Spanish usage

[Recidiva]

I have a Spanish-speaking character that interjects occasional Spanish into English conversations.

If someone he knew were to get married and he were to find out, would "Felicidades!" be about the same as "Mazel Tov" or is that the wrong usage?

Not terribly formal but not terribly informal. Imagine military comrades in arms of differing rank but mutual respect.

 

[Katiecat]

Where is your character from? There can be a big difference between Castilian Spanish, and what you might hear in Mexico, Cuba, or South America. "¡Buena suerte!" would be "good luck!" "¡Felicidades!" is appropriate for congratulations; "Congratulations on your engagement" would be "Felicitaciones por su [or tu, familiar form] compromiso." If they are already married, "Les deseamos a ambos toda la felicidad del mundo" = "Wishing you both all the happiness in the world". "Felicitaciones a la novia y al novio" = "Congratulations to the bride and groom".

 

[Recidiva]

Where is your character from? There can be a big difference between Castilian Spanish, and what you might hear in Mexico, Cuba, or South America. "¡Buena suerte!" would be "good luck!" "¡Felicidades!" is appropriate for congratulations; "Congratulations on your engagement" would be "Felicitaciones por su [or tu, familiar form] compromiso." If they are already married, "Les deseamos a ambos toda la felicidad del mundo" = "Wishing you both all the happiness in the world". "Felicitaciones a la novia y al novio" = "Congratulations to the bride and groom".

Thank you so much!

Well, you know how these things go...I don't decide where he's from because he's not my character, it's about 200 years in the future, who knows where the hell he's going to be from then.

Space? Out there...ish?

I just really don't want him to say something stupid because I'm ignorant.

 

[slyc_willie]

Often, when I have characters speaking in a foreign language, I indicate their doing so by including angular brackets inside the quotes. For example:

"<Get away from him!>" Julian screamed in Spanish.

Doing so allows me to avoid the syntax of writing in another language while at the same time conveying the information I want to convey.

Thus far, I haven't suffered any serious criticisms of handling foreign languages in this way.

 

[Recidiva]

Often, when I have characters speaking in a foreign language, I indicate their doing so by including angular brackets inside the quotes. For example:

"<Get away from him!>" Julian screamed in Spanish.

Doing so allows me to avoid the syntax of writing in another language while at the same time conveying the information I want to convey.

Thus far, I haven't suffered any serious criticisms of handling foreign languages in this way.

Thanks, that's a good idea as well. I'll keep it in the bag 'o tricks

 

[Hypoxia]

I tack-on a disclaimer: For readers' convenience, most non-Anglish-language communications are presented in loose Anglish translation. Then, in a context where Anglish isn't expected, a character might say, "¡Felicidades! Congrats on your engagement, 'migo!" It seems to work for me.

 

[Katiecat]

I tack-on a disclaimer: For readers' convenience, most non-Anglish-language communications are presented in loose Anglish translation. Then, in a context where Anglish isn't expected, a character might say, "¡Felicidades! Congrats on your engagement, 'migo!" It seems to work for me.

Very true, that definitely works, it gives the "flavor" of the language. I grew up in Los Angeles, and I'm used to hearing Spanish -- I understand it much better than I speak it. Hablo sólo un poco español, so I have to look phrases up.

 

[FantasyXY]

Spanglish Baby

I'm working on a story that has also has a Spanish speaking character. The way I've handled it so far is to use Spanglish... or Spanish words mixed into an English phrase so that the reader still gets the idea it is Spanish, but can get what is being said from the context.

In another place where I have a full phrase of Spanish it is presented as lyrics to a song, so the form of the verbiage isn't critical. This line is followed up by a comment by an English speaking character that loosely explains what was said.

I'm not a Spanish speaker by any stretch. To come up with this stuff I was able to take advantage of the many online translators that are on the Internet. I also asked a couple of friends that are fluent. One learned classic Spanish and the other grew up speaking the Mexican dialect. Both agreed that there is a world of difference between the two dialects, but they also agreed that if I stuck with single words and made the character mix Spanish and English I would be Okay. As previously stated this Spanish/English mix is common in the American Southwest.

 

[Recidiva]

I'm working on a story that has also has a Spanish speaking character. The way I've handled it so far is to use Spanglish... or Spanish words mixed into an English phrase so that the reader still gets the idea it is Spanish, but can get what is being said from the context.

In another place where I have a full phrase of Spanish it is presented as lyrics to a song, so the form of the verbiage isn't critical. This line is followed up by a comment by an English speaking character that loosely explains what was said.

I'm not a Spanish speaker by any stretch. To come up with this stuff I was able to take advantage of the many online translators that are on the Internet. I also asked a couple of friends that are fluent. One learned classic Spanish and the other grew up speaking the Mexican dialect. Both agreed that there is a world of difference between the two dialects, but they also agreed that if I stuck with single words and made the character mix Spanish and English I would be Okay. As previously stated this Spanish/English mix is common in the American Southwest.

