because he tries to educate with humor and not a "discurso" (a speech). He never claims to be anything else than who is. He is a humble man as well as an extremely intelligent man.......... Incidentally that is how one can tell a true intellectual; by their humility and down to earth attitude.
In any event whether you agree with me or not I felt this had to be said.............
Asta pronto!
As a Latina I could not go on writing without mentioning the great George Lopez. I love his stand up act and his new television show "a la Johny Carson" but with more "sabor" (flavor).
I like Mr. Lopez not only because he is a superb comedian in his own right but because he tries to educate with humor and not a "discurso" (a speech). He never claims to be anything else than who is. He is a humble man as well as an extremely intelligent man.......... Incidentally that is how one can tell a true intellectual; by their humility and down to earth attitude.
In any event whether you agree with me or not I felt this had to be said.............
Asta pronto!
Monday, April 12, 2010
WORDS
........Our words should be used as gifts to others; I heard someone say........What do you think of this?.......I think it is very poetic and true and it makes you want to think before you speak.........And how hard is this to do?..................
I suppose like with anything it simply takes time and LOTS of practice........Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be nice to those who are nice to you? And NOT the other way around? ha ha......
Sometimes I think that being kind to others is more of a gift that you give yourself. When hate or discourse enters our speech it really only affects us. Yes the other person may or may not get mad at what you have just said; but this is so relative that it is too difficult to measure...... So then to what extent has the other party been injured?
All you really come away with is how YOU are feeling and continue to feel.......Right?........I don't know either but I think so........Yeah yeah yeah thinking isn't knowing...........But it is probably the first step towards the process of thought..........
As I have told you before my dear reader: language is an ambiguous and complex lady; she may betray you even if your trying to sing.........Think clearly before you speak and remember that words should be our gifts...................
Asta Pronto!
I suppose like with anything it simply takes time and LOTS of practice........Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be nice to those who are nice to you? And NOT the other way around? ha ha......
Sometimes I think that being kind to others is more of a gift that you give yourself. When hate or discourse enters our speech it really only affects us. Yes the other person may or may not get mad at what you have just said; but this is so relative that it is too difficult to measure...... So then to what extent has the other party been injured?
All you really come away with is how YOU are feeling and continue to feel.......Right?........I don't know either but I think so........Yeah yeah yeah thinking isn't knowing...........But it is probably the first step towards the process of thought..........
As I have told you before my dear reader: language is an ambiguous and complex lady; she may betray you even if your trying to sing.........Think clearly before you speak and remember that words should be our gifts...................
Asta Pronto!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Lesson-Gem Two:A Brief History/Leccion-Joya Dos: Una Breve Historia
Why is it the "Romance" language?.....Is there any romance in it?......
The term "Romance" comes from the “Vulgar Latin” (no it’s not a potty mouth Latina/o); rather it was the "nonstandard" form of the Latin language. Who knew?
I suppose one can make the connection (with Vulgar Latin); as something like, not the "formal" part of speech.
The other side to “Vulgar Latin” was Medieval Latin. So if one spoke in "Medieval Latin"; one was speaking" the conservative version" of the language. This “conservative” was used (for the most part) when writing and in formal contexts.
Keep in mind that in medieval literature of Western Europe; serious writing was usually done in Latin. However popular stories were written in the vernacular (mother tongue) and came to be called.....Yup you guessed it……….. "romances".
A side note: When my grandfather, Carlos Jose, studied law (looooooooooooong ago),my mama tells me that he did so in Latin.....So get this........He had to learn Latin (formal) first; before he could even study law!!!.......Ya know becuz law is so easy anyway........
I always hear people say that once you know Spanish (because it is a romance language); that you can pick other languages (or guys or chicks okay WAKE UP);from the same vain........Well?......
Look.........
The sentence- She always closes the window before dining (or having dinner)is written here in several romance languages. But I can only figure the sentence out in a couple of these. How about you?
Here it is in Spanish: Ella siempre cierra la ventana antes de cenar
Latin Claudit semper fenestram antequam cenat.
Aragonese Ella tranca/zarra siempre la finestra antes de zenar.
Asturian Ella pieslla siempre la ventana/feniestra primeru de cenar.
Bolognese (Lî) la sèra sänper la fnèstra prémma ed dsnèr.
Corsican Ella chjudi sempre u purtellu primma di cenà.
Catalan (Ella) sempre tanca la finestra abans de sopar.
French Elle ferme toujours la fenêtre avant de dîner/souper.
Galician (Ela) Pecha sempre a fiestra/xanela antes de cear.
