The meaning of ‘fiaca’

Posted On August 9, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Lunfardo, Spanish Language/ 2 No Comments

Argentine Spanish is strewn with words and colorful phrases from Lunfardo, a rich vocabulary born on the streets of Buenos Aires in the second half of the 19th century. Now considered a fixture of the Spanish language in Argentina (especially in and around Buenos Aires) and Uruguay, linguists cite the use of Lunfardo as a defining characteristic of the Rioplatense dialect. Add a dash of Argentine flavor to your Spanish vocabulary with the Transpanish blog’s ongoing feature highlighting some of the most frequently used terms in Lunfardo.

In Lunfardo, the word “fiaca” is a noun that means “the feeling or state of being bored, idle, slothful or unmotivated.” When used to refer to a person, possible English translations of the word “fiaca” include lazybones, lazyhead, bum, layabout, and idler.

The Lunfardo word “fiaca” is said to have originated from the Genoese dialect of Italian. In that dialect, the word makes reference to “a lack of energy/tiredness attributed to missing a meal.”

Related words in Lunfardo:
verb hacer fiaca: laze about, bum around

Usage examples: ¡Qué fiaca que tengo! // Man, I feel like a slug today!

Los domingos me gusta hacer fiaca. // I like to laze about on Sundays.

The song “Doña Fiaca,” written by Eladia Blázquez, prominently features the word “fiaca” in the title and lyrics.

La fiaca no es pereza, no es descanso,

Es una sutileza de algo más.

Una melange de todo a nuestro modo

Un rasgo del folklore nacional.

La fiaca, es una filosofía

De la antigana de no hacer, del no querer,

La diosa del desgano y de la cama

Y la madam de la comodité.

Y convengamos que es un poco pastenaca

Aquel que nunca le da la fiaca,

Hasta el mismísimo Ministro de Trabajo

Su golpe bajo, debe amagar.

La gente fina la bautiza en su lirismo

Como ausentismo, pero es lo mismo,

Y doña fiaca es una mina que domina

En casa, en la oficina y en toda la nación.

Si alguno ha pensado en vacunarse,

Lo siento, pierde el tiempo sin razón.

La fiaca, sin remedio, va a atacarle

Porque es igual al virus de Hong Kong.

No teman, el mayor de los incordios

Serán las ganas que le den de apoliyar.

Si en alguien, el bostezo se hace gordo,

Llamen al “tordo”, que lo va a curar.

English Language Remained More Stable in the 20th Century

Posted On August 1, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, English Language, Languages, Tips for Translators/ No Comments

A scientific and linguistic analysis of data culled from digitized books shows that the English language remained relatively stable in the 20^th century, with popular words and phrases falling out of favor at a slower pace as compared with past centuries.

The increased availability of digital information through initiatives such as Google Books makes quantitative academic research more feasible than ever. This access to copious amounts of digitized data allowed Slovenian researcher Matjaz Perc from the University of Maribor to analyze English-language books spanning five centuries. He discovered that during that time period, the English language has grown by about one-third. Additionally, he found that while the word “the” holds the distinction of most-frequently-used word between the years 1520 and 2008, the most common five-word phrases have changed quite dramatically since the end of the 16^th century. In 1575, the top three phrases were “I have the honour to,” “Long Service and Good Conduct,” and “Lord’s Commissioners of the Admiralty.” By 2008, those top three phrases were supplanted by the following: “at the end of the,” “on the part of the,” and “in the middle of the.”

Perc found that popular words and phrases—referred to as “n-grams” in the study—went in and out of style much quicker in the 1500s, often being given the linguistic boot after just a few years. It wasn’t until the end of the 1700s that the English language’s list of top 100 phrases began to stabilize. Today common turns of phrase can live on for decades.

From a mathematical point of view, a snowball effect of sorts seems to be at work with these commonly used words and phrases. Once a particular phrase becomes popular, its popularity continues to grow and grow, making it less likely to be phased out of the language in the near future. And so, for better or worse, it looks like those well-worn clichés are here to stay.

Tips for Proofreading Translations

Posted On July 26, 2012By TranspanishIn Tips for Translators/ No Comments

Proofreading a translation before sending it off to a client is a final yet important step in every translator’s workflow. Careless errors not only reflect poorly on the translator, but they can have serious consequences for the client as well. Keep the following proofreading tips in mind to ensure that the client receives a polished, professional document every time.

