Embarrassed by the Brits?
Sep 8th 2011 | 4:37 am
#227
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,646
From: Near Alora....but not too near. :)
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
The biggest blunder I ever made was to ask a Spanish friend who used to make a delicious rabbit stew... where is my rabbit? 
We were in Marbella in the middle of a bar full of men at the time, daughter quickly explained to me what I had said.... you could have heard a pin drop until I laughed, then they all did too.
We were in Marbella in the middle of a bar full of men at the time, daughter quickly explained to me what I had said.... you could have heard a pin drop until I laughed, then they all did too.
Sep 8th 2011 | 4:49 am
#228
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,646
From: Near Alora....but not too near. :)
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
Sorry JLFS, of course you can call your wife want you want. We also invent words between the two of us, some coming from Spanish and some in English.
I was going against the people on here saying that marida was a proper word in Castellano and they hear it often. I suggest they are mistaken
I was going against the people on here saying that marida was a proper word in Castellano and they hear it often. I suggest they are mistaken
Not mistaken, we just live in a world where it's used, as my 'hubby' just confirmed to me.
I'm now moving on from this.
Sep 8th 2011 | 5:08 am
#229
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,824
From: Living in a good place
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
Sorry JLFS, of course you can call your wife want you want. We also invent words between the two of us, some coming from Spanish and some in English.
I was going against the people on here saying that marida was a proper word in Castellano and they hear it often. I suggest they are mistaken
I was going against the people on here saying that marida was a proper word in Castellano and they hear it often. I suggest they are mistaken
Sep 8th 2011 | 5:26 am
#230
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7,653
From: Vejer de la Fra., Cadiz
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
Exactly. When my Daughter was young she always said flim for film. It stuck within the family and we say it, gets used from time to time. Doesn't mean it will be adopted by the masses or get in any urban dictionary. Totally different to changing language. It is NOT commonly used by the spanish as I haven't heard it in 50 years...in any region. Would be interested to know what the instituto cervantes say on this.
Hospital > hostable, cardigan > cardington, and the local town of Saffron Walden became Satin Whaddon.
Sep 8th 2011 | 6:22 am
#231
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 12,053
From: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
Sorry JLFS, of course you can call your wife want you want. We also invent words between the two of us, some coming from Spanish and some in English.
I was going against the people on here saying that marida was a proper word in Castellano and they hear it often. I suggest they are mistaken
I was going against the people on here saying that marida was a proper word in Castellano and they hear it often. I suggest they are mistaken
slang words as well as "swear" words abide all over the planet and don't always indicate a derogatory history\background.
if people are using such words in their daily lives then it is not for us to think any less of them or their relatives.
on joining a uk\us company a chinese malay colleague asked me what I wanted to be called. I gave it about about 2secs and said "Gwai lo". he looked at me hard and asked "are you sure?" I looked round the office and smiled at him and said "this lot don't know what we are on about so why not" and clapped him on the shoulder. A long standing friendship ensued.
Sep 8th 2011 | 6:32 am
#232
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 74
From: Madrid
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
Perhaps I didn't express myself correctly. I meant that such word is made up, made up by the regularization process typically followed by people in an early learning stage -- i.e. children.
So it has nothing to do with better or worse chosen words, it has to do with an irregularity of Spanish, wich flexes for gender often but not always.
Use that word at your will, of course, but expect that they make fun on you if you use it in a serious conversation.
So it has nothing to do with better or worse chosen words, it has to do with an irregularity of Spanish, wich flexes for gender often but not always.
Use that word at your will, of course, but expect that they make fun on you if you use it in a serious conversation.
I don't mind to lecture anybody, I was just trying to prevent basic Spanish speakers to mislead.
Anyway I find myself investing too much effort in justifying myself because a side topic. So I also move on from it.
Sep 8th 2011 | 6:42 am
#233
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
Please no offence. It is understood that in a colloquial way it is not a big deal, but it sounds funny at the doctor's or asking for a table at the restaurant.
I don't mind to lecture anybody, I was just trying to prevent basic Spanish speakers to mislead.
Anyway I find myself investing too much effort in justifying myself because a side topic. So I also move on from it.
I don't mind to lecture anybody, I was just trying to prevent basic Spanish speakers to mislead.
Anyway I find myself investing too much effort in justifying myself because a side topic. So I also move on from it.
Give me some credit, I would not use it in a doctors surgery, same as I would not say "er indoors" in the same situation in the UK.
