Some Colombian people might feel uncomfortable with the ‘wrong’ pronoun when choosing tú vs usted.

Read More: our Spanish-language coverage explains much more than just tú vs usted!

The first (and only) time I got beaten up happened when I was eight years old. The person responsible for that attack was a boy I used to hang out with in a Taekwondo class. He kicked me three times in the chest as he felt threatened because of something terrible I did. The offence: placing my hand on his shoulder and asking him “¿Quieres ser mi amigo?” (Would you like to be my friend?)

At the time, I was more shocked at his overreaction than at the stinging pain in my chest. I wondered what I’d done wrong, as I heard that phrase frequently when watching TV. What I ignored at the time too was that TV shows for kids were dubbed in ‘neutral Spanish’ (although a bit Mexican-focused), a variation of Spanish that was so different from what you hear daily in Colombian streets.

Believe it or not: the way I conjugated that sentence was understood as something only gay people would say, and, unfortunately, that was a big no-no in my school days. When it comes to tú vs usted, it’s important to make the right choice.

Tú vs usted: the basics

One of the most basic things people learn when studying Spanish 101 is that there is a pronoun, usted,  that can be used to replace the singular second pronoun tú, and that uses the same conjugations as the third person pronouns (él, ella). 

For example, if we want to say “you are a student”, we can either say “(tú) eres estudiante” or “usted es estudiante”. When asked, teachers always say the difference is that tú vs usted is that the former is informal and the latter used for formal speech.

That is certainly true. However, the nuances of the difference of tú vs usted are for use of a better word, skipped in the explanation. Most teachers don’t explain that people from some countries or regions prefer one pronoun over the other whether it is formal speech or not. 

For example, men from the central zones of Colombia (Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Ibagué, Neiva, Villavicencio, etc.) always use usted among themselves. It is the default option and it sounds odd when men choose to use tú with each other.

Tú is a way to  address someone that entails higher proximity in the relationship. In Colombia, it feels like touching or hugging that person. That is the reason why some men will not mind using that pronoun with women but will find it off-putting when hearing it from another man. Also, women are more likely than men to accept a conversation where they are called tú.

But you might be thinking that Colombian men do hug each other. Although that is true, we only do it in specific moments: greeting each other, celebrating, partying, taking pictures, saying goodbye, etc. 

There are more factors like age difference or generations each one belongs to, but randomly hugging another guy might not go down well – much like trying to have a conversation using tú vs usted, which would be less touchy-feely. 

Thus, some Colombian men are taught, from a very young age, to keep some physical distance with other guys. Failing to do so, even in the way they speak to each other, might lead to group mockery. Whether or not you agree with this way of being, like gender-neutral language, it’s something you’re likely to come across in other people.

Using the pronoun usted is a way to keep a kind of linguistic distance. Even if you have a close friendship with another guy (and you are a man), he might use usted and its conjugations anyway. Tú vs usted has a lot of cultural implication behind it.

Don’t think, either, that usted sounds strictly respectful. We can use it in formal situations, but also in rude conversations. When Colombian people want to insult each other, we conjugate our verbs with that pronoun. 

It sounds weird to combine the word ‘hijueputa’ (son of a bitch) with ‘tú’. Colombians often start a fight with phrases like “¿qué le pasa, hijueputa!” (what’s wrong with you, son of a bitch) or “¡su madre!” (your mother [fuck you!]). 

Insults with tú are not taken seriously. Also, if a Colombian person uses tú all the time and, suddenly, changes to usted, be sure you did something wrong that upset that person.

Obviously, usted is still used as a polite way of talking to someone you don’t know, older people or people with higher status such as bosses. However, you already know that switching between tú vs usted is more complex than just informal vs polite. 

The evolution of usted

To understand these kinds of reactions, we can check the evolution of the word usted. As Instituto Cervantes states, we need to go back to the 15th Century, when the polite expression ‘vuestra merced’ was introduced in the language. That courtesy title was born with a similar grammar and purpose than ‘su majestad’ (your grace) but for common folk.

The word ‘merced’ can have many meanings. DRAE lists most of them as ‘gift’, ‘reward’, or ‘mercy’. It is also included in some grammar forms like ‘estar a merced de’, which means ‘to be at the mercy of. To summarize, we can agree it was a respectful way of addressing someone.

The expression evolved into shorter words: vuesasted, vuested, vusted and finally usted. This helps to know that every time we say usted, we are not addressing (or “touching”) someone directly, but a persona that represents the recipient of the message. That’s why we use a third person conjugation when we say usted.

Nevertheless, evolution does not always take one single path to its goal. There was a special deviation that happened in Colombia. In zones like Boyacá or Cundinamarca, you can hear people saying sumercé as a very polite way of addressing someone, way beyond usted in respect but with the same conjugation rules. It is thought that only people who live in small towns use sumercé, but you can also hear it in Bogotá. 

This is common among campesinos, people who work at stores, gas station attendants, and everyone who provides a service. Customers, clients, bosses, and elders are especially treated this way. However, this word can be used with anyone. Be alert, and pay the same respect if the word sumercé shows up in a conversation.

¿Vos S.O.S. gringo?

Before ‘vuestra merced’, the standard phrase to respectfully address people was vos. When the first one became the rule, vos was used for closed friends or to express contempt towards somebody you might think of ‘inferior people’, such as your employees or children. Using it in the wrong context was considered an insult.

The Hispanophone world is separated by a common language and in some countries and regions it became the standard singular second person pronoun, pretty much replacing tú – especially in the Southern Cone as well as parts of Central America. On the other hand, in some other countries like Colombia, it’s a third option alongside tú vs usted.

The problem with vos is it has its own conjugations in present simple and imperative forms (the other tenses share conjugations with tú). Some examples:

• Ser: Vos sos.
• Decir: Vos decís.
• Comer: Vos comés.
• Hablar: Vos hablás.
• Dormir: Vos dormís.
• Entender: Vos entendés.
• Saber: Vos sabés (people from Cali might pronounce it like vojabés).

It is known that people from many cities from the Western regions of Colombia use vos. To make it harder, they can mix the use of that pronoun with tú vs usted depending on the context or the speaker.

Which pronoun should I use?

