Language differences and communication woes

[Mononoke28 137]

Has anyone else heard "vainitas"? Would you understand it if you heard it, or would you need to ask or figure it out from the context?

In Colombia we use "vaina" or its dimunitive "vainitas" as a general term to express either a physical or abstract thing. Ex. "No me gusta hablar de política porque no sé nada de esa vaina". "La vaina es que si no estudio, no me gradúo".

Diana

Edited October 14, 2011 by Mononoke28

[Mononoke28 137]

I note also that most words in Spanish have more syllables than do their English counterparts. I'd grow old enough to qualify for Social Security if I had to say "ventilador" every time I talked about a "fan"! However, I note that the words in Spanish that have fewer syllables than their English counterparts are typically fruits or other comestibles, see man:

Pineapple (3 syllables) vs. pina (2 syllables)

Strawberry vs. fresa

Watermelon vs. sandia (and how exactly did "sandia" evolve as a word for watermelon, huh man)?

Motorcycle vs. moto (not usually edible, obviously)

I began keeping a list of such words, and there were quite a few on it, but of course I can't find it, nertz man.

---

Also, dumb question: in VJ messages, how does one create the "n" with the tilde over it if one's gringo keyboard doesn't naturally have it, huh man?

Well, as I understand it, in Ecuador they call fresas "frutillas" which we never use in Colombia, so that's one more syllable.

You can write the ñ with the ALT and 164 numeric keys of your keyboard. Ñ is ALT and 165.

Diana

[yachachiq12 43]

Well, as I understand it, in Ecuador they call fresas "frutillas" which we never use in Colombia, so that's one more syllable.

Diana

In Peru, I've noticed a vehement insistence on distinguishing between fresas and frutillas. When inquiring in the market, frutillas seem to be smaller and rounder in comparison. Fresas seem more in line with what we find as strawberries in US supermarkets. The kind of chicha (maize beer) made with frutillas (chicha frutillada) apparently will not turn out with fresas.

[wee carrington 33]

Yes we do a lot of translating for one another as well!

My fave examples of my personal confusions/fauxpas (sp?):

Telling the story of giant grasshoppers juming up my pants while camping as a child to my soon to be husbands Mum and Uncle in Irleland. This of course to them meant they jumped into my underwear and I meant my jeans.....

Looking for wild zebras which I assumed were walking about upon my first visit to my now husband in England when I saw the "zebra crossings" everywhere. I was excited to see one until he informed me it meant the crosswalks for pedestrians (also known as pelican crossing so don't look for those either...)

Watching a documentary on tele in Ireland about one gang raping another gangs birds in their neighborhood and thinking that those must be huge birds and that is very odd behaviour..(didn't know females are referred to as "birds"...)

It's always interesting isn't it?

I'd say one of the biggest word meaning differences between the Americans and British is the word "fanny"...

[Stinkerpotsam 6]

I'd say one of the biggest word meaning differences between the Americans and British is the word "fanny"...

HA! Boy you aren't kidding on that one

Although...the term "fanny pack" for the little purse makes more sense in the British way

[K and L 27]

Also, dumb question: in VJ messages, how does one create the "n" with the tilde over it if one's gringo keyboard doesn't naturally have it, huh man?

I've got a Mac (which also runs Windows, but that's been well explained -- though I use the US English (International) keyboard, and thus it's two independent key strokes, ~+n = ñ), and there's two ways to do most of the accents. The main way I do it use type the letter, then shift-opt-(accent key) ==> accent key is n for tildes (õ,ã,ñ), e for grave (á,é,í,ó,ú), u for umlaut (ä, ë,ï,ö, ü), etc

[TBoneTX 46,443]

Well, it's actually motocicleta we usually just refer to as moto, lol.

Ah, I si, man.

In Colombia we use "vaina" or its dimunitive "vainitas" as a general term to express either a physical or abstract thing. Ex. "No me gusta hablar de política porque no sé nada de esa vaina". "La vaina es que si no estudio, no me gradúo".

Oh, man, D-Bone; I must refer this to Mrs. T-B.

In Peru, I've noticed a vehement insistence on distinguishing between fresas and frutillas.

Again, I shall defer to She Who Must Be Obeyed... er, Mrs. T-B., si man.

[TBoneTX 46,443]

I've got a Mac (which also runs Windows, but that's been well explained -- though I use the US English (International) keyboard, and thus it's two independent key strokes, ~+n = ñ), and there's two ways to do most of the accents. The main way I do it use type the letter, then shift-opt-(accent key) ==> accent key is n for tildes (õ,ã,ñ), e for grave (á,é,í,ó,ú), u for umlaut (ä, ë,ï,ö, ü), etc

Let us si´ if this works, si´ ma˜n -- not quite, no man (on Mac keyboard).

[Nica_In_Love 98]

Let us si´ if this works, si´ ma˜n -- not quite, no man (on Mac keyboard).

Hey, I just tried this on my husband's MacBook Pro and it worked, just type in Opt + n, then n.

http://spanish.about.com/od/writtenspanish/a/diacritical_mac.htm

[wee carrington 33]

HA! Boy you aren't kidding on that one

Although...the term "fanny pack" for the little purse makes more sense in the British way

Hahah, it does

[TBoneTX 46,443]

Hey, I just tried this on my husband's MacBook Pro and it worked, just type in Opt + n, then n.

http://spanish.about.com/od/writtenspanish/a/diacritical_mac.htm

Sî mañ; it half-works!

[Aztec&Taino 144]

In Colombia we use "vaina" or its dimunitive "vainitas" as a general term to express either a physical or abstract thing. Ex. "No me gusta hablar de política porque no sé nada de esa vaina". "La vaina es que si no estudio, no me gradúo".

Diana

In Mexico we did not use the word vainas or vainitas, really. However, my Dominican husband uses the word in a similar way as in your example. He calls greenbeans frijoles and beans habichuelas. Whereas I call greenbeans ejotes and beans frijoles. Confusing, right?

[yachachiq12 43]

I just heard this on NPR and thought it would be a good listen for many of you. There's a very witty Spanglish poem in there. http://www.npr.org/2011/10/17/141368408/for-a-bilingual-writer-no-one-true-language

There is an interesting section on feeling like having two tongues makes you two different people. That really resonated with me and I think highlights some of the complexities of having a bilingual relationship as well.

[Aztec&Taino 144]

I just heard this on NPR and thought it would be a good listen for many of you. There's a very witty Spanglish poem in there. http://www.npr.org/2011/10/17/141368408/for-a-bilingual-writer-no-one-true-language

There is an interesting section on feeling like having two tongues makes you two different people. That really resonated with me and I think highlights some of the complexities of having a bilingual relationship as well.

I enjoyed the poem. Thanks for sharing! :-D

[Nica_In_Love 98]

I liked the poem, too! Thanks.