My nerves are severely frayed and I can sense all of the muscles in my body tense up as I think about what I'm going to write now...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) "Humbleness":
Have you ever heard someone speak a word and do a mental double take? You can make sense of what they said after quickly (or not so quickly) deciphering the mangled portion of what they uttered.
We get what they're trying to say. Sadly, we accept these mispronunciations and move on. After all, our own über-important lives are filled with serious concerns. Why should we bother bruising someone's ego and correct them when we have bigger fish to fry? Am I right?
A word already exists for what you're trying to say here, champ: 'humility'! <For some strange reason, right after I typed it, I read the word as humidity and giggled for a bit.> You cannot take any adjective and add the suffix '-ness' to the end of it and think everything is OK. It's as bad as those folks who think they can convert any English word to Spanish by adding an '-o' at the end. It doesn't work! Understand-o?
If you don't believe me, why not tell me how stupid 'strongness' sounds to you? Perhaps 'teachableness' suits your limited English language needs?
I rest my case.
[Side note: To be fair, I know the word 'humbleness' does actually exist but it isn't commonly used. After all, we do use the word humility more than humbleness. Keep up with modern society, please.]
(2) "At the end of the day, ...":
Ahhhh yes. The hot new saying that everyone seems to be using. It's one of the most overused phrases I have heard in a long time! (It's only rivaled nowadays by 'epic', IMO.) When a person starts every other statement with this phrase, my brain goes to two places (depending on my mood): either the person has nothing of value to share and is trying to sound more interesting or the person genuinely believes the BS that's coming out of their mouths which makes me wonder what the end of their days are like. Well, not really. At the end of the day, they're not that interesting to begin with.
Damn it!!! It's contagious!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OKOKOKOKOKOK....
I'll stop venting now. Do you have any other words or sayings that rub you the wrong way? Do share below in the comments section!!
I hope to hear from you.
Until next time, faithful reader......
P.S. On second thought, those people that add an 'o' to the end of English words are worse. Instead of trying to learn the proper word, they decide that Spanish isn't important enough to make an effort for. In fact, they're devaluing the language and, by proxy and perhaps unintentionally, insulting an entire culture.
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Friday, October 9, 2009
Spanglish (or Another Big Pet Peeve)
Well, this is something I've been wanting to vent about on this blog for quite some time now. I'll do my best to present my case, as I see it, and let you react to it by posting your comments below.
There are many things about the English language that I appreciate especially since it is my native language. I was born in the states, grew up here, and despite a mixed cultural heritage, English will always be my first language. At the same time, I find a lot of beauty in the Spanish language as well. There are many phrases and ways of wording statements that simply cannot be translated literally without sounding like gibberish in English (remember learning about idiomatic phrases?). It is because of my love for English and Spanish that I have begun my hate affair with Spanglish (if we can have "love affairs" we can ALSO have "hate affairs"... hmph).
Spanglish, for those of you who don't know, is a phrase coined by Salvador Tio (a Puerto Rican linguist) describing the "code switching" between English and Spanish. Essentially, a person will switch between using English and Spanish in a conversation, sentence, or any other form of dialogue. The by-product of this is, not just the confusion of both languages, but the creation of a new vocabulary that blurs the line between English and Spanish.
Here are some examples:
- When talking about a parade, Spanglish speakers will use the word 'parada' instead of 'desfile'. A 'parada' is a stop NOT a parade!!
- Hangueando/chileando: meant to indicate the person is hanging out or chillin'. It's fucking stupid!!
- 'Lonche': Seriously?!? It is really so hard to say 'ALMUERZO'?? DAMN!
- Marqueta: Now it's getting ridiculous! Did you forget the word 'mercado' or maybe 'tienda'??
- 'Carpeta': OK now we're just getting lazy, aren't we?? I grew up not actively speaking Spanish and even I know a carpet is an 'alfombra'. If this native-born gringo knows this word, why do other Spanish speakers not know this?
- 'Boila': Is this what we've come to? Why don't you ask someone what the Spanish word for 'boiler' is, PLEASE!!!!!
More incorrect uses of words based on confusion between English and Spanish words:
(1) 'Asistir' looks like the English word 'assist' so it is used in place of 'ayudar'. In Spanish, 'asistir' means to attend.
(2) 'Atender' looks like 'attend' in English so it's used instead of 'asistir'. In Spanish, 'atender' means 'to heed', 'to look after', or 'to pay attention'.
The list goes on and on. As a matter of fact, Wikipedia's Spanglish listing actually has some good examples if you want to see some more misuses of my beautiful languages. Each one is more ridiculous than the last. It's as ridiculous as English speakers adding the letter 'o' to every English word thinking that it instantly makes it a Spanish word!
