Somos Verdaderos Amigos

[SoDesuKa]

In bilingual Nueva York, the ads in English and in Spanish usually say the same thing - but not always. "Estoy sentado doce horas al dia, y el ultimo que necessito son hemorrhoides." is pretty straightforward.

"We be homeboys" translates into Somos Verdaderos Amigos. In some contexts, you're better off using the Spanish.

[rabs]

1. Whew, had to look at this twice

In addition to the odd translation of "We be homeboys," spot one typo and a wrong article.

We be homeboys = Somos Verdaderos Amigos = We are truly friends :shrug:

Typo; hemorroides (without the "h" in Spanish)

And it should be "lo ultimo" instead of "el ultimo"

Hey, maybe I could get a gig translating ads up there? :-)

[DFW]

2. Use your character map

That way you can get "lo último" with the proper accent. ¿Verdad?

[rabs]

8. Have a 'gringo" keyboard

and most often too lazy to type in the letter and numbers combo to get the tildes, ennes, etc.

the word "último" is unique because the accent falls on the first syllable, instead of the second or third.

But if it did fall on the third, the meaning would be changed to have "completed, finalized or killed."

Ah, what a rich language we have, where a little accent mark can change everything.

:thumbsup:

[DFW]

9. And if it fell on the third, you'd still need the accent

Even having an Anglo keyboard, you can always get what you want off the character map without having to look for the right number on your desktop number pad on the right.

That's how I get my Russian and Scandinavian when I need it (I use a German keyboard).

Start+All Programs+accessories+System Tools+Character Map

The character map is one-stop shopping for all your punctuation needs, ¡te lo juro!

[SoDesuKa]

5. No Salga Afuera

From what I can determine, subway advertisements are written in English, then translated into Spanish. I noticed homeboys before I saw the Spanish equivalent verdaderos amigos which, I agree, is not as folksy.

The announcement Please step lively getting on and off the train isn't literally translated word for word either. It seems to me the word "lively" becomes con cuidado.

No salga afuera. Siga las instrucciones de los operadores del tren . . . .

[rabs]

7. No salga afuera

to me is redundant, because one cannot "no salga adentro."

Reminds me that here in the Southwest one oftens hears, when leaving a restaurant for example, the owner or waitress says "vuelva pa' atras." (come back behind?)

and "lively" --- how about "con prisa."

[DFW]

3. Like Rabs said

Whoever is writing the Spanish could use a little help, too.

(Ah so desu ka! Eigō wakarimasu!)

[SoDesuKa]

4. ¿Stengel Disgustado Con Mantle?

It's likely that I'm mis-remembering these advertising slogans. Both of those ad campaigns happened in the mid 80's. Whenever I went into the Cuban grocery store, he'd ask me, What's the good word? And I'd hit him with whatever I'd happen to notice on a billboard, e.g., Sobresalientes . . . y son suaves.

The classic sports headline: ¿Stengel Disgustado con Mantle? goes back to when Casey Stengel managed the Yankees. At the time, Mickey Mantle was thought to be dogging it. I don't know the Spanish for "dogging it." Perrandolo?

[rabs]

6. Dogging it

I had to look up the expression "dogging it" (sounds like a NY Daily News headline) and came up with this:

dog it Slang
To fail to expend the effort needed to do or accomplish something.

So how about "Stengel disgustado porque Mantle está flojeando."

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