Idioms

The last week we had an exam of Analysis and Dissertation of texts for second language. The topics were synonyms, cognates and false cognates (false friends), vocabulary in context and orthography. I did not feel pretty sure with some synonyms and false cognates; I know that I failed in some false cognates and surely in some synonyms. The most I can remember were the synonyms of Pledge and Elude that are Promise and Avoid, but I had difficulties with many. In false cognate I failed pretty good particularly with the word Idiom, I fell into the trap, I put Language in place of Expression, but I found in the dictionary that also it is synonym of Language, Jargon and in Spanish ,according to the Larousse, also is “Idioma”, so I am not too bad.

Here are some examples of Idioms or the natural manner of speaking to a native speaker of a language:

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.

A Piece of Cake:
A task that can be accomplished very easily.

Graveyard Shift:
Working hours from about 12:00 am to 8:00 am. The time of the day when most other people are sleeping.

That was for me, because I work in that timetable. 

Here are more examples of idioms: http://www.idiomsite.com/

First Festival and Meeting of Indigenous Languages in Baja California

Two weeks ago, the days 11th and 12th of October, I assisted to the event of First Festival and Meeting of Indigenous Languages in Baja California, here in Ensenada in the Riviera Cultural Center. The reason of this meeting was to talk about and discuss in a forum three main topics: To revitalize and fortify the Indigenous Languages in B.C., Situation of Indigenous Languages Rights and Instruments and Necessary Legal Rules for the Development of the Indigenous People.    There were formed several groups of talking, where I had the opportunity to participate in the first topic in a little group of six people. There were people from Tijuana, students from the National Pedagogic University, also an Elementary Bilingual School Teacher, a Psychologist and an Autonomous University of Baja California teacher from our locality. We discussed two questions: “Why revitalize, fortify, preserve and develop the native languages?” And “How revitalize, fortify, preserve and develop the native languages?” The answers were  revitalize, fortify, preserve and develop the native languages because it is our culture and we cannot lost our traditions. The ways to develop were to make that more people talk in native languages and try to spread the language with help of various kind of media like magazines, radio and television. Also teach the language in the schools and produce literature.  It was very interesting to hear the different points of view of each participant. .

False cognates

Few classes ago, my classmates gave a presentation about false cognates. These are words that sound and are written almost equal in Spanish but its meaning is different. For example, "embarrassed" sounds like "embarazada" but "embarrassed" means "ashamed" or "disconcerted" and the translate of "embarazada"  is "pregnant". So, if you want to say "Mi amiga está embarazada" you should not to say "My friend is embarresed" you may say "My friend is pregnant."