In NYC, our form of Spanglish has been influenced primarily by Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. In the Southwest US, it's Chicanos that created their variety of Spanglish. For a long time, I thought Spanglish was a result of ignorance and poor education by low-skilled immigrants that came to the U.S. I know better than to assume that now. Nevertheless, Spanglish has been adopted by new generations of Latinos/Hispanics who accept it as a valid "language" even tho it's ruining the true Spanish language, the beautiful language that I adore.
Now I must say that I don't hate the interchanging of languages, per se. As a sociologist, I can accept that phenomena as by-product of the culture clash that exists when an immigrant population enters a new environment and mingles with the native population. It is the changing - bastardizing, is more like it - of the original languages (those of the native born and immigrant groups) that bothers me the most.
*sigh* I feel better now that that's off my chest. Your thoughts?
Until next time, faithful reader......
There are many things about the English language that I appreciate especially since it is my native language. I was born in the states, grew up here, and despite a mixed cultural heritage, English will always be my first language. At the same time, I find a lot of beauty in the Spanish language as well. There are many phrases and ways of wording statements that simply cannot be translated literally without sounding like gibberish in English (remember learning about idiomatic phrases?). It is because of my love for English and Spanish that I have begun my hate affair with Spanglish (if we can have "love affairs" we can ALSO have "hate affairs"... hmph).
Spanglish, for those of you who don't know, is a phrase coined by Salvador Tio (a Puerto Rican linguist) describing the "code switching" between English and Spanish. Essentially, a person will switch between using English and Spanish in a conversation, sentence, or any other form of dialogue. The by-product of this is, not just the confusion of both languages, but the creation of a new vocabulary that blurs the line between English and Spanish.
Here are some examples:
- When talking about a parade, Spanglish speakers will use the word 'parada' instead of 'desfile'. A 'parada' is a stop NOT a parade!!
- Hangueando/chileando: meant to indicate the person is hanging out or chillin'. It's fucking stupid!!
- 'Lonche': Seriously?!? It is really so hard to say 'ALMUERZO'?? DAMN!
- Marqueta: Now it's getting ridiculous! Did you forget the word 'mercado' or maybe 'tienda'??
- 'Carpeta': OK now we're just getting lazy, aren't we?? I grew up not actively speaking Spanish and even I know a carpet is an 'alfombra'. If this native-born gringo knows this word, why do other Spanish speakers not know this?
- 'Boila': Is this what we've come to? Why don't you ask someone what the Spanish word for 'boiler' is, PLEASE!!!!!
More incorrect uses of words based on confusion between English and Spanish words:
(1) 'Asistir' looks like the English word 'assist' so it is used in place of 'ayudar'. In Spanish, 'asistir' means to attend.
(2) 'Atender' looks like 'attend' in English so it's used instead of 'asistir'. In Spanish, 'atender' means 'to heed', 'to look after', or 'to pay attention'.
The list goes on and on. As a matter of fact, Wikipedia's Spanglish listing actually has some good examples if you want to see some more misuses of my beautiful languages. Each one is more ridiculous than the last. It's as ridiculous as English speakers adding the letter 'o' to every English word thinking that it instantly makes it a Spanish word!
In NYC, our form of Spanglish has been influenced primarily by Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. In the Southwest US, it's Chicanos that created their variety of Spanglish. For a long time, I thought Spanglish was a result of ignorance and poor education by low-skilled immigrants that came to the U.S. I know better than to assume that now. Nevertheless, Spanglish has been adopted by new generations of Latinos/Hispanics who accept it as a valid "language" even tho it's ruining the true Spanish language, the beautiful language that I adore.
Now I must say that I don't hate the interchanging of languages, per se. As a sociologist, I can accept that phenomena as by-product of the culture clash that exists when an immigrant population enters a new environment and mingles with the native population. It is the changing - bastardizing, is more like it - of the original languages (those of the native born and immigrant groups) that bothers me the most.
*sigh* I feel better now that that's off my chest. Your thoughts?
Until next time, faithful reader......
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Is it nauseous or nauseated?... and all about the "Friend Zone"
Hello everyone,
My apologies for those who have relied on my words to carry you through your dull and sometimes unfulfilling work days. For those of you in that category, I fully expect you to be able to recite my last 5 entries verbatim and without peeking. ;) I'll call you later tonight to quiz you.