Fortunately enough, most Colombians identify a foreign language accent when someone is talking to them. If you are still a Spanish language beginner, you can just focus on trying to get yourself understood rather than thinking on what pronoun to use according to the context. 

Colombians who have chatted with foreigners (even Spanish native speakers) are used to talking with the former when thinking of tú vs usted – trying to mimic the ‘neutral Spanish’ variation we discussed above, learned from dubbed TV shows.

But, if you have a higher proficiency and want to improve your Spanish, by all means, do give it a try. Here are some tips you can follow to know which pronoun is best when considering tú vs usted in Colombia:

• If you and the listener have a significant age difference, use usted.
• Say usted to your boss, teachers, and business people. However, you can make an exception if they show themselves as easy-going and chill people. If they use tú with you, you can test the waters and try to use it as well.
• Say usted to authorities. Police are not likely to be kind with people who do not respect them.
• For most men, use usted with men and tú with women your age.
• For most women, it is okay to say tú to people your age.
• It is desirable to tell children tú.
• If you insult someone, always use the conjugation for usted.
• Tú is often a good choice with people from the Caribbean region. For Vos, check the map above.
• The same rules applies within Colombian families. For example, it is better to use usted or sumercé with the parents of your partner.
• Romantic partners are expected to use tú. If your Colombian partner suddenly switches from tú to usted, is because something worrying is happening. If you also switch to usted, it can be seen as a challenge.

The post Tu vs Usted: TÚ or not to TÚ? That IS the question! appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

It’s difficult to know how you should study English nowadays. There are so many options! You could use apps, but perhaps you ought to enrol in a language school to get some extra support. Whatever you choose, you have to study every day: that’s really important.

It’s difficult to know how you should study English nowadays. There are so many options! You could use apps, but perhaps you ought to enrol in a language school to get some extra support. Whatever you choose, you have to study every day: that’s really important.

In our daily lives, we do a lot of different things. We talk about the things we’ve learnt to do, and we ask for permission to do those things. We check what we need to remember when we’re doing them, we make suggestions to others about the best ways to do them, and even try to predict what will happen as a consequence.

Fortunately, there’s an easy solution for all these situations: Modal verbs are your flexible friends in the world of English, and essential for many situations. Read on as we talk about some of the different types of modal verbs.

Ability:

Are you a great guitarist? Or do you enjoy riding a bike? We all enjoy talking about our abilities. When talking about the present, we use can and can’t to talk about the things that we are and aren’t able to do, and could and couldn’t to talk about similar ideas from the past:

• I will have to take a taxi to get there, because I can’t drive.
• She could speak French when she was just ten years old.

Although not a modal verb, it’s important to also understand and use the phrase be able to. This has a similar meaning to can and could, but is much more flexible. You just need to know how to conjugate the verb to be:

• I’ve been able to swim since I was a child.
• My friend has lots of money. He might be able to lend us some.

Requesting and giving permission:

Do you need a favour? Or do you need someone to let you do something? Then can and could are also very useful:

• Could I leave a little earlier today?
• You can use your phone after you finish your work.

This is one area of language where some people say that can is not a good option, as a phrase like “Can I use your toilet?” might be talking more about your physical ability to use a toilet, and not the required permission. These people will say that “May I use your toilet?” is a much better option, but in practice, can is frequently used in this way.

Advising and suggesting:

We all have problems in life, but fortunately we also have friends who will suggest possible solutions. To give advice, we can use should or could:

• You should take a painkiller if you have a headache.
• You could take a taxi to get there faster.

Another option is to use the semi-modal verb, ought to. This has a similar meaning to should and could, but is a semi-modal as it uses to. Notice that this to is an important part of the verb, so you need to include it, even when ought to is at the end of a sentence:

• You ought to visit your friend if he’s sick.
• I know you don’t want to eat vegetables, but you ought to.

To give a lot of emphasis to a suggestion or advice, we use must.

• You must visit Longstanton Spice Museum!
• If you have a cold, you must stay in bed.

Obligations:

An unfortunate part of life is that there are a lot of rules. Some of these are very important, but we can safely ignore others.

When something is very important and it’s a necessity to follow the rule, we can use must or have to. Some grammar guides say that must is used when a particular obligation is something I’ve decided is important, and have to is for a rule which someone else has decided, but in practice these two forms are very similar:

• You must wear a seatbelt when you drive.
• She has to take her dog for a walk every evening.

When something is a possibility but not essential, we can use don’t have to to explain that this is optional:

• He doesn’t have to wear a tie if he drives a taxi.

Finally, when something is definitely against the rules, we can use mustn’t:

• You mustn’t drink and drive. You will lose your driving license.

Deduction:

Some things in life are easy to understand. Sometimes though, we have to guess. To make these deductions about something that is happening now, we can use must when we’re sure that something is true, might, may or could when we’re not sure, and can’t when we’re sure that something is not true:

• He’s just finished running a marathon; he must be exhausted!
• I’ve seen her around the hospital many times. She might / may / could be a doctor.
• They’re only twelve years old! They can’t be university students!

We can also use the same modal verbs to make deductions about the past. To do this, we just put the verb after the modal verb into present perfect:

• They went straight to bed when they arrived. They must have been very tired.
• She has spent a lot of time in Europe. She might / may / could have visited Spain.
• The food can’t have been cooked properly, because we all felt bad afterwards.

Seeing double

Be careful: One tricky thing about modal verbs is that the same modal verbs can be used in different situations, with different meanings. For example, the phrase she should be sleeping now could mean a) I’m a critical parent who wants a friend’s daughter to be in bed, or b) I’m a teenager who predicts that my mum is now in bed, so it’s time to sneak out for a party. Everything depends on context, so think about it carefully!

Conjugations

Modal verbs work a little differently from normal verbs. They are not conjugated, so there’s no need to use the “s” for third person. In addition, the verb that comes after the modal verb is used in its base infinitive form, without to. Check the following examples to see some common conjugation mistakes with modal verbs and how to correct them:

Originally from Sheffield, England, Phil Stoneman has been living in Bogotá and teaching English since 2004. He teaches at Externado University, where he might have a great semester if his students realise they ought to arrive on time.

