Gramática

Temas concretos de Gramática: verbos frasales, modales, voz pasiva, etc...

Léxico

Campos léxicos, sinónimos, antónimos, homónimos, falsos amigos, lenguaje tabú y un largo etcétera

Historias y humor

Pequeño cajón desastre para mis historias, anécdotas en mis clases, recuerdos...

Mis libros

Aquí podéis ver un pequeño resumen de mis libros más importantes

Charlas y conferencias

Las más significativas a lo largo de mi vida académica. Y las próximas

30/10/13

Ejercicios de transformación gramatical con respuestas comentadas (nivel intermedio-avanzado)

Upper-intermediate level

1.- I'm sure it was Vicky I saw in town as I recognized her coat
(must)
1.- It ...................Vicky I saw in town as I recognized her coat

2.- Did you manage to get in contact with the boss this morning?
(getting)
2.- Did you.....................in contact with the boss this morning?

3.- The boss wouldn't object to you going early today
(objection)
3.- The boss would not.....................you going out early today

4.- I regret taking up smoking
(wish)
4.- I ......................smoking

5.- Paul hasn't had a job for two years
(out)
5.- Paul .........................for two years

6.- Nothing has been decided yet
(no)
6.- .........................made

7.- It's a shame I don't have a camera
(wish)
7.- I.............a camera

8.- She took an umbrella, but it was not necessary
(taken)
8.- She ......................an umbrella.

9.- She returned the blouse to the shop because it was too small
(took)
9.- As the blouse was too small, she......................to the shop

10.- The thief said he hadn't broken into the house
(breaking)
10.- The thief .....................into the house

KEY

1.- must have been
Commentary: Must is used for deductions. In the present example, must + perfect infinitive was used because the action took place in the past. Compare: must be - debe de ser/must have been debe de haber sido.

2.- succeed in getting
Commentary: To manage to do sth and to succeed in doing sth are synonymous.

3.- have any objection to
Commentary: It is quite frequent to find  a verb paraphrased by a noun followed by a preposition, usually the same preposition the verb in question is constructed with: to object to sth = to have an objection to sth, to discuss about sth = to have a discussion about sth, to blame sb for sth = to lay the blame for sth on sb, to damage sth = to cause damage to sth, to prefer sth = to have a preference for sth, to hunger for sth = to have a hunger for sth, etc.

4.- wish I hadn't taken up
Commentary: I wish + past perfect is used to express your regret at having done sth.

5.- has been out of work
Commentary: not to have a job and to be out of work are synonymous.

6.- No decision has been
Commentary: To decide and to make a decision are synonymous.

7.- wish I had
Commentary: I wish + simple past is used to express a desire for sth to be different from the way that it is.

8.- needn't have taken
Commentary: When it wasn't necessary to do sth, but you did it nevertheless, you can say that you needn't have done it.

9.- took it back
Commentary: To return sth to the shop and to take sth back to the shop are synonymous.

10.- denied breaking
Commentary: when sb says that they haven't done sth, they deny doing it.




28/10/13

Ejercicios de transformación gramatical con respuestas comentadas (nivel intermedio)

Intermediate level

1.- Are these books yours?
(own)
1.- ...................these books?

2.- My boss tries really hard to help me
(effort)
2.- My boss really ...................to help me

3.- That actress is only 22. I thought she was older
(as)
3.- That actress isn't..........I thought

4.- Olivia wasn't allowed to go camping with her boyfriend
(let)
4.- Olivia's parents...............go camping with her boyfriend

5.- Dick is in prison because a detective recognized him
(hadn't)
5.- If a detective ................, Dick wouldn't be in prison

6.- "Have you been on holiday recently, Ann?", Tony asked
(been)
6.- Tony asked Ann .........................on holiday recently

7.- The meal we had yesterday in that restaurant was so good!
(such)
7.- We had................yesterday in that restaurant!

8.- There's no point asking Jessica to help as she's really busy
(waste)
8.- It's .....................asking Jessica to help as she's really busy

9.- Does your sister resemble you?
(look)
9.- Does your sister .................you?

