Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Translations


En una de las sentencias más esperadas de los últimos años

 

If you need help translating a sentence or longer piece of text, use this forum. For translations or definitions of a single word or idiom, use the vocabulary forum.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old February 22, 2017, 05:03 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,038
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
I'm glad that what I said makes some sense.

@Perikles: You're talking as if there were no context ever to know what the word would mean anytime. When there is room for confusion, as Pjt and Alec's replies showed, we use alternative ways to clearly state an idea. And as Zuma says, we all have trouble with ambiguities in the foreign languages we learn.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #12  
Old February 22, 2017, 09:40 PM
poli's Avatar
poli poli is offline
rule 1: gravity
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: In and around New York
Posts: 7,810
Native Language: English
poli will become famous soon enoughpoli will become famous soon enough
It's like the word realize in English. Most often it means to understand, but it can mean to make real. Context usually saves the day.

Come to think of it save is another verb with two meanings. English is probably a worse offender than Spanish.
__________________
Me ayuda si corrige mis errores. Gracias.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old February 25, 2017, 08:04 AM
Perikles's Avatar
Perikles Perikles is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Tenerife
Posts: 4,814
Native Language: Inglés
Perikles is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar View Post
@Perikles: You're talking as if there were no context ever to know what the word would mean anytime.
That was not my intention. Obviously there is a context where esperar clearly means expect, and another where it clearly means hope. But in the case of this thread title, the context means it could be either. To me, the difference between expect and hope is so great that I have difficulty with the idea that the sense is broad enough to mean either, or both at the same time.

And I don't really see the comparison with to know, and why that should be a problem. Esperar is one verb with two meanings where there could be an ambiguity. To know is one verb where there can be no ambiguity, because the object determines whether it is conocer or saber.

What really puzzles me is why nobody else sees what I perceive to be a problem.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old February 26, 2017, 01:33 AM
pjt33's Avatar
pjt33 pjt33 is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Valencia, España
Posts: 2,600
Native Language: Inglés (en-gb)
pjt33 is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
To know is one verb where there can be no ambiguity, because the object determines whether it is conocer or saber.
I can't remember any specific examples, but I am certain that on at least one occasion when I've been translating from English to Spanish I've had to ask the person I was translating to disambiguate.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
A los 20 años -CC de modo? Caramelita Grammar 4 May 16, 2013 08:06 PM
Durante los últimos años irmamar Translations 2 February 01, 2011 11:07 AM
Los Últimos Coletazos silopanna Idioms & Sayings 6 December 18, 2009 02:27 PM
Dando los últimos coletazos. ROBINDESBOIS Vocabulary 9 June 25, 2009 04:30 PM
Quince cosas que que me tomaron más de 50 años para aprender Tomisimo General Chat 0 July 08, 2007 09:46 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:58 AM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X