The post Modal verbs: Can you feel the love tonight? appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

The times they are a-changing and language is a-changing with them. Since languages are organic creations of human culture, as that culture changes so too do they. The language used by Shakespeare is so different to modern day English that secondary school students usually reach for their dictionaries. That’s quite old, but even texts from the Victorian or Edwardian era sound very strange to a modern ear. A lot of people ejaculate in Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes novels, yet the modern meaning of the word gives the whole thing a comical feel.

As a language learner, you need to know where the language is going, not where it has come from. There’s little point wasting your time learning words and phrases that are going out of fashion, for a start. Also, you want to sound modern and up-to-date, not like some bizarre Victorian cliché. Actually, I quite like sounding like a bizarre Victorian cliché, but I’m not a good role model in general. Do as I say, not as I do.

Third person plural

To avoid the problem of he/she; his/hers etc, English now tends to use third person plurals when gender is unknown or irrelevant. An example: “When a person arrives, they see the bar first.” In this example, although the person is singular (a person) they represent any random person, and so are of indeterminate gender. To avoid the rather ugly he or she, we simply say they. If it helps, imagine that the person is actually male and female and therefore plural.

Inclusive language

For decades now, English has been shifting to more and more gender-neutral language where necessary, appropriate and possible. So, firemen are now firefighters, businessmen are business people and policemen have become police officers. Also, many feminine versions of jobs are disappearing, so we have male and female actors rather than actors and actresses.

Lessening formality

There has been a growing trend towards informality in English. In general, regular American English is still more formal than regular British English, although exceptions persist, of course. The old idea of addressing men as Sir and Mister and women as Madam or Ma’am is certainly slipping away. To be honest, it sounds almost sarcastic at times, and definitely old-fashioned.

Text-speak and its place

As mobile phones become ever-more present in our lives, so too does text-speak. Parts of text-speak have made their way into regular speech (yes, people really do say lol now) and it is becoming more accepted in emails and other written communication. The real key for learners of English in the future is understanding when text-speak is OK and when it’s not. That’s not so difficult (and of course the rules are still being defined) – simply use common sense and think about if you would use Spanish text-speak in a similar situation.

Obligations

‘Have to’, ‘must’, ‘ought’ are a bit different in real life and in English textbooks. You may have been taught that have to and must are different because of external and internal obligation. That’s really not true in any sensible way any more. Nowadays the difference is more that must generally feels stronger and have to is less dramatic. South Africans use must a lot.

Read all our English language articles

Ought to isn’t changing its meaning, but it is being used less and less. In your classes, I would focus on using should and recognising ought to but not worrying about using it so much. A bit like the ‘vosotros’ form in Spanish for us foreigners living in Colombia. It exists and we want to be aware of it, but it’s not a usable form.

EU English

English is very tolerant of regionalism. From South Africa to India to the Caribbean to the British Isles  and even the USA, different varieties of English follow their own rules and often have grammatical and lexical differences. Unlike some languages, there’s no unifying standard, so usage becomes the final decider of correctness. Interestingly, English is developing within the EU now, almost entirely among second-language speakers.

With Britain set to leave and currently sulking like a brat in the corner, the four million Irish speakers and handful of Maltese will be the only remaining native speakers in the Union. Despite this, for political reasons English is likely to continue as a neutral language of communication – with some twists. For example, the progressive tenses are being used more frequently and a whole new lexicon is developing to handle EU-related matters. In general, English is being pulled closer to other European languages – actual is often used in the Spanish sense, for example.

Vocabulary

Just as certain words in Spanish now seem absurdly old-fashioned, words in English also fall in and out of fashion. Cool was the big thing when I was a young’un, and it has stuck around. Wicked (meaning good) didn’t stand the test of time though and fell away. There’s rarely a lot of logic to these changes and it’s worth just watching the language that you see and seeing what you notice being used more and more.

Also, some words change their meanings over time. When I was younger, disinterested and uninterested had separate meanings only. As the years marched on though, people increasingly used disinterested to mean uninterested. The OED eventually accepted that there were enough of these people to mean that disinterested now both has its original meaning and is also a synonym of bored. As many of you might feel after reading that, I suspect.

Some big words from last year.

Not all of these are exactly from 2019, but they’ve all started to go mainstream over the past year or so.

Cannabusiness – the growing industry related to cannabinoids as they are legalised in more and more places.

Lit – cool, great, amazing.

Upcycling – using as much as possible of an item.

Firehosing – Telling as many lies as possible as fast as possible to make life difficult for fact-checkers.

Yass (Yaaaas/Yas) – alternative to yes, showing extra excitement.

Cryptocurrency (or simply crypto) – currencies that don’t physically exist, such as Bitcoin

Deepfake – Videos that have been significantly altered, often with special effects, to present a convincing lie.

Snowflake – Easily offended people, perceived to be poor at taking criticism. (Not new, but got big this year.)

TERF – Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist. Feminists who don’t recognise transsexual people as part of the feminist movement.

Quid pro quo – After centuries of extremely rare usage, you’d be hard pressed to find an American news story right now without this Latin phrase for a tit for tat.

Woke – To be fully accepting of (usually) progressive points.

Salty – To be bitter or angry (Jürgen Klopp complaining about VAR after Liverpool drop points).

Trigger – to cause offense.

The post English language: We’re going through changes appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

In this article, we look at some of the questions to keep in mind if you’re keen to continue your education outside of Colombia.

What’s your objective?

The first thing to think about is why you want to study abroad. Are you looking for a one-month immersion English course, or a full Master’s degree? Are you looking for a break from Colombia, or a course that might allow you to stay in your host country after you finish? 

All of these are exciting options… but if you want to find something that works for you, you need to be honest with yourself about what you’re really looking for. For example, if you’re primarily looking for the experience of living in another country, then there’s no need to pay for an expensive university to do that.

Once you’ve decided on what you want, research is key. Investigate the options, see what’s available, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Additionally, remember that most universities can put you in touch with ex-students, who can tell you all about their experiences.

If you’re thinking about doing an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in another country, then make sure that you’ve got the necessary English level and certification for it. The IELTS exam (International English Language Testing System) is the best option, being accepted at almost all international universities, although the TOEFL exam (Test of English as a Foreign Language) will also be accepted in North America.

