With particular consideration for the word "perro" (dog). I've noticed that there are words that occur in spanish and not any other language. I thought in most cases there was a fluidity of common word usage in all Latin based languages with the exception of Romanian. I need to hear if there has been some studies about the origins of the word "perro" in spanish and if there are other words in spanish that are unique to the language that anybody else knows in this forum and maybe some origins for those words.
Words unique to spanish
I heard the Spanish have a word for 'The day before yesterday' now thats unique.
Doesn't the Spanish word for "the day before yesterday" have the same number of syllables as "two days ago"? Is there really a big advantage to having such a word if it's so long?
On the other hand, English has single words for "once", "twice", "thrice", "beyond", "ago", etc.
On the other hand, English has single words for "once", "twice", "thrice", "beyond", "ago", etc.
"the day before yesterday""
ANTEAYER
ANTIER
(LOOK AT THE SPANISH DICTIONARY)
ANTEAYER
ANTIER
(LOOK AT THE SPANISH DICTIONARY)
So "anteayer" has 4 (short) syllables, like "two days ago". I suppose "antier" does have an advantage, though.
¿Recuerdan la película "El Día Después de Mañana"?... ¿No hubiera sido mejor traducir el título a "Pasado Mañana"?
I think most languages have words that are unique to them.
Forgive me if I'm wrong:
En: breakfast (this might not be unique, this is only for translation purposes)
Sp: desayuno
It: colazione
Fr: petit-déjeuner
Same happens for lunch:
En: lunch
Sp: almuerzo
It: pranzo
Fr: déjeuner
Forgive me if I'm wrong:
En: breakfast (this might not be unique, this is only for translation purposes)
Sp: desayuno
It: colazione
Fr: petit-déjeuner
Same happens for lunch:
En: lunch
Sp: almuerzo
It: pranzo
Fr: déjeuner
Fr <avant-hier> [avÃtjER] = "le jour qui précède la veille".
On a aussi : Fr <avant-avant-hier> [avÃavÃtjER] = "le jour qui précède l'avant-veille".
On a aussi : Fr <avant-avant-hier> [avÃavÃtjER] = "le jour qui précède l'avant-veille".
Old Spanish had 'cán' for "dog" from Latin canis but it was later displaced by a competing form, 'perro' of uncertain etymology. Catalan still has 'cá' for dog and Portuguese 'cão' from Vulgar Latin *canione.
(One theory of the origin of "perro" derives it from 'persus' (Persian) the name of a hunting dog , originally, from Persia, which became very popular in the Roman Empire from the 3rd century onward. Other theories are that it originally meant a "sheep dog" and comes from p-r-r-r the sound that Medieval shepherds in northern Spain used when calling sheep. Still other theories attribute it to an unknown pre-Roman source - Celtic or Basque. The word certainly bears some resemblence to German Pferd; Dutch paard "horse" which comes from a Gallo-Roman paraveredus "four-wheeler." )
(One theory of the origin of "perro" derives it from 'persus' (Persian) the name of a hunting dog , originally, from Persia, which became very popular in the Roman Empire from the 3rd century onward. Other theories are that it originally meant a "sheep dog" and comes from p-r-r-r the sound that Medieval shepherds in northern Spain used when calling sheep. Still other theories attribute it to an unknown pre-Roman source - Celtic or Basque. The word certainly bears some resemblence to German Pferd; Dutch paard "horse" which comes from a Gallo-Roman paraveredus "four-wheeler." )
<<So "anteayer" has 4 (short) syllables, like "two days ago". I suppose "antier" does have an advantage, though. >>
What a pragmatic way of thinking :rolleyes: Well, anteayer has an advantage over two days ago, because it takes less space when written.
What a pragmatic way of thinking :rolleyes: Well, anteayer has an advantage over two days ago, because it takes less space when written.
French uses -holà- (as "hallo" means two things...Hi and stop.:)
1. interjection hallo!; stop!;
2. masculine invariable : colloquial, mettre le holà à quelque chose put a stop to something
Old Spanish had 'cán' for "dog" from Latin canis but it was later displaced by a competing form, 'perro' of uncertain etymology. Catalan still has 'cá' for dog and Portuguese 'cão' from Vulgar Latin *canione.
spanish still uses the word 'cán' it's a proper noun; used mostly in Zoology. Another one used is canino.
1. interjection hallo!; stop!;
2. masculine invariable : colloquial, mettre le holà à quelque chose put a stop to something
Old Spanish had 'cán' for "dog" from Latin canis but it was later displaced by a competing form, 'perro' of uncertain etymology. Catalan still has 'cá' for dog and Portuguese 'cão' from Vulgar Latin *canione.
spanish still uses the word 'cán' it's a proper noun; used mostly in Zoology. Another one used is canino.