Italian (Lei) chiude sempre la finestra prima di cenare
Milanese (Le) la sara semper sü la finestra prima de disnà.
Neapolitan Essa nzerra sempe 'a fenesta primma 'e magnà
Portuguese (Ela) sempre fecha a janela antes de jantar/cear.
The word "ventana" in Spanish (window) seems to appear in almost all these sentences as some form of "finestra".
Interstingly enough (for me anyway WAKE UP) I was able to "decipher" some of the words in these sentences. It would have been a lot easier for me if that darned "finestra", would have been replaced by the word "ventana", a word I know……I guess?.......
However I would have only understood pieces of information not the whole "Hallaca". What is an "Hallaca?" Glad you asked. Here it goes...
The Hallaca is a staple of the Venezuelan Holiday dinner dish. Yes my family is from Venezuela. And Hallacas are really yummy! And really only prepared for/around Christmas. They are a ton of work! So no I don't make them; so don't ask me for any orders........
The Hallaca is also the most representative icons of Venezuelan multicultural heritage. I like to think of it as Jazz....A little of this a little of that......
Hallacas are prepared with a "multicultural" array of ingredients that include: European ingredients:like raisins, nuts and olives, indigenous ingredients: corn meal colored with annatto seeds (natural plant extract used to dye foods) and onions. Also African ingredients: smoked plantain leaves used for wrapping. I love how the Hallacas look wrapped in the big plantain leaves!
Remember how I said food brings people together?..........
Okay so back to the "whole Hallaca" metaphor. When you learn Spanish in school (as a foreign language) you tend to feel as I do when I read all of these "romantic sentences".........Like" "I guess I know what there saying?"......"I can pick up some of it"........"I got one word"........hmmmmmmmmm? Kinda....Nope........
You can't "pick up" words here an there when your listening/having a conversation.......Ya know watta I mean?..........Like in Austurian the phrase : Ella pieslla siempre la ventana/feniestra primeru de cenar. If I read this or if someone was saying this to me I would get that: “She always window before dinner”......hmmmmmmm? What the heck does she do at the window before dinner? Does she jump out the window before dinner? Does she have a phobia about windows? Is her significant other coming from the window to shoot us both?.......See? It gets to be important to know.
Yes I can ask the person what she/he means; but I am not sure that I would get anywhere or where to start? Weeeeeell you might say; “You can use hand gestures and keep talking ;till one of you gives up and has dinner by themselves or with the window closed.....
To that I would say to you my dear amigos: “Would it not be better to know the entire conversation from the beginning?......
So this is what I want you to take away from this "lesson-gem" today: Don't settle. If you are taking a course on line or at a college.......Do not settle for this. Knowing half of what someone is telling you is like riding a bike with blindfolds on......Ya may get there eventually but you will be severely injured........How so?........
Tell ya next time........
The term "Romance" comes from the “Vulgar Latin” (no it’s not a potty mouth Latina/o); rather it was the "nonstandard" form of the Latin language. Who knew?
I suppose one can make the connection (with Vulgar Latin); as something like, not the "formal" part of speech.
The other side to “Vulgar Latin” was Medieval Latin. So if one spoke in "Medieval Latin"; one was speaking" the conservative version" of the language. This “conservative” was used (for the most part) when writing and in formal contexts.
Keep in mind that in medieval literature of Western Europe; serious writing was usually done in Latin. However popular stories were written in the vernacular (mother tongue) and came to be called.....Yup you guessed it……….. "romances".
A side note: When my grandfather, Carlos Jose, studied law (looooooooooooong ago),my mama tells me that he did so in Latin.....So get this........He had to learn Latin (formal) first; before he could even study law!!!.......Ya know becuz law is so easy anyway........
I always hear people say that once you know Spanish (because it is a romance language); that you can pick other languages (or guys or chicks okay WAKE UP);from the same vain........Well?......
Look.........
The sentence- She always closes the window before dining (or having dinner)is written here in several romance languages. But I can only figure the sentence out in a couple of these. How about you?
Here it is in Spanish: Ella siempre cierra la ventana antes de cenar
Latin Claudit semper fenestram antequam cenat.
Aragonese Ella tranca/zarra siempre la finestra antes de zenar.
Asturian Ella pieslla siempre la ventana/feniestra primeru de cenar.
Bolognese (Lî) la sèra sänper la fnèstra prémma ed dsnèr.
Corsican Ella chjudi sempre u purtellu primma di cenà.