10.- The police are interrogating the suspects
(interrogated)
10.- The suspects ...................by the police

KEY

1.- Do you own 
Commentary: if sth is yours, you own it.

2.- makes an effort
Commentary: to try hard to do sth and to make an effort to do sth are synonymous.

3.- as old as
Commentary: For comparatives of equality, we use as....as in affirmative sentences,, and not as....as or no so.....as in negative sentences.

4.- didn't let her
Commentary: if sb is not allowed to do sth, they don't let him/her do sth. Make sure you use an infinitive without to after let.

5.- hadn't recognized him
Commentary: In third conditionals, you use a past perfect in the if-clause and would have + past participle in the main clause, but in this example, we have a mixed conditional, so would be has been used in the main clause instead of would have been, as Dick being in prison is a fact and not a possibility.

6.-  if/whether she had been
Commentary: The present perfect in direct speech becomes a past perfect in indirect/reported speech.

7.- such a good meal
Commentary: In exclamative sentences, you use so + adjective or such + a/an+ adjective + noun.

8.- a waste of time
Commentary: When there's no point doing sth, it's a waste of time doing it.

9.- look like
Commentary: to resemble and to look like are synonymous.

10.- are being interrogated
Commentary: to interrogate in the active becomes to be interrogated in the passive.




26/10/13

Pinceladas léxicas: classic/classical

Classic y classical significan ambos ‘clásico’, distribuyéndose su
uso como sigue:

classic se usa principalmente en los siguientes casos:

a.- para designar algo clásico en su género, excelente, que no pasa de moda: a classic film (una película clásica), a classic dress (un vestido clásico).
b.- para algo típico o característico (= typical; tamb.classical): a classic situation (una situación típica), he had the classic symptoms of flu (tenía los síntomas típicos de la gripe).
c.- como nombre en plural: clásicas (carrera universitaria): Jonathan wants to study classics (Jonathan quiere estudiar clásicas).

classical se usa principalmente:

a.- para indicar que algo es clásico, en el sentido de tradicional: Alfred prefers the classical methods of fishing (Alfred prefiere los métodos de pesca tradicionales).
b.- para referirse a la cultura clásica (griega o romana o influenciada por éstas): I like classical architecture (me gusta la arquitectura clásica).
c.- para referirse a la música clásica: Mozart is one of the most famous classical composers (Mozart es uno de los más famosos compositores clásicos).
d.- para algo típico, característico (= typical; tamb.classic): Alexandra made the classical mistake of being too trusting (Alexandra cometió el clásico/ típico error de ser demasiado confiada).

PRÁCTICA

Completa las frases con classic o classical según convenga. En algún caso concreto, podrían valer ambas opciones

1.- George wore a ............................grey suit.
2.- I love ............................. ballet.
3.- My father prefers ............................music to pop music.
4.- Elizabeth has the ....................................symptoms of depression.
5.- Jane Eyre is a ............................English novel that I particularly love
6.- She knows a lot about .............mythology
7.- I’d like to study............at the University
8.- He buys ...........cars and restores them.

CLAVE

1.- classic, 2.- classical; 3.- classical; 4.- classic/classical; 5.- classic; 6.- classical; 7.- classics; 8.- classic.

De mi libro Gramática y Léxico de la Lengua Inglesa en Preguntas y Respuestas, Granada, Comares, pp. 172-173.





24/10/13

Pronunciación de la grafía ow

No hay reglas fijas para la pronunciación de la grafía ow, que generalmente es /@U/ o /aU/, aunque hay algunas palabras, como knowledge, que se pronuncia con /Q/ y, en algunos casos, como row, por ejemplo, la pronunciación varía, según sea su significado. Veamos algunos ejemplos de cada caso:


/@U/


arrow - flecha

to blow - soplar
to borrow - tomar prestado
bow - arco; lazo
crow - cuervo
elbow - codo
fellow - individuo
to follow - seguir
to flow - fluir
gallows - horca
to glow - brillar (en la oscuridad)
to grow - crecer; cultivar
to know - saber; conocer
low - bajo
meadow - prado
to mow - segar
narrow - estrecho
to own - poseer
pillow - almohada
row - fila; hilera
to row - remar
shadow - sombra
slow - lento
to sow - sembrar
swallow - golondrina
to swallow - tragar
to throw - tirar
tomorrow - mañana
widow - viuda
willow - sauce
window - ventana

/aU/


to allow - permitir

(to) bow - (hacer una) reverencia; proa
brown - marrón
cow - vaca
crowd - multitud
(to) crown - coronar; corona
eyebrows - cejas
fowl - ave de corral
(to) growl - gruñir; gruñido
how - como/cómo
now - ahora
owl - búho
powder - polvo; pólvora
power - poder
row - riña
sow - cerda
towel - toalla
town - ciudad
tower - torre


/Q/


acknowledge - reconocer

acknowledgement - reconocimiento
knowledge - conocimiento

PRÁCTICA


Clasifica las siguientes palabras según se pronuncie la ow: clown (payaso); bowler hat (sombrero hongo); breakdown (avería); grower (cultivador); flower (flor); rower (remero); however (sin embargo); knowledge  (conocimiento); shallow (poco profundo); coward (cobarde); lower (más bajo; inferior); sower (sembrador); owner (propietario); shower (ducha); knowledgeably (con conocimiento de causa); mower (segador); bowels (entrañas); lowlands (tierras bajas); to drown (ahogarse); wheelbarrow (carretilla); to frown (fruncir el ceño); to avow (reconocer); vow (voto); sugar bowl (azucarero); bow (reverencia); glow-worm (luciérnaga); to glower (mirar con cara de enfado); unknown (desconocido); cowl (capucha de hábito de monje); to tow (remolcar); rainbow (arco iris); cowshed (establo), stowaway (polizón); trowel (palustre); to slow (reducir la velocidad); to howl (aullar); sparrow (gorrión); gown (bata; toga); grown-up - (adulto);  to acknowledge (reconocer); widower (viudo); vowel (vocal).


CLAVE


/@U/  bowler hat; grower; rower; shallow; lower; sower; owner; mower; lowlands; wheelbarrow; sugar bowl; glow-worm; unknown; to tow; rainbow; stowaway; to slow; sparrow; grown-up; widower 


/aU/ clown; breakdown; flower; however, coward; shower; bowels; to drown; to frown; to avow; vow; bow; to glower; cowl; cowshed; trowel; to howl; gown; vowel


/Q/ knowledge; knowledgeable; acknowledge


Para un estudio detallado de la pronunciación de las distintas grafías, ver mi Manual de Pronunciación Inglesa Comparada con la Española, 5ª ed., Comares, pp. 213-241.



22/10/13

The Two Ronnies: The Optician's


the two ronnies - opticians sketch por RapierInternational

Como sabéis el dúo cómico "The Two Ronnies" es mi perdición. Aquí os dejo un nuevo vídeo de esta genial pareja , junto con el texto completo del sketch, traducido.

ClientHello? Anybody there?

Cliente: ¿Hola? ¿Hay alguien ahí?

ClientAh! Good morning!
Cliente: Ah! Buenos días!

ClientI'm sorry I meant...

Cliente: Lo siento, yo quería...

ClientOops! sorry, sorry, sorry, I meant to..., I meant to...
Cliente: Uy! lo siento, lo siento, lo siento...yo quería...yo quería...

Optician
Good morning, Miss Prindergast, you're early!

Óptico: Buenos días, Srta Prindergast, llega usted temprano!

Client
: Ah good morning.

Cliente: Ah! Buenos días.

Optician: Oh, I'm sorry. Good morning, sir.

Óptico: Oh!, lo siento. Buenos días, señor.

Client
Good morning. Erm, could I have 2 pounds of potatoes please?

Cliente: Buenos días. Er...¿podría darme dos libras de patatas, por favor?

Optician
No,no,no sir, this is an opticians, sir.

Óptico: No, no, no señor, esto es una óptica, señor.

