27 May 2010

Thanks for the help!

I didn't start studying Spanish in earnest until I was fifty years old and now twelve years later I am still working at it. I don't think that there is an end to the learning so I have accepted the fact that I must learn something new every day and like the Beatles first sang in 1967 "I get by with a little help from my friends". Other than my wonderful wife Gina my best source of new words actually comes from my fellow bloggers. This week so far I have learned the word "farallón" from my friend Brenda of the blog "Brenda and Roy Going to Mexico". A "farallón" is a giant rock, usually by the edge of the sea. From my friend Don Cuevas of the blog "My Mexican Kitchen" I learned that the word "berros" means "watercress" and from Mindy at "The Rosas-Standring Family" I learned that the word "tábano" means "horsefly". My friend Alfredo of "The Diary of Alfredo" taught me that "polluelo" means "baby bird". I have always used "pollito" but a "pollito" is a young chick that has been out of the egg for awhile. A "polluelo" is a chick that just hatched out of the "huevo" (egg). Last but not least, my friend Benjamín Arredondo of "El Bable" taught me that "escupidera" means "spittoon". So there you have it folks...another good reason to stay alive. Everyday I look forward to capturing a new Spanish word and the hunt goes on and on. The great guru of positive affirmation, Émile Coué, use to declare, "Every day in every way I'm getting better and better". Thanks to my friends I can paraphrase that a bit and say positively that "Every day in every way my Spanish is getting better!"

¡Gracias Amigos!

5 comments:

Brenda Maas said...

I enjoy your blog for many reasons; but 1 is that I almost always learn some new words also.
Have a great day.

Calypso said...

I know "berros" as we have it here available for some sabrosa dishes. The other new words to you were new to me - gracias.

I too enjoy your Blog - maybe you would join our little group (Brenda is a member -tempt tempt)where we discuss learning Spanish issues...and more.

http://vivaveracruz.com/forum/

It would be an honor to have your input.

Saludos,
Juan

ElleCancun said...

Very cool Bob!!! I too try and learn a new word every day, and then I force myself to put it in as many sentances/phrases as I can for that week. It really works. Now, my Spanish is beginner so I'm still using more every day words!!! So all those words you posted were new to me!!!

Howard said...

My Spanish is getting better too. Another 100 years and I might be quite good at it! Not to be discouraged, I take what I can get.

Rosas Clan in Tulum said...

Learning a new language is great. And we are never too old to learn. I too love your dialogs on the side. I use them frequesntly.

Keep up the learning and the sharing.

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I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. I have been living in Mexico since January 6th, 1999. I am continually studying to improve my knowledge of the Spanish language and Mexican history and culture. I am also a student of Mandarin Chinese.