Related link: Speaking English in a Foreign Land

Show me the money

It’s no secret that studying abroad can be expensive. Tuition, accommodation and other expenses soon add up, which is the main factor that discourages people from the idea of going abroad.

However, there are options. As Andrea Palacios from the agency Blue Studies International says, “In addition to the benefits offered by language institutions and universities in terms of discounts and scholarships, financial institutions have developed products so that students, if necessary, can not only finance their studies but also their maintenance.”

It’s also important to note that funding isn’t just for academic high flyers. Talking about students with lower grade averages, EdCo LATAM’s Simon Terrington adds that they “might not get government scholarships, but they still get scholarships from universities.”

Again, research is important here: many scholarships are available, as well as regional awards for Latin American students, so it’s a very good idea to check all possible options carefully to see what you might qualify for.

Another question to ask yourself, if, for example you’re considering an advanced business degree, is whether it’s worth the extra expense to study at a higher ranked university. For many Colombian employers, an MBA is an MBA, and it doesn’t really matter where you got it. As Terrington says, “There’s a lot of students who’ve got MBAs from lower ranked universities, who are going to jump into the same kind of jobs as some who’ve got an MBA from Durham.”

Location, location, location

The academic field is now massively competitive, and many places around the world are doing their best to attract your attention. 

Perhaps the most important consideration when trying to choose a possible destination is what you actually want to study, and which place would fit those needs the best. However, aside from academics, the lifestyle of your prospective host country and city should also fit your personal requirements.

Andrea Palacios comments, “Australia and New Zealand are the most attractive destinations for our students. Not only for the quality of life which can be found in these countries, but for the diversity of cultures, the mix of nationalities and the cities that adapt to the needs and objectives of each student.”

For English courses, there are some particularly interesting options. Malta, for example, has become a very popular destination for aspiring English students in recent years, and given its Mediterranean location and mild climate, it’s not hard to see why.

Expert assistance

Although there is a lot of research you can and need to do yourself, there’s also an important place for expert help when choosing the best option: there is a growing number of agencies in Colombia wanting to benefit from the increasing number of students looking to study abroad, and they can offer attractive prospects.

Per Andrea Palacios, “Studying abroad is a life project, which is why students should be careful when choosing the agency that advises them. The main advantage of going to an agency is that our students have the support, clarity, confidence and security in the experience they are looking for.”

Another helpful suggestion is to attend one of the many fairs focused on studying abroad. This would be a useful opportunity to find out a lot more about the options available to you, and ask all and any questions that you may have.

Some upcoming study abroad fairs in Bogotá are:

Study UK Fair 2019 Saturday, 28 September, 10am-6pm (Grand Hyatt Hotel)

Expo Exterior 2019 Saturday, 5 October, 11am-6pm (Hotel B3)

Expo Posgrados 16 & 17 November 2.30pm-7pm (Parque – Museo de ‘El Chicó’)

The post Studying abroad: All abroad the study train! appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

Lately we printed three articles using acronyms which really interested me. Two were guides to text speak in both English and Spanish and the other was an opinion piece using the word NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard).

Our language articles were both slightly dismissive of the many forms of abbreviated speech that have flourished with the rise of messenger apps. But, as I was reminded when I looked up the origins of NIMBY, acronyms have been around for longer than mobile phones and social media.

Acronyms are abbreviated words that are formed using the first letter or letters of a series of words. For example, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) or ASAP (As Soon As Possible). Or, to use a Colombian example: INVIMA (Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos). 

There are a lot of these words, which represent both organisations and common expressions, and they can be difficult for language learners to understand. If you are unsure about what an acronym means, there’s a handy online resource with thousands of definitions at acronymattic. 

Then there’s also initialisms which are also formed using the first letter of each word, but cannot be spoken as complete words. Each letter is pronounced individually. For example DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) is spoken D-V-D or, to use a bit more text speak, BRB (Be Right Back) is B-R-B.

These forms of abbreviation continue to grow and form a lighthearted or irreverent aspect of the English language as original expressions change and develop.

Take NIMBY for example. First used in 1980 – or perhaps even before that – NIMBY-ism has sparked its own associated acronyms: NIABY – Not In Anyone’s Back Yard, NAMBI – Not Against My Business or Industry and (my personal favourite), BANANA – Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. I’ll admit that until I started researching this article, I’d never heard of any of these new acronyms. But that is one of the fun things about these words; once they are adopted into the language, they can give birth to a whole family of related ones. It’s bananas!

How should I use them?

The other great thing about acronyms is that there are no absolute rules. Some writers put a full stop after each letter on the basis that each letter is an abbreviated word – here at The Bogotá Post, for example, we think that it is unnecessary and looks ugly. 

And while initialisms are always written in capitals, some publications only capitalise the first letter for abbreviations that are pronounceable as words. In this newspaper, we write them both in capital letters unless the word has been officially accepted into the English language and is no longer viewed as an acronym.

What really matters is that whatever style you decide on, you must follow it and stay consistent. 

Some surprising acronyms

You may not know it, but quite a few words like radar and modem were originally acronyms. 

Modem stands for MOdulator-DEModulator and radar was coined in the 1940s as a quicker way of saying RAdio Detection And Ranging. Laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and if you are a fan of scuba diving, the word scuba is an abbreviation for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Try saying that with breathing apparatus in your mouth.

Those examples show that acronyms are very functional. Who wants to say Subscriber Identification Module card when they can say SIM card instead? 

But some acronyms are more humorous and even cynical. And, in times when swearing was much less socially acceptable, acronyms allowed people to swear without swearing. For example, an acronym my mother still uses is SNAFU (Situation Normal: All Fucked Up), which – like going AWOL – has military origins. AWOL means ‘Absent Without Official Leave’ and was used by the military for a soldier who left their post without permission.

There are a variety of other military acronyms which have found their way into common use. SNAFU could progress to TARFUN (Things Are Really Fucked Up Now) and if things go really pear shaped, FUBAR (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition). At that point, you might be tempted to tell your fellow soldiers FUBIO (Fuck You Buddy, I’m Out!).

Backronyms

There are even things called backronyms: reverse acronyms made to fit an existing word. 