For those of you "normal" folks... welcome back to the next installment of my ramblings here inside my thought repository:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I recently came across an interesting rant on the misuse of the English language, specifically, the difference between 'nauseous' and 'nauseated' (http://phrogz.net/nodes/nauseous.asp). Essentially, the argument is that we have misused these two words so often that it has become an acceptable error in the popular vernacular. Most people aren't even aware that they are misusing the word 'nauseous'.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary (and many other reputable dictionaries), nauseous is listed as an adjective meaning:
(1) Causing nausea; sickening: "the most nauseous offal fit for the gods" (John Fowles); (2) Usage Problem Affected with nausea.
Nauseated is an adjective that means to feel, or cause to, feel nausea.
So the next time a roller coaster ride (or a cab ride after a night of drunken revelry) makes you feel queasy, remember that the ride was nauseous but you, in fact, feel nauseated. Interestingly, even scholars who criticize the misuse of nauseous to indicate 'feeling nausea', they themselves are guilty of classifying things that make people nauseous - such as roller coasters and cab rides - as nauseous and NOT nauseating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For some reason, I have had several conversations lately with my friends about friendships, hooking up, general dating, and the dreaded "friend zone" that "nice guys" tend to find themselves in. In the spirit of offering sage advice and general feedback, I refer you now to the online men's magazine Womopo
(What is Womopo? Womopo is an online men's magazine with one simple mission: help men become better men in every way. The site delivers weekly content helping men improve their skills and knowledge with women, money, and power.)
For my insecure male friends (or just the ones who feel they're always put on the back burner when talking to girls only to find themselves as "just friends") and to my female readers, here's some food for thought:
"Top 5 Ways Guys End Up in the Friend Zone"
"How To Tell You're in the Friend Zone"
"How To Get Out Of The Friend Zone in 3 Steps"
I wonder if this will spark conversations among you and your friends. If so, feel free to comment and sound off on what you agree with what you disagree with. Or just let me know how you (and others) reacted to this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well... It has been a long week first week of 2009 (in a good way) and I need to get back to my normal sleep patterns... lol.
Until next time, faithful reader....
My apologies for those who have relied on my words to carry you through your dull and sometimes unfulfilling work days. For those of you in that category, I fully expect you to be able to recite my last 5 entries verbatim and without peeking. ;) I'll call you later tonight to quiz you.
For those of you "normal" folks... welcome back to the next installment of my ramblings here inside my thought repository:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I recently came across an interesting rant on the misuse of the English language, specifically, the difference between 'nauseous' and 'nauseated' (http://phrogz.net/nodes/nauseous.asp). Essentially, the argument is that we have misused these two words so often that it has become an acceptable error in the popular vernacular. Most people aren't even aware that they are misusing the word 'nauseous'.
According to the American Heritage Dictionary (and many other reputable dictionaries), nauseous is listed as an adjective meaning:
(1) Causing nausea; sickening: "the most nauseous offal fit for the gods" (John Fowles); (2) Usage Problem Affected with nausea.
Nauseated is an adjective that means to feel, or cause to, feel nausea.
So the next time a roller coaster ride (or a cab ride after a night of drunken revelry) makes you feel queasy, remember that the ride was nauseous but you, in fact, feel nauseated. Interestingly, even scholars who criticize the misuse of nauseous to indicate 'feeling nausea', they themselves are guilty of classifying things that make people nauseous - such as roller coasters and cab rides - as nauseous and NOT nauseating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For some reason, I have had several conversations lately with my friends about friendships, hooking up, general dating, and the dreaded "friend zone" that "nice guys" tend to find themselves in. In the spirit of offering sage advice and general feedback, I refer you now to the online men's magazine Womopo
(What is Womopo? Womopo is an online men's magazine with one simple mission: help men become better men in every way. The site delivers weekly content helping men improve their skills and knowledge with women, money, and power.)
For my insecure male friends (or just the ones who feel they're always put on the back burner when talking to girls only to find themselves as "just friends") and to my female readers, here's some food for thought:
"Top 5 Ways Guys End Up in the Friend Zone"
"How To Tell You're in the Friend Zone"
"How To Get Out Of The Friend Zone in 3 Steps"
I wonder if this will spark conversations among you and your friends. If so, feel free to comment and sound off on what you agree with what you disagree with. Or just let me know how you (and others) reacted to this.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well... It has been a long week first week of 2009 (in a good way) and I need to get back to my normal sleep patterns... lol.
Until next time, faithful reader....
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I shaved my beard and WTF!...
Hello once again as I usher you through the inner workings of my scrambled brain.
I've had some people asking me about my beard lately. During finals week, when I was in college, I would get superstitious and once classes ended for the semester I would not shave until I took all my finals. But I'm not in school any more and for some odd reason I decided to grow my hair out a little (on the top of my head AND on my face)... for no legitimate reason. I didn't even know when I would end up shaving again.