Yeah, I lived in Los Angeles there for a little while, and I went to a Spanish speaking preschool (my mom taught there) so I have comfort with the language, but not enough to pull something out of my head and put it in someone else's mouth without checking.

 

[Sammael Bard]

I read a novel where the protagonist is a female con. She uses different disguises and accents to fool the people and the police. Same for every novel I've read with authors writing about people of various nationalities.

I've noticed that:

> The Non-English part is written in italics, to highlight their origin.

> The Heroine uses Non-English words only to exclaim something or pelt out a curse. That's really effective, and I noticed that amongst people whose mother-tongue isn't English.

They speak English for most of the part, and switch to their mother-tongue only if they get stuck at a word or can't find something equivalent to it.

> The Author really stressed on accents. I mean, the way he/she spoke and all that. It's effective too and I believe that most readers get a better feel out of it.

> Google Translate is the best I know. They translate the word, and provide its pronunciation along with it, so that is the most you'd need to complete your story.

Hope that helps.

 

[Recidiva]

I read a novel where the protagonist is a female con. She uses different disguises and accents to fool the people and the police. Same for every novel I've read with authors writing about people of various nationalities.

I've noticed that:

> The Non-English part is written in italics, to highlight their origin.

> The Heroine uses Non-English words only to exclaim something or pelt out a curse. That's really effective, and I noticed that amongst people whose mother-tongue isn't English.

They speak English for most of the part, and switch to their mother-tongue only if they get stuck at a word or can't find something equivalent to it.

> The Author really stressed on accents. I mean, the way he/she spoke and all that. It's effective too and I believe that most readers get a better feel out of it.

> Google Translate is the best I know. They translate the word, and provide its pronunciation along with it, so that is the most you'd need to complete your story.

Hope that helps.

Interesting. I would only use italics if it were an explanation, not the dialogue itself.

He said "(need to figure out how to get the upside down exclamation mark here in my piece)Felicidades!" Congratulations

I use italics for thought and I see it most often that way, so I'll have to be more aware of examples.

Accents can be really tough to write. I've seen some baaad attempts.

I'm sure I wouldn't attempt Cajun phonetically.

 

[Sammael Bard]

Interesting. I would only use italics if it were an explanation, not the dialogue itself.

He said "(need to figure out how to get the upside down exclamation mark here in my piece)Felicidades!" Congratulations

I use italics for thought and I see it most often that way, so I'll have to be more aware of examples.

Accents can be really tough to write. I've seen some baaad attempts.

I'm sure I wouldn't attempt Cajun phonetically.

I meant something like this. Imagine a scene where a man is trying to buy drinks from an Italian Lady:

"You are most kind." He hesitated. "I'd feel much better if you would permit me to buy you a drink."

"Oui. If you wish."


About accents, I'm not talking about integrating the accents into the dialogues itself. That'd be very clumsy, unless you're attempting to recreate a country bumpkin like Huckleberry Finn.

I was talking something about the lines of this. Here's a sample of a woman with a southern accent asking for help:

"I'm afraid I have a problem." The woman said softly. She had the most delightful southern accent Lester had ever heard.

"That's what I'm here for," He said heartily, "to solve problems."

"Oh, I do hope so. I'm afraid I've done somethin' just terrible."

Lester gave her his best, you-can-lean-on-me smile. "I can't believe a lovely lady like you could do anything terrible."


What I want to say is that, if you describe someone's accent from someone else's POV, it'd be effective in setting up the mood and stuff like that.

 

[Recidiva]

I meant something like this. Imagine a scene where a man is trying to buy drinks from an Italian Lady:

"You are most kind." He hesitated. "I'd feel much better if you would permit me to buy you a drink."

"Oui. If you wish."


About accents, I'm not talking about integrating the accents into the dialogues itself. That'd be very clumsy, unless you're attempting to recreate a country bumpkin like Huckleberry Finn.

I was talking something about the lines of this. Here's a sample of a woman with a southern accent asking for help:

"I'm afraid I have a problem." The woman said softly. She had the most delightful southern accent Lester had ever heard.

"That's what I'm here for," He said heartily, "to solve problems."

"Oh, I do hope so. I'm afraid I've done somethin' just terrible."

Lester gave her his best, you-can-lean-on-me smile. "I can't believe a lovely lady like you could do anything terrible."


What I want to say is that, if you describe someone's accent from someone else's POV, it'd be effective in setting up the mood and stuff like that.

Yes, I'd rather describe the accent, though I would do the same thing with somethin' or darlin' or such, something easily depicted.

However, there are several distinct Southern accents, so I'd prefer to specify Georgia or New Orleans or Cajun or Creole.