Some have become urban myths – words that people actually believe are real acronyms. Like golf, which some think stood for ‘Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden.” Or the initialism SOS which is thought to mean ‘Save our Souls’ or ‘Save our Ships’, but was actually chosen because the morse code (dot dot dot – dash dash dash – dot dot dot) is simple and easy to remember in an emergency.

Some joke that Microsoft’s Bing search engine is an acronym for ‘Because It’s Not Google’ or that Ford stands for ‘Fix Or Repair Daily’. Have fun coming up with your own backronyms or new meanings for your name or company at nameacronym.net. Bogotá came out as ‘Brave Optimistic Glowing Open Transformative Agreeable’. Might need to work more on that one.

Another curious thing is that backronyms are sometimes completely unintentional. Have you heard about the kind family members sending the message WTF (What The Fuck?), believing that it means “well that’s fine”? Or the slightly bizarre message “your grandmother died last night. LOL.” LOL, in case you’re not sure, actually means ‘laughing out loud’, not ‘lots of love.’

It’s not only backronyms you can invent. With all the abbreviations used on social media and messenger applications, there is no better time to make up a few acronyms of your own. You never know, maybe in 50 years time they will have become mainstream and be explained in a newspaper article.

Acronym or initialism?

Purists like will tell you that an acronym has to be pronounceable as a word. Others will say that the English language has evolved and the category of acronyms now also includes initialisms. As with many things in language, the most important thing is to understand what the letters actually mean: people will always disagree about how to classify these words.

The post DeoxyriboNucleic Acid or just DNA: Acronyms in English language appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

We all make mistakes when we’re learning, but some common Spanish mistakes frequently appear in the press too.

It’s natural for second language learners to rely on the media to help them learn and/or reinforce their new language. We take it for granted that we’re going to find the best use of language in media, and that should be the case. Sadly, there are times when a few sneaky mistakes slip through. In this Spanish language column, we’ll analyse four examples of this.

The case of en donde and cuando

Make no mistake. En donde in Spanish means where, and cuando means when. Explaining why native speakers, and particularly reporters, confuse them is a little difficult, but it might well be connected to the pressure of reporting last minute news. Whenever you are referring to a place in Spanish, donde, en la que or en el que are used. Cuando is used in sentences that require a time reference.

For example:

Esta es la tienda cuando se reunieron los delincuentes para repartir el botín. 
–> Esta es la tienda en donde/en la que se reunieron los delincuentes para repartir el botín. 

This is the store where the criminals met to divvy up the booty.

La semana pasada, donde se tomó la decisión en la Corte Suprema, los ciudadanos salieron a la calle a protestar. 
–> La semana pasada, cuando se tomó la decisión en la Corte Suprema, los ciudadanos salieron a la calle a protestar. 

Last week, when the Supreme Court made the decision, citizens went out to the streets to protest.

Había, not “habían”

We Spanish speakers certainly like to complicate our lives with this one! It is straightforward in English: there WAS a book on the table, but there WERE five books on the shelf. Spanish does not pluralise this, and it should not be treated like some other impersonal verbs.

For example:

Hubieron muchos problemas con la implementación de la paz. 
–> Hubo muchos problemas con la implementación de la paz. 

There were many problems during the implementation of the peace process

Habían muchas personas haciendo fila para entrar a Rock al Parque. 
–> Había muchas personas haciendo fila para entrar a Rock al Parque. 

There were many people standing in line to get in Rock al Parque.

Pueden haber graves consecuencias para los delincuentes. 
–> Puede haber graves consecuencias para los delincuentes.

There may be dire consequences for the criminals.

Cuyo/Cuya

This is how to say whose in Spanish, but unfortunately very few people seem to care or to know about its use. It’s a real pity to see cuyo omitted in many reports and interviews on television and radio.

For example:

El terreno, el que su valor es exorbitante, fue adquirido por los familiares de un renombrado funcionario público. 
–> El terreno, cuyo valor es exorbitante, fue adquirido por los familiares de un renombrado funcionario público. 

The land, whose value is excessive, was acquired by a famous public officer

La página web, la que su audiencia supera los diez millones de seguidores, planea adquirir una importante cadena de televisión. 
–> La página web, cuya audiencia supera los diez millones de seguidores, planea adquirir una importante cadena de televisión. 

The web page, whose audience is over 10 million followers, is planning to buy out a very important TV broadcasting company.

The rumour conditional

A favourite of journalists, reporters, and presenters alike. According to a note issued 2007 by fundeu.es, or Fundación del Español Urgente, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the correct use of Spanish, “The use of the rumour conditional is not grammatically incorrect, but style manuals consider it inappropriate.” 

Related: A handy guide to writing letters in Spanish

In Spanish, there are many uses for the conditional. One of these is to refer to uncertainty, most often in terms of an approximation, as in the example: “Habría en este momento unas 2.000 personas en la manifestación en contra del maltrato infantil.” At the moment, there are some 2,000 people present at the protests against child abuse.

However, some journalists have resorted to this “conditional” way of speaking to report news which is not entirely confirmed. It’s safe to say that many journalists use this to save their necks when the news hasn’t been validated. On this note, fundeu.es comes to the rescue, and suggests expressions such as según fuentes consultadas, posiblemente, cabe la posibilidad de que, es posible que, se cree que…

For example:

El Frente Nororiental del ELN sería el responsable del ataque. 

The Northeastern Bloc of the ELN would be accountable for the attack…

–> Según fuentes consultadas, el Frente Nororiental del ELN es el responsable del ataque.

According to consulted sources, the Northeastern Bloc of the ELN is responsible for the attack.

–> Posiblemente, el Frente Nororiental del ELN es el responsable del ataque. 

The Northeastern Bloc of the ELN is possibly accountable for the attack.

–> Cabe la posibilidad de que el Frente Nororiental del ELN sea el responsable del ataque.

There is a chance that the Northeastern Bloc of the ELN is responsible for the attack.

–> Es posible que el Frente Nororiental del ELN sea el responsable del ataque. 

It is possible that the Northeastern Bloc of the ELN is responsible for the attack.

The post Wrong use of Spanish language in the media: Don’t get me wrong appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

Spanish letters and emails remain quite formal compared to English, so we’ve put together a guide so you’re writing not just in class, but with class.