Catalan (Ella) sempre tanca la finestra abans de sopar.
French Elle ferme toujours la fenêtre avant de dîner/souper.
Galician (Ela) Pecha sempre a fiestra/xanela antes de cear.
Italian (Lei) chiude sempre la finestra prima di cenare
Milanese (Le) la sara semper sü la finestra prima de disnà.
Neapolitan Essa nzerra sempe 'a fenesta primma 'e magnà
Portuguese (Ela) sempre fecha a janela antes de jantar/cear.
The word "ventana" in Spanish (window) seems to appear in almost all these sentences as some form of "finestra".
Interstingly enough (for me anyway WAKE UP) I was able to "decipher" some of the words in these sentences. It would have been a lot easier for me if that darned "finestra", would have been replaced by the word "ventana", a word I know……I guess?.......
However I would have only understood pieces of information not the whole "Hallaca". What is an "Hallaca?" Glad you asked. Here it goes...
The Hallaca is a staple of the Venezuelan Holiday dinner dish. Yes my family is from Venezuela. And Hallacas are really yummy! And really only prepared for/around Christmas. They are a ton of work! So no I don't make them; so don't ask me for any orders........
The Hallaca is also the most representative icons of Venezuelan multicultural heritage. I like to think of it as Jazz....A little of this a little of that......
Hallacas are prepared with a "multicultural" array of ingredients that include: European ingredients:like raisins, nuts and olives, indigenous ingredients: corn meal colored with annatto seeds (natural plant extract used to dye foods) and onions. Also African ingredients: smoked plantain leaves used for wrapping. I love how the Hallacas look wrapped in the big plantain leaves!
Remember how I said food brings people together?..........
Okay so back to the "whole Hallaca" metaphor. When you learn Spanish in school (as a foreign language) you tend to feel as I do when I read all of these "romantic sentences".........Like" "I guess I know what there saying?"......"I can pick up some of it"........"I got one word"........hmmmmmmmmm? Kinda....Nope........
You can't "pick up" words here an there when your listening/having a conversation.......Ya know watta I mean?..........Like in Austurian the phrase : Ella pieslla siempre la ventana/feniestra primeru de cenar. If I read this or if someone was saying this to me I would get that: “She always window before dinner”......hmmmmmmm? What the heck does she do at the window before dinner? Does she jump out the window before dinner? Does she have a phobia about windows? Is her significant other coming from the window to shoot us both?.......See? It gets to be important to know.
Yes I can ask the person what she/he means; but I am not sure that I would get anywhere or where to start? Weeeeeell you might say; “You can use hand gestures and keep talking ;till one of you gives up and has dinner by themselves or with the window closed.....
To that I would say to you my dear amigos: “Would it not be better to know the entire conversation from the beginning?......
So this is what I want you to take away from this "lesson-gem" today: Don't settle. If you are taking a course on line or at a college.......Do not settle for this. Knowing half of what someone is telling you is like riding a bike with blindfolds on......Ya may get there eventually but you will be severely injured........How so?........
Tell ya next time........
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Lesson-Gem One (Lección-Joya Uno)
La primera Lección-Joya tiene que ver con el alfabeto Español. Si puedes aprenderte no solo el alfabeto pero la pronunciación de cada letra; podrás empezar a leer en Español!
Obviamente no vas a saber que carrizo estas leyendo;pero al menos los que te escuchan lo creerán!
Cool huh? ja, ja, ja. That's right even the ha ha ha's have to be translated!
Proverbio de hoy:
"En boca cerrada no entran moscas!
Translation puhleeeze!!!!
The first "Lesson-Gem" has to do with the Spanish alphabet. If one can learn not only the letters in the alphabet but also how to pronounce each letter; you can start reading in Spanish. Obviously you are not going to know what the heck your reading; but others will think you do! Cool huh?
Today's proverb:
"In a closed mouth; flies can not enter" (It's funnier in Spanish)
Obviamente no vas a saber que carrizo estas leyendo;pero al menos los que te escuchan lo creerán!
Cool huh? ja, ja, ja. That's right even the ha ha ha's have to be translated!
Proverbio de hoy:
"En boca cerrada no entran moscas!
Translation puhleeeze!!!!
The first "Lesson-Gem" has to do with the Spanish alphabet. If one can learn not only the letters in the alphabet but also how to pronounce each letter; you can start reading in Spanish. Obviously you are not going to know what the heck your reading; but others will think you do! Cool huh?
Today's proverb:
"In a closed mouth; flies can not enter" (It's funnier in Spanish)
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