Devote your complete attention to the text while proofreading. Minimize distractions, and work in a comfortable area with adequate lighting. If possible, work from a hard copy of the document so that you can make notes and corrections on the printed draft.

Imagine that you are the end-user of the document, and read through the text as though you were seeing it for the first time. Highlight any errors that you spot as you go along, and fix the mistakes that you marked once you’ve finished reading.

Read through the text a second time, paying extra attention to individual words, phrases and sentences. Highlight any errors that you find. Keep an eye out for misspelled words, run-on sentences, unnecessarily long paragraphs, use of the proper tense, consistent tone and register, and common errors such as it’s/its, then/than and there/their/they’re. Consult a dictionary or style guide if you have a doubt.

Carefully scrutinize formatting, punctuation, headers and footers, page and section numbering, headings, captions, etc. These items are also important, so resist the temptation to merely skim over them. In addition, double check the accuracy of dates and figures such as currency amounts, measurements or quantities. Mark each error and make corrections at the end of your second reading.

Now take a break to help clear your mind. If possible, come back to the text the next day so that you’re reading it with fresh eyes. Read through the entire document for a third time, searching for any possible errors in spelling, grammar, formatting or flow. Make sure the translated text sounds natural; the goal is to avoid “translationese.” If you spotted any additional errors during this third pass, correct them and save the document. You’re now ready to send the translation on its way to the client!

The Value of Professional Translators

Posted On July 19, 2012By TranspanishIn Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ No Comments

Ever since the advent of machine translation, naysayers have been predicting the extinction of the human translator. In their opinion, it’s only a matter of time before this new technology renders professional translators completely obsolete. However, it’s not as easy to replace a human translator as some would have you think.

Trained professional translators possess a vast range of knowledge of at least two different languages and cultures. In addition, they have expertise in specialized topics including, but not limited to, law, science, medicine and business. Language service professionals have exceptional writing abilities in their native languages, and they must be able to adapt their writing style to the tone of the original text, whether it be formal, humorous, etc. They also possess knowledge of various dialects and an understanding of the cultures and customs in the places where their working languages are spoken. As a cultural and linguistic bridge—a language ambassador of sorts— translators are, in large part, responsible for effective communication with the world outside their countries’ borders.

Just like other professionals, translators must continually engage in training and professional development to keep abreast of important issues in the field of translation. Many translations are of a highly sensitive nature, and errors or shoddy work are simply unacceptable. Professional translators maintain high ethical and quality standards, standards which non-professionals are not bound to uphold.

Sadly, the prestige associated with the profession of translator seems to have waned in recent times. In many cases, the skilled translator is no longer viewed as a valuable professional, but one that can be easily replaced by a machine or an individual who is merely capable of communication in two languages. As an example, a new translation outfit known as Duolingo will soon be offering companies translations performed by language students. The students supposedly gain experience and knowledge while working for free, and companies get low-cost “translations” performed by individuals who are clearly lacking the requisite skills to produce quality work. The fact that a market exists for translations from a source like Duolingo speaks to the public’s low opinion of translation and all that it entails.

It’s important for language professionals to continue to educate the public about the role of translators and the true nature of their work. When the public understands the value of professional translation services, both clients and translators stand to benefit.

The Field of Translation Ranks among Top Recession-Proof Industries

Posted On July 10, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Translation, Tips for Translators, Translation Buyers/ 1 Comment

With the global economy still feeling the effects of the recession, some industries are holding their own while others are floundering. Fortunately, the prospects for the field of translation look extremely promising, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projecting industry growth of 42% during this decade, a figure that exceeds growth estimates for other industries evaluated by the BLS. As the U.S. population continues to become more diverse, the demand for interpreters and translators will also grow.

According to a market research study by the firm Common Sense Advisory, the market for language services will total $33.5 billion this year. Overall, the translation industry has experienced a compound annual growth rate of 12.17%. Unlike many industries where a handful of top performers dominate the business landscape, the market for translation and interpretation is splintered, with over 26,000 companies worldwide offering translation services. Only nine of those companies reported revenue in excess of $100 million last year.

Despite the proliferation of machine translation tools such as Google Translate and BabelFish, the market for language services has not suffered a downturn. While machine translation tools do offer insight into the meaning of a text, computers fail to render the nuanced, culturally correct translations created by humans. Given the current limitations of machine translation, it would seem that translators’ jobs are safe.

With that said, it is important for language service professionals to adopt new technology. Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools allow translators to work more quickly and efficiently, and with a potential shortage of qualified translators looming on the horizon, the use of technology will be necessary to meet the growing global demand for translations.