Sep 8th 2011 | 6:48 am
#234
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,008
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
I am still at Spanish Basic and still relatively new to this forum, but feel that if a member says they hear a word regularly then we should accept that statement.
slang words as well as "swear" words abide all over the planet and don't always indicate a derogatory history\background.
if people are using such words in their daily lives then it is not for us to think any less of them or their relatives.
on joining a uk\us company a chinese malay colleague asked me what I wanted to be called. I gave it about about 2secs and said "Gwai lo". he looked at me hard and asked "are you sure?" I looked round the office and smiled at him and said "this lot don't know what we are on about so why not" and clapped him on the shoulder. A long standing friendship ensued.
slang words as well as "swear" words abide all over the planet and don't always indicate a derogatory history\background.
if people are using such words in their daily lives then it is not for us to think any less of them or their relatives.
on joining a uk\us company a chinese malay colleague asked me what I wanted to be called. I gave it about about 2secs and said "Gwai lo". he looked at me hard and asked "are you sure?" I looked round the office and smiled at him and said "this lot don't know what we are on about so why not" and clapped him on the shoulder. A long standing friendship ensued.
Sep 8th 2011 | 6:57 am
#235
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,753
From: Alicante province
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
This lovely thread brings home the reality of being an expat. I could burn my birth certificate, call myself Paco, get Spanish nationality, and marry that lovely Spanish widow in the next street. My Spanish isn't bad now, but within a few months it would be perfect; the best way to learn a language is on your back.
The Bruja next door is stopping me, she's watching Eastenders right now, but she learned Spanish on her back many years ago when she was married to a Spaniard up Barcelona way.
At the end of the day, we are what we are, we are where we come from, and when the curtains part on the way to the furnace it doesn't matter whether we say Goodbye or Adios. Or even Tschuess.
The Bruja next door is stopping me, she's watching Eastenders right now, but she learned Spanish on her back many years ago when she was married to a Spaniard up Barcelona way.
At the end of the day, we are what we are, we are where we come from, and when the curtains part on the way to the furnace it doesn't matter whether we say Goodbye or Adios. Or even Tschuess.
Sep 8th 2011 | 7:32 am
#236
Banned
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 738
From: brum
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
This lovely thread brings home the reality of being an expat. I could burn my birth certificate, call myself Paco, get Spanish nationality, and marry that lovely Spanish widow in the next street. My Spanish isn't bad now, but within a few months it would be perfect; the best way to learn a language is on your back.
The Bruja next door is stopping me, she's watching Eastenders right now, but she learned Spanish on her back many years ago when she was married to a Spaniard up Barcelona way.
At the end of the day, we are what we are, we are where we come from, and when the curtains part on the way to the furnace it doesn't matter whether we say Goodbye or Adios. Or even Tschuess.
The Bruja next door is stopping me, she's watching Eastenders right now, but she learned Spanish on her back many years ago when she was married to a Spaniard up Barcelona way.
At the end of the day, we are what we are, we are where we come from, and when the curtains part on the way to the furnace it doesn't matter whether we say Goodbye or Adios. Or even Tschuess.
are you in pain or something.
Sep 8th 2011 | 7:53 am
#237
¿Dónde estoy?
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,330
From: my paradise - Jávea
Sep 8th 2011 | 8:02 am
#238
Banned
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 7,653
From: Vejer de la Fra., Cadiz
Re: Embarrassed by the Brits?
I am still at Spanish Basic and still relatively new to this forum, but feel that if a member says they hear a word regularly then we should accept that statement.
slang words as well as "swear" words abide all over the planet and don't always indicate a derogatory history\background.
if people are using such words in their daily lives then it is not for us to think any less of them or their relatives.
on joining a uk\us company a chinese malay colleague asked me what I wanted to be called. I gave it about about 2secs and said "Gwai lo". he looked at me hard and asked "are you sure?" I looked round the office and smiled at him and said "this lot don't know what we are on about so why not" and clapped him on the shoulder. A long standing friendship ensued.
slang words as well as "swear" words abide all over the planet and don't always indicate a derogatory history\background.
if people are using such words in their daily lives then it is not for us to think any less of them or their relatives.
on joining a uk\us company a chinese malay colleague asked me what I wanted to be called. I gave it about about 2secs and said "Gwai lo". he looked at me hard and asked "are you sure?" I looked round the office and smiled at him and said "this lot don't know what we are on about so why not" and clapped him on the shoulder. A long standing friendship ensued.
Sep 8th 2011 | 8:16 am
#239
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,753
From: Alicante province