A guy from Georgia is going to say "sebun" for seven and someone from New Orleans would say "seh-van", a little drawl, but distinct.

 

[Sammael Bard]

Your story is 200 years into the future, so I don't think there's a need to dive deep into this accent differentiation thing. The fickle man-made boundaries on Earth keep shifting with time. I'd have to do some heavy research if this was a contemporary thing, but luckily it's not.

If anyone points out a pedantic mistake in your story, you point this fact back to them.

 

[Recidiva]

Your story is 200 years into the future, so I don't think there's a need to dive deep into this accent differentiation thing. The fickle man-made boundaries on Earth keep shifting with time. I'd have to do some heavy research if this was a contemporary thing, but luckily it's not.

If anyone points out a pedantic mistake in your story, you point this fact back to them.

Absolutely true, but it might come up again.

Corroboration never hurts.

I'm afraid I don't want to make pedantic mistakes in the first place

 

[Hypoxia]

I'm afraid I don't want to make pedantic mistakes in the first place

Rigidity is pedantic too. Or vice-versa. Anyway, languages evolve, and today's profanity is next-decade's inanity, or vice-versa.

I'm reminded of an old (ca. 1960) Poul Andersen SF story. Current-day USA guy is pushed two centuries into the future, into a post-apocalyptic frontier. Folks there speak a little different. After saving his ass and vice-versa, Future Gal asks Current Guy if he likes joking. "Joking?" he asks? Means fucking, duh. Other writers invent amusing future profanity based on the current gestalt, sort of like Dan Savage's definition of santorum as a fecal-semen sludge. But if you use contemporary slang in the far-enough future, it'll seem horribly, comically dated. Gadzooks! Thou pus-sucking, pemmican-slobbering Saxon!

 

[slyc_willie]

Rigidity is pedantic too. Or vice-versa. Anyway, languages evolve, and today's profanity is next-decade's inanity, or vice-versa.

I'm reminded of an old (ca. 1960) Poul Andersen SF story. Current-day USA guy is pushed two centuries into the future, into a post-apocalyptic frontier. Folks there speak a little different. After saving his ass and vice-versa, Future Gal asks Current Guy if he likes joking. "Joking?" he asks? Means fucking, duh. Other writers invent amusing future profanity based on the current gestalt, sort of like Dan Savage's definition of santorum as a fecal-semen sludge. But if you use contemporary slang in the far-enough future, it'll seem horribly, comically dated. Gadzooks! Thou pus-sucking, pemmican-slobbering Saxon!

I have a story in the works that is set a couple of hundred years in the future. I've expanded on what I consider "enduring" slang (used for at least fifty years by our current reckoning) in order to come up with the following terms:

"Frozen" as a slang expression used much like our current term "cool," with various conjugations: "Oh, that is so frozen." "She froze me." "I'm sitting here freezing," etc.

"Volcanic" as a slang term much like our current term "hot." Examples include "did you see that volcanic blonde?" "She melts the floor, she's so volcanic" "He's going to burn me up like a volcano."

I invented -- or rather, expanded upon existing terms -- a few of my own:

"Goboy" as a term indicating a man who is very aggressive. Naturally, there is also a "gogirl."

"Scalped," as a term meaning someone who has just had a revelation of sorts or made an important deduction, related to the act of running one's hand through their hair in a moment of thought. "I just scalped about that. It makes sense now." Or, "I scalped it," meaning, "I figured it out."

 

[Recidiva]

Rigidity is pedantic too. Or vice-versa. Anyway, languages evolve, and today's profanity is next-decade's inanity, or vice-versa.

I'm reminded of an old (ca. 1960) Poul Andersen SF story. Current-day USA guy is pushed two centuries into the future, into a post-apocalyptic frontier. Folks there speak a little different. After saving his ass and vice-versa, Future Gal asks Current Guy if he likes joking. "Joking?" he asks? Means fucking, duh. Other writers invent amusing future profanity based on the current gestalt, sort of like Dan Savage's definition of santorum as a fecal-semen sludge. But if you use contemporary slang in the far-enough future, it'll seem horribly, comically dated. Gadzooks! Thou pus-sucking, pemmican-slobbering Saxon!

It's an interesting line, to keep language where it's understandable.

I don't mind looking things up, but I get lost when people start creating entirely new lexicons of slang and usage and meaning without explaining and expecting me to get it through context.

There was another where one of my favorite authors did a medieval novel and wrote the dialogue in the usage from that time. Genuinely distracting. Didn't make me love the language, mostly made me not want to read it again.

I like Robert Heinlein's way of writing. He introduced quite a bit of literature or art into his works, but he always explained it just enough to make me curious about it so I'd go find it on my own. He was a generous author mostly wanting to introduce people into what he liked or admired...and that led me on fun treasure hunts, but the map's gotta be there, otherwise the author just looks like they're saying "I know something you don't know."