What I love about US English is it's the perfect language to describe unknown things and their possible evolution. A language for pioneers, that nevertheless lacks the most important advantage of Spanish language: time. Spanish is almost the real philosophical language, because the only one in the world to present two words for the verb to be: your identity (ser) and your circumstances (estar). It's a great characteristic that help to overcome many difficulties and help to build up solidarity. Maybe that's why Spanish is renown for "magical realism". They can be (estar) clandestine immigrants and be (ser) the major working force for US economy. Another main difference is in Spanish, you don't love your fathers the same way you love your dog. There are three worlds for love in Spanish: amar (deep love) querer (everyday love) gustar (animals &objects). English speakers only know one way to love.
That's very interesting, Fred. What about French? Is that just for use in philosophical theory but not life?
French is the diplomatic language because of litote, which is not a unicorn, but the art to tell the most saying the less. "Go, I don't hate you", says Chimène to El Cid, and all the French understand: "My pants are wet". Apart from this, Shakespeare used 250.000 words in all his works and Moliere only 15.000 (of course, in French, you're supposed to say the less) ;)
Уважаемый Фред!
Мне кажется, что оригинальные языки (британский английский, французский, испанский, русский, немецкий, арабский, санскрит) более предназначен для размышлений и передачи чувств. Американский английский, будучи производным, больше подходит для аналитического описания.
Estimado Andrey Skorobogatov , como me encantaria hablar todos los idiomas que me atribuye! Pero la verdad es que tan solo domino tres, me las arreglo con cinco, y leo el alfabeto cirilico y por mis conocimientos de griego a traves de etimologia francesa y botanica, puedo adivinar el sentido de las frases rusas y mas o menos de que hablan. Usted tiene un ruso formal que me cuesta mas descifrar que con otros y eso me llama la atencion sobre los origenes linguisticos del ruso, que desconozco en sus detalles. Con el arabe, me pasa algo muy especial, es que a veces entiendo algunas cosas sin conocerlas. Me encantaria estudiar la poesia arabe y tengo proyectos de traduccion de obras arabes del siglo 11. El sanscrito, no lo hablo pero me parece el ancestro del latin. Hasta estoy muy altiva chapurrear tres palabritas en hungaro. Y quiero estudiar el mandarin.
Nirmala S.V.S.G
in Spanish too they use adjective inversion and "un dia bonito" ( a nice day) isn't the same meaning than "un bonito dia" ( a special happy day).
By reading some sources, the most prominent differences are the following:"1- silent pronunciation; there are some voices whose voice is not heard in the Spanish language, unlike the English language are ch, ll, rr, n. 2-Pronouns are defined in Spanish as e, o, a, i, u. 3-There are some characters that do not exist in Spanish or are not pronounced like k."
Isam Issa Omran Is there two verbs to say 'to be' in English, introducing time dimension in language?
Stanley Wilkin But 'to be' stays always the same. You are happy: is it forever? Spanish speakers assume it won't be forever (estoy contento) and that it is due to circumstances.
Fred, while I am sure you are correct in the ennui of the Spanish future tense, English is structured on Time.
To be-the present or future
to have been-present perfect/ action in the past connected to the present or continues into the pressent
I am working-/present progressive/working now and in future
A considerable number more often in the present perfect tense. To be+infinitive+ing connecting past with the present and future within one phrase. Thereby deeply philosophical in terms of Time. Everything exists within Time.
Yes, very intelligent declination around only one verb. In Spanish, there is too the same trick (voy haciendo). But they have too two verbs for to be, which is a very subtle definition of time: you have both quantum and general physic, crisscrossed in language.
Very impressive query that provoked several valuable and informative comments from our RG colleagues.
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