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Elise9
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 32
Location: Celaya, GTO
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 Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject: Quick translation question |
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This is a quick one - Can someone tell me what "guerega/juerega" (don't know the spelling and not how to write the word I'm hearing) means? I've been told a couple of different things...
Thanks |
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MELEE
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland
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| Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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G�era/o means fair skinned. And is usually completely inert, Mexicans are in the habit of refering to people by their most distinctive physical charateristic. Most foriegners are put off by this. But most of the time it is not ment as an insult so I suggest that you don't take it as one.
Cheers,
MELEE
Is that the rumbling of a coming avalanche I hear? |
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cwc
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 372
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| Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 12:43 am Post subject: WELL PUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| MELEE wrote: |
| Most foriegners are put off by this. |
As you say, it is the LISTENER that defines the insult, NOT the speaker. The Mexican doesn�t mean to insult, but the LISTENER is insulted. Take another look at your stance. |
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M@tt
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 473
Location: here and there
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| Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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actually she's saying that the speaker doesn't intend it as an insult, so the listener shouldn't take it that way. it's the opposite of what you're saying.
back to translations: this is pretty elementary, but can someone tell me how to express "take x time" in spanish? for example,
it takes 12 hours to drive from miami to atlanta.
how much time will it take for me to learn chinese?
it took me an hour to get home because of traffic.
thanks |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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Replace 'take' with the Spanish verb 'tardar' (to be late, so to speak).
Tarde una hora en llegar - it took me an hour to arrive
Cuanto tiempo me tardara aprender chino? - how long will it take me to learn Chinese?
You don't need to use it every time. Son diez horas en camion a Chiapas. It is 10 hours by bus to Chiapas.
I think you can use 'hacer' as well, but I might not be right with this.
Se hace 2 horas para llegar a Miami. It takes 2 hours to get to Miami. |
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cwc
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 372
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:25 am Post subject: beating a dying horse |
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| M@tt wrote: |
| the speaker doesn't intend it as an insult, so the listener shouldn't take it that way. |
Unless the speaker says, �It is not my intention to insult you�, the listener is insulted. Therefore, it IS an insult.
Do you really want to risk insulting someone when it is a simple matter to change your vocab? This started with �gyp�, but I think �mojado�is an excellent example. One better be extremely careful with this word. In some places it is accepted, in some places it is like saying n*gger. Does the speaker�s intent change from place to place? No. Once again, it is the listener that changes the equation. You may not mean to insult, but the *ss-beating will be the same.
Do a sociolinguistic experiment. Start in the Yucatan and travel to Illinois. In each town along the way ask a man if he has any mojados in his family. Do it without meaning to insult. See what happens. Your intent will not change, but your reception will. |
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bryan_s
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:21 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Unless the speaker says, �It is not my intention to insult you� |
That is what someone says just before they insult you. It is similar to getting a phonecall from a telemarketer who says, "I don't want to waste your time." Then they waste your time extoling the benefits of the automated kitty litter box. |
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cwc
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 372
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| bryan_s wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Unless the speaker says, �It is not my intention to insult you� |
That is what someone says just before they insult you. |
Very perceptive. |
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M@tt
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 473
Location: here and there
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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i was just clarifying what melee said, since you misread her post in your following post. i wasn't trying to make a point about my own opinion on the subject. the sociological experiment sounds interesting but i would need funding and a bodyguard.
thanks guy. i have been using tardar for personal "i took this long" sentences, but i always have trouble with the general expressions, like "it takes 10 hours to drive here" or "it will take a long time for the polar ice caps to melt" or whatever. i don't think it works with hacerse. this is going to be a mission today. i'll report back. in fact, i thin i'm going to make an enormous list of these questions and get the answer for one more every day. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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A good way to learn Spanish, Matt. I'm at a high-intermediate level and I find it so comfortable at this level that it's hard to move up. I'll often try a 'word of the day' thing to pick up new vocabulary.
Chachalaca is the word of the day.
Callate chachalaca. Nunca deja de hablar esa chachalaca. El chamaco es un verdadero chachalaca por como habla.
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cwc
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 372
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject: translation |
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| Matt, the verb you are looking for is llevar - to take. Your two examples might go something like this. 1. Se lleva 10 horas para manejar hasta agui. 2. (as you know, future simple is rarely used in spoken Spanish) Llevara mucho tiempo para que deritan los glaciares. For God�s sake, don�t say muncho. cwc |
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MO39
Joined: 28 Jan 2004
Posts: 1970
Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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M@tt, here are some more ideas about translating time expressions with "take":
�Cu�nto tiempo me llevar� para aprender el chino?
[How much time will it take me to learn Chinese?]
Hacen falta doce horas para ir en coche de Miami a Atlanta.
[It takes twelve hours to drive from Miami to Atlanta.]
Me tard� una hora en llegar a casa.
[It took me an hour to get home.]
MO |
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cwc
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 372
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject: help |
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| MO39 wrote: |
Hacen falta doce horas para ir en coche de Miami a Atlanta.
[It takes twelve hours to drive from Miami to Atlanta.]
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This means that they need 12 hours that they don�t have.
Could be;
1. Se lleva 12 horas para ir en en coche de Miami a Atlanta.
2. Miami a Atlanta se hace en 12 horas.
Your other two are exceptional. BTW, all races and languages are capitalized. Chino. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| all races and languages are capitalized. Chino. |
In Spanish? I don't think so. Countries are - languages and nationalities are not. I couldn't point you to a Spanish style guide to prove it, but look at any formal wiriting and you won't see these capitalized. |
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cwc
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 372
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:44 pm Post subject: Thanks |
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Thanks for the education. I stand corrected. How about capatilizing the days of the week and the months? I notice that my students have problems with them in English.
What about the period being used indiscriminately?
Example: Restaurante
Tacos.
Tortas.
Drives me crazy. Well, crazier. |
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