Experienced, educated, professional translators make up the backbone of the translation industry, and it is their expertise that will keep the industry riding high throughout this difficult economic period.

The Meaning of ‘Chamuyar’ / ‘Chamullar’

Posted On July 5, 2012By TranspanishIn Did you know?, Languages, Lunfardo, Spanish Language/ No Comments

In Lunfardo, the word “chamuyar” (also spelled chamullar) means “to chat up” or “to sweet talk” a woman or “to make small talk.” Other possible informal English translations of the word include to smooth talk, to chitchat, to bullshit, to shoot the breeze, and to shoot the shit.

Chamuyar has also come to mean “to lie” in certain contexts.

It’s said that the verb “chamuyar” stems from the caló (gypsy dialect) word “chamullar,” which means to converse or chat.

Related words in Lunfardo:
noun chamuyo or chamullo: smooth talk, bullshit, small talk, lie
noun chamuyero/a or chamullero/a: smoothtalker, bullshitter, liar, pick-up artist

Usage examples: Vamos a chamuyar a unas cuantas minas. // We’re going to put the moves on a bunch of girls.

El nuevo plan de viviendas es un chamuyo. // The new housing plan is nothing but a lie.

The song “El chamuyo,” written in the milonga style by Edmundo Rivero, prominently features the word “chamuyo” in the title and lyrics.

Se bate, se chamuya, se parola,
se parlamenta reo, como “grilo”,
y aunque la barra bufe y dé el “estrilo”
el lengo e’ chile es un bacán de gola.

Si es vichenzo, escafaña y no la grola
lo catan pal’ fideo manco dilo,
y hay cada espamentoso tirifilo,
más puntiagudo que zapallo angola.

El chamuyo cafiolo es una papa
cualquier mistongo el repertorio “ñapa”
y es respetao cuando lo parla un macho.

A veces si otro camba me lo emparda,
hay programa de espiche en la busarda
o se firma, con un feite, en el escracho.

New Additions to the Dictionary of the Real Academia Española (DRAE)

Posted On June 28, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Language, Tips for Translators/ No Comments

Last Friday, the Real Academia Española—the absolute authority on all aspects of the Spanish language—updated its online dictionary by means of 1,697 modifications, including new words, abbreviations, anglicisms and more. This update constitutes the fifth revision to the venerable dictionary since 2001.

With an average of more than 2,000,000 visits per day, the DRAE is the most frequently consulted online Spanish dictionary. Despite the dictionary’s popularity, the academy sometimes draws criticism for being overly conservative in terms of changes and additions to the DRAE. With that said, it seems that the Real Academia loosened up a bit this time around, adding new terms that reflect changes on societal, technological and economic levels as well as a number of slang words that have been in use for some time but were previously unrecognized by the RAE.

One of the most noteworthy changes came to the word “matrimonio” (marriage), which now incorporates same-sex union as one of the term’s accepted meanings. Given that both Spain and Argentina have legalized gay marriage, now both the law and the language reflect the concept of marriage equality in these countries.

Other words included in the update arose from social networking and the tech world, with terms such as “bloguero/a” (blogger), “chatear” (to chat), SMS, “tableta” (tablet computer) and USB finally gaining acceptance. Although “tuit” and “tuitear” (the word “tweet” both as a noun and verb) did not get the go-ahead this time around, the terms will likely be included in the next update.

With the global economic crisis at the forefront of many people’s minds, a number of financial and political terms entered the dictionary as well including riesgo de crédito (credit risk), riesgo país (country risk), and euroescepticismo (euroscepticism).

The dictionary’s next update to its print edition is slated for 2014; however, spokespeople for the academy note that the updating process is an ongoing one. You can consult the entire DRAE online at http://rae.es/drae.

How Math Can Save a Language from Extinction

Posted On June 19, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages/ No Comments

With more and more languages fading into obscurity each year, linguists and other interested scholars find themselves frantically trying to record the details of these rare tongues before they completely disappear. Ultimately, while a language’s salvation lies in the hands of its population of current and potential speakers, the field of mathematics may be able to help when people decide that a language is indeed worth preserving.

A mathematician and her team of colleagues have worked to create a model consisting of several different equations, which describes the current state of an endangered local language. Cultural programs and organizations that promote learning of the language in question can utilize the data generated from calculations performed with this model to determine what steps must be taken for a stable population of bilinguals to develop, thus securing the language’s continued existence.