However short or long your letters and emails, the expressions used show the level of culture, education, personality, and the relationship between the sender and the receiver. It’s sometimes difficult to get the formality of those relationships right, but hopefully, this quick guide will help you overcome any letter-anxiety. I’ve divided each part of the letter by level of language formality, and also included literal translations of some of the expressions in brackets for comprehension purposes.

Formal communication
Semi-formal email or letter
Emails between colleagues/friends

Quick tip: if you are responding to Spanish letters or emails, check the opening and closing of that correspondence you received and copy it; it is an easy way to keep the formality at the same level.

Letterhead

Salutation

Salutation + Señor(a)/Doctor(a) + Name:
Eg: Apreciada Señora Teresa:

Note: The salutation is followed by a comma (,) in English. It should be followed by a colon (:) in Spanish.

For multiple unknown recipients, use A quien pueda interesar: or A quien corresponda: [To whom it may concern]

Respetado(a) Señor(a) + last SF Apreciado(a) + name:
More formal, in case you’re writing to the leader of a religious institution, the President or a minister.
Excelentísimo(a) + Señor(a) + position:
Honorable + Señor(a) + position:

Apreciado(a)
Estimado(a)
Buenos días/Buenas tardes/noches, + name:

Hola, + name

Body

Unlike letter writing in English – which, generally speaking, tends to be more direct – it is usual to include one of the expressions listed below to ease in before going to the purpose of the letter. Going directly to the point may appear impolite, or as if you are giving an order. That’s a problem if the purpose of your letter is to make a request or ask for a favour.

Cordial saludo. [Kind regards]
De antemano, quiero agradecerle el tiempo que dedica a leer esta comu- nicación. [Beforehand, I would like to show my ap- preciation for the time you are devoting to reading my communication.]

Reciba un cordial saludo. [Kind regards]

Me place saludarte. [It’s is nice to greet you]
¿Cómo estás? [How are you?]
¿Cómo has estado?[How have you been?]
Espero que estés bien. [I hope you are doing well.]

Bearing in mind that there are as many expressions as there are purposes to letters, here are some that you might find useful. To keep it simple, use the usted conjugation for formal, and semi-formal letters, and the conjugation with tú with informal letters. Howev- er, it is my experience that some people use the usted conjugation even with friends, so if you are already friends or acquaintances, test the waters before writing the letter/e-mail.

Saying why you are writing:

Por medio de la presente… [I hereby am…]
En esta oportunidad me dirijo a usted para…[I am writing to you on this occasion to…]
Cortésmente me dirijo a usted…[I am kindly addressing this to you…]
Respetuosamente me dirijo a usted para…[I am respectfully addressing this letter to you to…]
…invitarlo/comunicarle/expresarle/extenderle una invitación/solicitarle…[invite you/tell you/extend an invitation/request]

Escribo esta carta para…[I am writing this letter to…]
La presente tiene como objetivo…[The aim of this letter…]
La presente es para invitarlo/comunicarle/expresarle/extenderle una invitación/solicitarle…[This to invite you/tell you/extend an invitation/request ]

Te escribo para…[I am writing to you to…]
El motivo de esta carta es…[My reason for writing this letter is…]
Te estoy escribiendo porque quisiera invitarte a/comunicarte que/decirte que/pedirte que…[I am writing to you because I would like to invite you/tell you/ask you to]

Closing and signing off Spanish letters

Before closing the letter, it is common to draw your message to a close:

Agradeciendo de antemano la atención prestada. [Thanking you in advance for your consideration of this matter.]
Agradeciendo de antemano su respuesta a mi solicitud. [Thanking you in advance for a response to my request.]
Esperando poder prestarle nuestros servicios en el futuro. [Looking forward to providing our services in the future.]
No dude en contactarnos en caso de tener dudas al respecto. [Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any doubts regarding this.]

Sin otro particular. [With- out anything further to discuss.]
Sin otro particular por el momento. [Without anything further to discuss for the time being.]
Quedo a su orden. [I remain at your disposal.]

Muchas gracias por tu ayuda con este tema. [Thank you so much for helping me with this.]
Te lo agradezco mucho. [I really appreciate it.]
Te lo agradezco muchísimo. [I really really appreciate it.]
Quedo muy pendiente de la respuesta. [I am looking forward to your response.]
Gracias por tu ayuda. [Thank you for your help.]

Related: Spanish football language

Here are some expressions to sign off:

Atentamente, [Yours faithfully,]
Cordialmente, [Cordially,]
+
Full name (One name and one last name will be enough)
Position
Contact information (depending on the letter, address, phone number, ID number)

Saludos cordiales, [Kind regards]
Saludos, [Regards]
+
Full name (One name and one last name will be enough)

Un abrazo, [A hug]
+
Your first name will be fine, or nickname if you are really close with your letter ́s receiver.

Expressions to draw attention to additional pieces of information below the signature: P.D. = PS
c.c.+ name of other people receiving the same letter = Copied to…

*A note on titles: When you know the person’s profession, it is customary to use the title, instead of Señor(a) – at least in Colombian contexts – for example, Ingeniero(a), Doctor(a), Abogado(a), Profesor(a). Also, in many Colombian contexts there’s a custom of calling any professional a doctor as a way to show respect, even though they may not practice medicine or have pursued doctoral studies. It’s not an idea I hold with because I see it as establishing certain class boundaries among individuals. That said, it can be worth using if you want to build rapport in certain circles; lawyers are most often called Doctor/Doctora, for instance.

The post Writing with class: A guide on how to write Spanish letters appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

If you’ve been told you should never translate when learning English, forget it…instead use your Spanish efficiently and smartly.

You’ve been told a million times by English teachers: ‘never translate’. Well, that’s really poor advice. It comes from a good idea: it is indeed a lot easier to think in the language you’re communicating in. However, there are two big problems with this. Number one is pretty simple – you don’t (I imagine) have a magic switch in your head that allows you to choose which language to think in. Secondly, there are a lot of benefits from using your (hopefully) large Spanish knowledge for the translation when learning a second or third language.

Translation is a useful tool in various ways: you can use it to observe differences between English and Spanish, which will make your English more natural in the long term. You can use it for vocabulary building, by adding a large number of free words to your knowledge. You can use it to understand new words by meaning and context. You can use it to get free grammar points from Spanish to English. You can use it to bring across idioms and sayings.

