Guide To The Spanish Language
An introduction to Spanish without the grammar - A new and fresh perspective with some interesting items on
language and the similarities between Spanish and English
As you get to grips with the language and hopefully after reading this introduction, you will not be surprised to discover there are different words for
the same meaning and different meaning for the same word. Language is used in many different ways and not in one common format. Language is full
of clichés, sayings and metaphors.
The result is that translating a passage word for word will, in most cases, not give us the true meaning. This is why so
often we say “something gets lost in translation”. What we really need is to interrupt the language, not merely translate it. As language students we really need to dwell on this subject for a while and grasp the implications. There is a
big difference between translation and interpretation. Interrupting something is far more useful and important than just translating it, which is one of the
reasons computers have so much trouble with language and so far are just unable to do the job of an interpreter. Making a literal translation is quite often
a waste of time we need to consider the context and the intended meaning.
Many phrases are good examples of the need to just learn parrot fashion many words for particular situations. “Lo Siento” actually means “I feel it” but it
is used to say “I’m sorry”.