The model must be specifically tailored to variables such as a language’s cultural and economic value, and at the moment, the model only functions with Scottish Gaelic; however, researchers are hoping to expand to other languages such as Quechua and Chinook.

For more information about this research bringing together math and language, take a look at this article at Discover Magazine.

Spanish Words Disguised as English

Posted On June 13, 2012By TranspanishIn English Language, Languages, Spanglish, Spanish Language/ 1 Comment

Long before the hybrid Spanglish came on the scene, the two languages—Spanish and English—were mixing it up in dusty border towns and far-flung tropical locales. Over the years, English has been enriched by the addition of numerous Spanish loan words, some borrowed with virtually no changes while others have been anglicized to a certain extent, either in terms of spelling or pronunciation. When American settlers began exploring the west in the early 1800s, they encountered an established Mexican culture that supplied the English language with a number of everyday words. Merchants trading in the Spanish-influenced Caribbean returned not only with goods but new words as well. Novel dishes and ingredients introduced to us through exposure to Hispanic cultures have broadened both our menu options and our vocabulary.

While languages such as Spanish and French have academic bodies—the Real Academia Española and the Académie Française, respectively—charged with maintaining the purity and integrity of these languages, no such body exists for the English language. English abounds with words adopted from other languages, and new words continue to enter the language, many of which can claim foreign pedigrees.

The following list of words, although far from exhaustive, provides a glimpse of some of the Spanish loan words that you probably use all the time but never gave a second thought as to their origins.

adobe, alpaca, amigo, armadillo, banana, bandoleer, bolero, burro, bronco, caiman, caldera, chili con carne, chihuahua, condor, conga, conquistador, corral, coyote, creole, cumbia, daiquiri, desperado, embargo, flamenco, galleon, gaucho, gazpacho, guanaco, guerrilla, hacienda, iguana, jaguar, junta, latino, llama, machete, macho, maize, mambo, manatee, maracas, mariachi, marijuana, matador, merengue, mesa, mescal, mosquito, negro, oregano, paella, pampa, patio, pasodoble, piñata, plaza, poncho, puma, quinoa, rodeo, rumba, salsa, siesta, silo, taco, tango, tapas, tequila, tobacco, tornado, tortilla, vanilla, vigilante, vertigo.

Can you think of any other examples of Spanish words that have snuck into English?

The Fate of the Spanish Language in the United States

Posted On June 7, 2012By TranspanishIn Languages, Spanish Language/ No Comments

The Spanish language is putting up a valiant fight. With 52 million Hispanics in the U.S. and the number of Spanish speakers on the rise, it looks as though Spanish is here to stay; however, historically speaking, the United States has earned a reputation as the place where good languages go to die. In the late 1800s/early 1900s, legions of immigrants arrived from places such as Italy, Russia and Germany, but by the third generation, their maternal languages had fallen by the wayside in favor of English. Will Spanish suffer the same fate with today’s new wave of immigrants from Latin America?

The truth is that the U.S. Hispanic population has benefited from economic conditions, technology, and demographic and geographic factors quite different from those experienced by European immigrants in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Sheer numbers: The U.S. is home to some 50 million Spanish speakers versus 10 million German speakers (previously, the largest group of non-English-speaking immigrants).
Shared background: The majority of Spanish-speaking immigrants hail from Mexico (some 30 million).
Geography: Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba’s geographic proximity to the U.S. means that recent immigrants are less likely to completely dissociate themselves from their homelands, unlike immigrants who’ve left behind countries thousands of miles away.
21^st century conveniences: Ease of travel, Spanish-language media, and Internet access have all contributed to elevated socioeconomic status for many immigrants. Freedom of movement and communication leads immigrants to reconnect with their roots and prevents the ghettoization that occurred during the great period of European immigration.

A recent market research study by Nielsen (“The Hispanic Market Imperative”) advises that companies continue to court the Latino segment. The study revealed the following statistics:

37% of Hispanic adults who primarily spoke English as children later learned enough Spanish to be considered bilingual.
Nine out of 10 Hispanic parents or parents-to-be want their children to speak both English and Spanish.
Hispanic adults say they want to be more Latino (31%) or bicultural (60%) than they are currently.
Estimates show that 56% of Latino adults speak primarily Spanish at home, compared to 40% who speak primarily English.

Hispanics are the largest immigrant group in U.S. history to show significant culture sustainability; they’re not vanishing into the American melting pot. America—if you haven’t done so already— take note.

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