Establecimiento libre 100% de humo de tobaco

[poli]

Establecimiento libre 100% de humo de tobaco.

This sounds like completely horrible Spanish to me as if it were written by a computer translator, but I saw it in Mexico. Am I wrong about this?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Bureaucratic formulas are never pretty. ;)
The standard sign does say "Establecimiento 100% libre de humo de tabaco". It certainly sounds like a calque of English, but I guess they couldn't think of a less harsh way to say "prohibido fumar". :)

[poli]

Thank you.
So, libre de can translate directly from free of in English, or is this and example of anglisized Spanish? I never thought libre similar multi-meanings as free.

[Julvenzor]

Thank you.
So, libre de can translate directly from free of in English, or is this and example of anglisized Spanish? I never thought libre similar multi-meanings as free.


Sincerely, I don't know; nevertheless, the verb "librar" does include that meaning. In Spain I see signs as "Espacio libre de humos".

:thumbsup:

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I agree. "Libre" in these signs can mean "exempt of" and "non-occupied by", both definitions included in the DRAE (http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=libre). :)