Cognates

First off, there are lots and lots of words in both Spanish and English that come from Latin, Greek and other sources. These words are often technical and they are usually almost identical in both languages. Look back at that previous sentence: technical/técnico; usually/usualmente; identical/idéntico; language/lenguaje. All of these words are very, very similar, and your (hopefully) good knowledge of Spanish vocabulary will help you a lot in English too. This is a huge advantage that Spanish speakers have, compared to, for example, Mandarin speakers.

Of course, when you’re speaking or writing, cognates help you to take risks and see if new words actually exist or not. However, in listening and reading, it’s just as useful to be able to substitute the Spanish word into the sentence and see if it still makes sense. If it does, then you’ve probably found another cognate.

Using your HEAD

Cognates are useful, but there are more lexical items that English and Spanish share. There are plenty of idioms and phrasal verbs in English that people like to claim are very bizarre. Some of them are – ‘raining cats and dogs’ doesn’t seem to make much sense. On the other hand, plenty are not – ‘fighting like cat and dog’ isn’t hard to understand. Even better, many English idioms come from a shared European heritage, so they exist in both languages. For example, there’s very little difference between take the bull by the horns and tomar al toro por los cuernos.

Similarities in grammar

Although it’s easy to focus on the differences between English and Spanish grammar, you might be surprised by the things that are the same. Students often complain about the passive voice, for example, but it’s almost exactly the same in both languages. The perfect tenses, too, are very similar in terms of structure and meaning. There’s also a future tense that uses basically the same form: the similarities go on and on.

Understanding the differences

Of course, Spanish and English are not the same language, so you can’t always translate. However, knowing exactly when you can’t translate is part of the skill of intelligent and efficient translation. For example, you know that the past tenses operate differently. You also need to consider word order, so that you remember that adjectives always go first in English, rather than behind. So these are areas in which to be careful – but knowing where to be careful and when to avoid translation is part of the trick.

Related: Common errors from English to Spanish

It’s worth trying to memorise some false friends, such as nudo ≠ nude or carrera ≠ career. Knowing these will help you avoid mistakes. Also, look for basic differences – sobre in Spanish often replaces about in English. It’s not a big difference in idea, but it will allow you to think “I want to say hablar sobre… so it’s talk about.” That’s using your translation tools efficiently to achieve good communication.

Following the rules

When you understand the differences, you can use them to improve your English. For example, you know that fácil is easy in English, so fácilmente must be easily… and that’s exactly correct. Translation has helped you find and build a new word. You’re using a little of translation and a little of Spanish and it’s working well.

Let’s come to vocabulary. Students often confuse -ed and -ing adjectives, but this shouldn’t be a big problem! After all, Spanish is not so different here. Almost all of the adjectives that end in -ido or -ado have a passive sense… just like when we use -ed in English. So, interesado becomes interested. The corresponding active adjective is often -ing in English, and these words end in ways like -able and -ante in Spanish. But still, if you want to know if you should say interesting or interested, just do a quick translation. La película es interesante. So, it should be interesting.

In the end, translation is a tool to be used with care, but it brings huge advantages. I especially recommend either avoiding translation, or taking a lot of care with various aspects, like past tenses, connectors, and prepositions. There are significant and important differences between English and Spanish in all of these areas and this can cause huge problems.

Of course, it’s ultimately better to be able to think and speak in English when you reach a more advanced level. But when learning, it’s frankly insane to ignore translation as a tool. Not only is it another tool available to you, but it’s a particularly useful tool a lot of the time. One of the big advantages of learning as an adult – and they do learn much faster than children, despite the claims of schools trying to sell a magic system of teaching – is that you have an enormous bank of pre-existing knowledge. Deliberately not using those information reserves would be crazy.

The post Instead of avoiding it, use translation tricks to improve your English appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

“¿Usted sí sabe qué es nea?” was the question that the famous paisa cyclist Rigoberto Urán posed to the local news reporter who had previously asked him why he had cut his trademark hair style—a tuft of hair that fanned out down to his shoulders. You do know what ‘nea’ means, right?

The reporter didn’t. And after winning the 9th round of the 2017 Tour de France, Urán was either too tired or simply unwilling to explain it. And thus was born the ‘nea’ heard around the world.

In a tremendous expose by the Medellin-based publication Universocentro, Juan Fernando Ramírez Arango delves into the etymology and provenance of the word “gonorrea” as it is used in paisa parlance. Ramirez takes an anthropological linguistic approach to the word and through extensive research traces it back to the jail cell of a notorius paisa criminal circa 1982. Almost a decade later, the Dictionary of Popular Speech in Antioquia was published, including both ‘Gonorrea’ and ‘Nea,’ where the edition defines the latter as a shorthand of the former.

Despite the word’s narco origins, adolescent school children were some of its early adopters. Afraid of the repercussions of using the word around authority figures (mainly parents and teachers), the story goes, these savvy kids changed the word ever so slightly in an act of artful defiance. It’s important to note that this kind of linguistic subversion also goes both ways—cautious parents do it around their children when they stub their toe, mollifying ‘fuck’ to ‘fudge’ or hijueputa’ to ‘hijuepucha.’ This, however, is not that because ‘gonorrea,’ which gave birth to ‘nea,’ lives a very distinct life from its origin.

The two closest approximations of ‘nea’ in English that I could come up with attribute two different meanings to the word. The first operates as insult, as in “He talks very nea,” or “That bar last night was very nea.” This usage is very similar to how many Americans used and use the word “ghetto.” And while the ghetto was a place before it was an adjective, one that people rarely opt into, ‘ghetto’ became an adjective to describe everything from music to clothes to speech patterns. I’ve heard ‘ghetto’ used to describe broken phone screens, a leaky toilet and, probably most frequently, hairstyles and fingernails.

‘Nea’ assumes a similar role in paisa Spanish. When describing something as lower class or “hood” or “ratchet” people will often draw upon “nea”. However, in my observation, the word is most often used to refer to people.

Which leads me to its next approximation. One definition in Urban dictionary describes the meaning of the word “as friend or bro. It’s similar to parce or parcero.” The other, which is also my assessment, goes like this: “A more politically acceptable name for ‘nigga.’ See nea plz.”

