WHEN WE MOVED to Spain six years ago, I was comfortable in my knowledge of at least some Spanish words. Words like bravo, adios, churro, cucaracha, chocolate. Easy! I also grew up knowing that the supposedly English word, "parasol," was created from two Spanish words, "para" and "sol," meaning "for" "sun." So I already knew this Spanish word, as well.
Not so fast.
For some strange reason, "parasol" is not used in Spain. Here, we say "sombrilla."
I still sometimes forget. The other day I was talking to a wonderful family here from Córdoba for the summer. We have seen them just about every day at the chiringuito (beach bar). A couple of them were headed to the beach and dressed beautifully even for that event. I had already seen a great watermelon-patterned parasol and told one of the sisters it would go well with her outfit.
She had no idea what I was talking about.
"Hay un parasol de SAHN-dee-ah," I had said, which was supposed to mean, 'There's a watermelon parasol.'
But, she didn't know what a parasol was and I put the accent on the wrong syllable for watermelon, which is pronounced san-DEE-ah and not SAHN-dee-ah.
I then tried to explain that I was speaking Calypso — from an old song my mother used to sing, "You put the ak-SENT upon the wrong sill-LAH-bull and you si-i-i-ing a tropical song."
I should have quit while I was ahead.
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| SOMBRILLA DE SANDÍA (MUCH MORE POETIC THAN WATERMELON PARASOL). SOMBRILLA DE SANDÍA (MUCHO MÁS POÉTICO QUE EL INGLÉS, WATERMELON PARASOL). |
CUANDO NOS MUDAMOS a España hace seis años, me sentí cómodo en mi conocimiento de al menos algunas palabras en español. Palabras como 'bravo', 'adios', 'churro', 'cucaracha', 'chocolate'. ¡Fácil! También crecí sabiendo que la supuesta palabra inglesa "parasol", fue creada a partir de dos palabras en español, "para" y "sol". Así que ya conocía esta palabra en español.
No tan rapido.
Por alguna extraña razón, "parasol" no se utiliza en España. Aquí, decimos "sombrilla".
Todavía a veces me olvido. El otro día estaba hablando con una familia maravillosa aquí de Córdoba para el verano. Los hemos visto todos los días en el chiringuito. Un par de ellos se dirigían a la playa y se vestían maravillosamente incluso para ese evento. Ya había visto una gran sombrilla con diseño de una sandía y le dije a una de las hermanas que iría bien con su traje.
No tenía ni idea de lo que estaba hablando.
"Hay un parasol de SAHN-dee-ah," había dicho, lo que se suponía que significaba, 'Hay una sombrilla de sandía.'
Pero, ella no sabía qué era una sombrilla y puse el acento en la sílaba incorrecta para la sandía, que se pronuncia san-DEE-ah y no SAHN-dee-ah.
Entonces traté de explicar que estaba hablando Calipso — de una vieja canción que mi madre solía cantar.
Debería déjalo mientras estoy adelante.
Lo siento por que no hay una versión español.
Oh Mitchell, I'm cringing for you! =)
ReplyDeleteBob:
DeleteOh, don't worry. I just laugh... and keep talking.
When all else fails in a new language, talk louder. When I was in Athens, a shop keeper said she didn't speak English, so I tried my fractured French, to which she responded, "My English - better your French," she helped me find what I was looking for.
ReplyDeleteTravel:
DeleteI knew a Georgian woman in New York who loved the US and had no idea how bad her English was. She complained that when she went into Russian shops and spoke English she was offended because they told her to speak Russian. She would say, "I Georgian, no Russian, live America. Speak English." Finally one shopkeeper told her, "No. You only THINK you speak English."
I also hear Mexican-Spanish and Spain-Spanish have their differences. I remember my brother said he had spanish classes, and one lady was from Spain and the whole class struggled with her.
ReplyDeleteAdam:
DeleteIt can be very confusing. I had friends from Southern California visiting. They both grew up in families that spoke Mexican Spanish. They both said they thought they were fluent until they came to Spain. Some grammar, but really just word meaning differences. (Like juice here is "zumo"; in Mexico it's "jugo.")
I want that umbrella, parasol, bumbershoot. Watermelon bumbershoot - that sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteWilma:
DeleteI realize that we wouldn't have called that umbrella a parasol anyway. We would have just called it a beach umbrella! Oh, I'm so confused.
You seem to be mastering Spanish though, on the most part minus a few hiccups (what is that in Spanish?)
ReplyDeleteCheapchick:
DeleteHiccup is "hipo"!
love your tropical song
ReplyDeleteGosia:
DeleteIt's very clever.
I'm impressed with the manner in which you've embraced Spanish. I admire anyone who speaks more than one language. I wish I did.
ReplyDeleteStephen:
DeleteI wish I had grown up learning multiple languages.
Interestingly, the French use parasol to describe a beach umbrella. For rain, it's a parapluie. For falling out of airplanes, it's a parachute.
ReplyDeleteWalt the Fourth:
DeleteIn Spanish parachute is paracaídas (which basically means "for falling"). So odd that the French use parasol and the Spanish don't.
Which Andrew Sister were you?
ReplyDeleteLoved tripping along with you on your journey today.
I would to be able to speak Spanish, another life I guess!
Now that watermelon parasol is pretty dang nice. Opps, I mean exquisite.
Ron:
DeletePretty dang nice! I went to university in an area of New York State (between Rochester and Buffalo) where people said that all the time!
Ah the joys of 'false friends' - those wonderful phrases that you know should work but don't...
ReplyDeleteWillym:
DeleteLike, "éxito," which means "success" and not "exit"! One of my favorites is "embarazada" which sounds like "embarrassed" but means "pregnant."
I too struggle with my Spanish
ReplyDeleteWhat I think I've learned is politely corrected by thems who know better.
Spo:
DeleteSometimes, if they understand you, they should just let you relax and speak your fractured version. You'll get there eventually (and so will I).
Here, the Sandias are mountains (or laboratories or a Resort and Casino). I can see Sandia mountain, which is 45 miles away, from my deck. However, now that you mention watermelon...sounds good an a hot day. But the closest watermelon would be about 30 miles away in a grocery store in Santa Fe.
ReplyDeleteFrank:
DeleteJust imagine them as the SanDEEah mountains and you'll have a whole lot of watermelon.