I figured the timing was right for it to serve as an Evan Tanner tribute beard (oh, just Google it if you don't know who or what I'm talking about) but that wasn't it. Maybe I could use the election as my cover story. For a while I even vowed that if John McCain were to win, I would continue growing my hair - including facial hair - for 4 more years until the next presidential election. But the election came and went and I didn't shave. Eventually, I just got tired of it (as I often am when it comes to my facial hair). I find myself cycling through facial "looks": sporting the goatee, being clean shaven, growing the beard... and other variations in between (except the stand-alone mustache... looks funny on me).
So I shaved my beard. I took pictures of the carnage in my bathroom sink but decided to spare you all the details so there will be no posting of the evidence here. You'll just have to take my word for it. Lets just say if there was a "Locks of Love" for facial hair, I would have TOTALLY donated it... but it was just trashcan-bound.
But you know... all this talk of waste and useless things reminds me of something I've heard lately. It's gotten so deep under my skin... I can't keep it inside any more!!
Through all the political coverage for days after Election Day all I kept hearing was how Barack Obama's win was historically significant. I am not disagree with that (how can one dispute that??). What I am hating is the mangling of the English language in the process!!! This is a historic event in American history NOT "an historic" event. WTF is 'anistoric' anyway!?!??!! Anistoric isn't proper use of the article "a/an"!! Oh, I'm sorry... is this a new dialect of English? I didn't realize the 'h' in historic (or historical) was silent!!
I mean with the world wide inter-web nets available to us, can't an editor or assistant producer look up the grammar rules??? I was able to find 2 reputable resources after 35 seconds of searching online: (1) http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/articlestext.htm and (2) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/
Folks, this misuse and blatant disregard of the English language is ridiculous. It also happens to be one of my many pet peeves. (For a wonderful list of other modernbutchering "modifications" of the English language, click here. Definitely worth a look.)
*sigh*
Sadly, that's all I have for you today but....
SPOILER ALERT:: Tomorrow's SPECIAL weekend entry will be a preview of UFC 91 (along with guest commentary and predictions) and why it matters EVEN to those of you who don't know - or care - about MMA.
I've had some people asking me about my beard lately. During finals week, when I was in college, I would get superstitious and once classes ended for the semester I would not shave until I took all my finals. But I'm not in school any more and for some odd reason I decided to grow my hair out a little (on the top of my head AND on my face)... for no legitimate reason. I didn't even know when I would end up shaving again.
I figured the timing was right for it to serve as an Evan Tanner tribute beard (oh, just Google it if you don't know who or what I'm talking about) but that wasn't it. Maybe I could use the election as my cover story. For a while I even vowed that if John McCain were to win, I would continue growing my hair - including facial hair - for 4 more years until the next presidential election. But the election came and went and I didn't shave. Eventually, I just got tired of it (as I often am when it comes to my facial hair). I find myself cycling through facial "looks": sporting the goatee, being clean shaven, growing the beard... and other variations in between (except the stand-alone mustache... looks funny on me).
So I shaved my beard. I took pictures of the carnage in my bathroom sink but decided to spare you all the details so there will be no posting of the evidence here. You'll just have to take my word for it. Lets just say if there was a "Locks of Love" for facial hair, I would have TOTALLY donated it... but it was just trashcan-bound.
But you know... all this talk of waste and useless things reminds me of something I've heard lately. It's gotten so deep under my skin... I can't keep it inside any more!!
Through all the political coverage for days after Election Day all I kept hearing was how Barack Obama's win was historically significant. I am not disagree with that (how can one dispute that??). What I am hating is the mangling of the English language in the process!!! This is a historic event in American history NOT "an historic" event. WTF is 'anistoric' anyway!?!??!! Anistoric isn't proper use of the article "a/an"!! Oh, I'm sorry... is this a new dialect of English? I didn't realize the 'h' in historic (or historical) was silent!!
I mean with the world wide inter-web nets available to us, can't an editor or assistant producer look up the grammar rules??? I was able to find 2 reputable resources after 35 seconds of searching online: (1) http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/articlestext.htm and (2) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/
Folks, this misuse and blatant disregard of the English language is ridiculous. It also happens to be one of my many pet peeves. (For a wonderful list of other modern
*sigh*
Sadly, that's all I have for you today but....
SPOILER ALERT:: Tomorrow's SPECIAL weekend entry will be a preview of UFC 91 (along with guest commentary and predictions) and why it matters EVEN to those of you who don't know - or care - about MMA.
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