Without delving too far into the obvious racial connotation, ‘nigga,’ when used by a non-black person is almost always recognized as a slur. However, within the black community, ‘nigga’ is both used as a slur and as an alternative to “friend” or “bro.”

I make the comparison because both words are imbued with a kind of cultural permission. The decade-long question about ‘nigga ‘is “who is allowed to use it?” Because the origins of the word are unmistakably racial, the discussion around it pertains very closely to race. The lines for ‘nea’ are equally complex. Does ‘nea’ refer to a socio-economic status, an education level, a region, a culture, a lifestyle, a hairstyle? And again, who “gets” to use it? But for these purposes, it’s probably best to first describe what it looks like.

From top down, a nea haircut is what my editor calls “business in the front, reggaeton in the back.” It’s a close cut when seen head-on, shaved up to a patch of hair which cascades into varying degrees of mullet-ponytail that often can be seen peeking below a motorcycle helmet or a flat brim hat. Interestingly, the nea-style shares some aesthetic semblance of traditional female beauty standards. Sharply defined, even painted-on, eyebrows are a common nea trait which are curiously hidden behind a knock-off pair of Oakleys that are usually worn indoors. The shirt-pants (often long shorts) combination is always baggy and the sneakers, impeccably white, range from Nike Air Force Ones to thickly-soled Adidas or FILAs. And like the usage of the word itself, elements of nea culture are beginning to bleed into the mainstream.

I remember my first few months living in Medellin when I became an organic scholar of paisa  vernacular, meaning that I hung out in the park with a beer and pestered my Colombian friends about what certain words meant. Before I set out to master RAE’s Castilian, I wanted to know how the parceros spoke, how one shoots shit in this neighborhood versus the one where I grew up. After several months of observation and imitation, I recall a friend commenting on my Spanish, “Estás hablando muy nea!” What was surely meant to be a critique, I received as a badge of honor.

I, a black gringo from Washington, D.C. with roots in Georgia, was speaking nea in the land of neas? I relished in what I took to be an invitation inside—inside nea.

Lamentably, I soon realized that my stay there was not necessarily welcome. That to adopt even the bare-minimum of nea culture was to co-opt an identity that I was foreign to. From my experience, nea does not have arbiters like the guardians of other “insider” words. Urán broadcasted the word on Caracol and the Nea Coalition did nothing.

What I’ve learned about language, particularly vernacular language, is that it is often borne out of some kind of struggle. There is no such thing as an invitation into nea because the creation of it was conceived out of not being invited in. Neas being associated with lower class crime are not cool or trendy like being ”preppy” or “hipster” is cool and and trendy.  One wears nea clothes, sports a nea hairstyle, drinks and lives with neas because it suits them. And when someone asks what it actually means for something to be nea, maybe Urán’s response says it best—he shrugged, laughed, then went on to the next question.

The post Opinion: What is ‘nea?’ appeared first on The Bogotá Post.

What are the most important things to consider if you want to study in Canada? Here at the London Language Institute, we’ve been working with students from all around the world for the past 20 years, so we know that with a bit of planning you can transform a great experience into an extraordinary one.

First up, think about what city you want to be in. And what you want to achieve during your stay.Canada is a huge country with plenty of nature and plenty of big city life.Remember that Canada has two national languages – French and English– and that some cities, especially in Quebec, speak more French than English.

We are based in London, Ontario – Canada’s tenth largest city, and one that we’d love to welcome you to. It is super popular with students learning English as a second language and has a great mix of music, art and cultural events for you to enjoy.

One important piece of advice, no matter what country you are going to, is to make friends with locals. Many international visitors stay in their comfort zone by hanging out with people from their own country, speaking their own language. It is understandable, but if you come with a different mindset, you will reap the rewards.

For some, language learning is a reason to travel. For others, the fear of speaking a second language is what keeps then at home. The London Language Institute offers small classes for students of all levels. We provide hands on teaching and a multicultural setting for those who wish to focus on general English studies with an emphasis on conversational practice.

If you are planning to study at high school or university,you might want to check out our Pathway Program. We have developed a curriculum that prepares our students for academic courses taught in English. As a result, students who successfully complete the program will receive a conditional letter of acceptance from the University and a letter of acceptance from London Language Institute to pursuit their academic objectives.

Visas are an important factor for many students. If you are planning to study less than six months you can apply for a tourist visa, but any study period longer than six months a study permit is required. You will find additional information regarding visa requirements in this link http://www.vfsglobal.ca/Canada/colombia/. If you are coming to study English, make sure you register with a designated learning institute like us who can support your study application.

Another important consideration is where to stay. Some students prefer to flat share or go it alone.But for others, we offer homestay families for their time in London. Homestay families are controlled and carefully screened by a London Language Institute coordinator to ensure students will be living in a comfortable, safe and friendly environment.

Making the most of your trip means taking every opportunity to get out and explore. London is located within a two-hour drive of Toronto and Niagara Falls which allows students to travel and experience some of Canada’s most incredible and attractive sites. Do your research and plan out any trips that you want to make or festivals you want to attend. Not only can you save money by booking in advance, but time will fly once you are here and you need to make the most out of every moment.

Our language institute is based at the heart of downtown, so there are plenty of chances to visit the museums or enjoy the city’s many restaurants great shopping centers. London is also known as “The Forest City”with its beautiful parks and walkways along the Thames River.

Money is always an issue for students abroad. Save up as much as you can before you leave, and use our budget planner to get an idea of costs. One of the things that makes London appealing to international students is its low cost of living in comparison to Toronto,Ottawa and Vancouver. Don’t forget to factor in things like medical insurance.

While we are on the topic of planning, pack carefully. There is no point in bringing summer clothes for a Canadian winter. The less you have to buy here, the more cash you have to enjoy your trip. We’d also recommend scanning all your important documents before you leave just in case.

Finally, keep a journal of your travels. Whether you make it into a blog or keep it just for you, that treasure trove of memories will be something to look back on and smile.

This article was sponsored by London Language Institute. We are passionate about helping students to learn English and have a great experience in our school. If you want to study in Canada, get in touch with me, Juan-Pablo at jp@llinstitute.com.

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