The invisible 'demasiado'

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

That I find is an interesting observation. Everyone says Spanish is an easy language to learn, but I'm beginning to find it a bottomless pit of subtle and indefinable differences.

I have heard the same thing - that Spanish is supposed to be so easy to learn. In the middle schools in the US, they push the so-called "better students" to take French (because "it's harder") and the so-called "lesser students" to take Spanish (because "it's easier"). I am finding, though, that the expression of nuance in Spanish, as well as the many multiple ways of saying the same thing to be quite a challenge to learn! (I will also admit that I have never learned ANY French, so I have nothing with which to compare...)

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

@Perikles: "Ya" is the magic word that makes "demasiado" or "suficientemente" unnecessary, I think.

The sentence is actually saying "ya no tengo que rendirte cuentas (porque tengo 30 años/porque soy suficientemente viejo)".

I love "ya"! I am learning new things about how it is used every day. This conversation about the necessity (or lack thereof) of "demasiado" extremely interesting.

[irmamar]

Nunca se me había ocurrido pensar que usáramos demasiado demasiado poco.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Nunca se me había ocurrido pensar que usáramos demasiado demasiado poco.

[irmamar]

¿O es demasiado decir que existen demasiadas alternativas para decir demasiado? O tal vez estoy hablando demasiado.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by irmamar

¿O es demasiado decir que existen demasiadas alternativas para decir demasiado? O tal vez estoy hablando demasiado.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I love "ya"! I am learning new things about how it is used every day.

There is an odd parallel between Spanish ya and German ja. Everyone knows ja means yes, but 90% of the time it means something entirely different.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

There is an odd parallel between Spanish ya and German ja. Everyone knows ja means yes, but 90% of the time it means something entirely different.

Explain that a bit more, please. (The German part.)

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Explain that a bit more, please. (The German part.)

(Damn) ok - ya has various uses as an adverb. Everyone knows it means already. But it can also be translated as yes, okay, any more, no longer, right now, but, since, as...depending on context.

German ja, also an adverb, is known to mean yes, but can also, and most often is, translated as by all mean, really, at last, from the beginning, after all, well, or as a particle used for emphasis which defies translation.

I'm not saying there is any correspondence between the two words, but there is a striking parallel in their ubiquitous use which determines the direction or force of a clause. The odd thing is that they do not seem to have the same etymology. ya is from Latin iam, already, but ja is not, as far as I can tell, but is related to old English yea and hence yes. I find this rather odd, and, sadly, interesting.

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by Perikles

(Damn) ok - ya has various uses as an adverb. Everyone knows it means already. But it can also be translated as yes, okay, any more, no longer, right now, but, since, as...depending on context.

German ja, also an adverb, is known to mean yes, but can also, and most often is, translated as by all mean, really, at last, from the beginning, after all, well, or as a particle used for emphasis which defies translation.

I'm not saying there is any correspondence between the two words, but there is a striking parallel in their ubiquitous use which determines the direction or force of a clause. The odd thing is that they do not seem to have the same etymology. ya is from Latin iam, already, but ja is not, as far as I can tell, but is related to old English yea and hence yes. I find this rather odd, and, sadly, interesting.

You knew I'd ask!

Thanks for going into detail for me! It is appreciated!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

You knew I'd ask!

Thanks for going into detail for me! It is appreciated!

You are welcome. It's midnight here, past my bedtime, and my brain hurts. Buenas noches .