Challenging words - Words you can't translate

serafina · October 23, 2024 at 4:48 PM

Today I was wondering on how to render manzana (as in "area between 4 blocks") in Italian and I wasn't able to find an equivalent. Sure we have one for cuadra (isolato), which is block in English.

How do you say manzana in English?

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GlasgowJohn · October 23, 2024 at 4:52 PM

Manzana is block for me in English

serafina · October 23, 2024 at 7:07 PM

Quote from GlasgowJohn

Manzana is block for me in English

I have always understood it as a linear term.

In the image above, if you lived on La Rioja and your friend lived on Santa Rosa, would you say you live on the same block?

GlasgowJohn · October 23, 2024 at 7:22 PM

I would probably say I live one block away from them.

Splinter · December 13, 2024 at 3:34 PM

Not the right thread, but anyway this shows how difficult it must be learn English. Makes very little sense.

https://twitter.com/BorokiniNG/status/1867314831667474735/

I can't get rid of the first vid, sorry.

Bombonera · December 13, 2024 at 3:43 PM

Learn Spanish, for example, and you get hit with irregular verbs, let’s say. But pronunciation is always consistent I think.

But then so many people learn spoken English extraordinarily well as a second-language. I guess it’s down, at least to some extent, to the easy and accessible exposure to the spoken form of the language.
No matter what, I’m always impressed given language-learning is a skill I struggle with.

I mean, you can’t learn that stuff really can you? You can only experience and internalise it over time surely.

Cunning linguists!

Rice · December 13, 2024 at 5:31 PM

I’ll overlook that.

Here is a pair of pronunciations that defy logic:

Rough (ruff) / Dough (doe)

Bombonera · December 13, 2024 at 5:36 PM

And then ruff and doe are words of their own in English too 😀

serafina · December 13, 2024 at 8:25 PM

I have given up on English pronunciation, tbh. I am out of RAM and ROM for so many variants, with no apparent pattern.
I follow a few English teachers on instagram with videos similar to this one. All clear when they explain it, gets erased from my brain the second I scroll down to the next video.

Spanish is quite regular in its grammar compared to Italian. I find Spanish bordering ugliness, at times, for the sake of consistent application of grammar rules. Whereas Italian as too many spin offs, exceptions, regional variants that there is no way to explain them logically, you just need to be exposed to the language and hope for the best.

The main difference between Spanish and Italian is that in the Spanish-speaking word, the RAE dictates the correct usage, whereas in Italian we don’t have an language institution that says what it is correct and what not. The Accademia della Crusca just register how common is a certain word or expression and decides whether it is part of standard Italian or not.

Rice · December 14, 2024 at 7:40 AM

Quote from serafina

I find Spanish bordering ugliness, at times, for the sake of consistent application of grammar rules.

Examples, please? This is very interesting.

serafina · December 14, 2024 at 10:44 PM

Rice , foreign words which are adapted to be read according Spanish pronunciation rules are a fine example of grammar rules taking over.

on top of my mind:

Rocanrol = rock and roll (https://www.rae.es/dpd/rock%20and%20roll)

sánduche o sanduche y sánguche o sanguche = sandwich

(https://www.rae.es/dpd/s%C3%A1ndwich)

Vóleibol = volley-ball