Client:
 Eh what?

Cliente: ¿eh, cómo?

Optician:
 Opticians. Look, it says so over the door.

Óptico: Óptica. Mire, lo pone encima de la la puerta.

Client
Oh sorry, so it does!

Cliente: Ah lo siento, así es!

Client
Well it doesn't matter, because I was coming here anyway. I've got it down on my list: greengrocer's and opticians. You see?

Cliente: Bueno, no importa, porque iba a venir aquí de todas formas. Lo tengo apuntado en mi lista: verdulería y óptica, ¿lo ve?

Optician
Oh, I see, yes.

Óptico: Ah sí, ya lo veo, sí.

Client
It was the wife's idea, actually.

Cliente: Fue idea de mi mujer, en realidad.

Optician:
 Oh yes, well, do sit down, will you.

Óptico: Ah bien, siéntese, ¿quiere?

Client
Thank you very much!...You're...you're new here, aren't you?

Cliente: Muchísimas gracias!....Usted es....usted es nuevo, ¿verdad?

Optician
Yes, I've been here about 6 months, yes.

Óptico: Sí, llevo aquí unos seis meses, sí.

Client
Yes, I thought I hadn't seen you before.

Cliente: Sí, pensé que no lo había visto a usted antes.

Optician
The other lady left to get married.

Óptico: La otra señora se fue para casarse. 

Client
: But, you're not a lady, are you?

Cliente: Pero, usted no es una señora, ¿verdad?

Optician
No, no,no, I just took her job.

Óptico: No, no, no, yo sólo cogí su trabajo.

Optician
: Would you care for a cup of tea? I've just made one.

Óptico: ¿Le apetece una taza de té? Acabo de hacerlo.

Client:
 That's very nice, yes.

Cliente: Estupendo, sí.

Optician
Now tell me, what's a...what seems to be the trouble?

Óptico: Ahora dígame, ¿qué...cuál parece ser el problema?

Client
Well, I've just got the feeling that my sight isn't quite what it used to be.

Cliente: Pues tengo la sensación de que mi vista ya no es lo que era.

OpticianYes? Whatever makes you think that?

Óptico: ¿Sí? ¿Qué le hace suponer eso?

Client
Well, I started bumping into people at the office, you know? - people I work with.

Cliente: Pues, empecé a tropezar con gente en la oficina, ¿sabe usted? - gente con las que trabajo.

Optician
Oh, really?

Óptico: ¿Ah sí?

Client
Yes.

Cliente: Sí.

Optician
Yes, what sort of people?

Óptico: Ya, ¿qué clase de gente?

Client
Well, the people I share the office with, you see? I kept bumping into them and I realised I hadn't seen them properly for a long time.

Cliente: Bueno, la gente con la que comparto la oficina, ¿comprende? No hacía más que tropezarme con ellos y me dí cuenta que llevaba mucho tiempo sin verlos como es debido.

Optician
Oh, dear...Do you take sugar?

Óptico: Oh, vaya! ¿Toma usted azúcar?

Client: No, no sugar for me thank you.
Cliente: No, nada de azúcar para mí, gracias.

Optician
Right, here we are then, you have that. Do sit down and we'll see if we can work something out for you, shall we?

Óptico: Bien, aquí tiene, tome. Siéntese y veremos qué podemos hacer por usted, ¿vale?

Client
Thank you very much. It can be rather inconvenient, you know, spectacles. I don't know, do you wear them at all?

Cliente: Muchísimas gracias. Debe ser un gran inconveniente, ¿no?, las gafas. No sé, ¿usted las usa o no?

Optician
: Er...well I must confess, yes I do I wear them, yes - but only for reading and for seeing things, you know?

Óptico: Er...bueno debo confesar que sí, las uso, sí, pero sólo para leer y para ver cosas, ¿comprende?

Client
Yes, well I...I was passing by, so I thought I'd just sort of pop in, you know?

Cliente: Sí, bien, Yo...yo pasaba por aquí, de modo que pensé que entraría un momento, ¿comprende?

Optician
Yes, yes, well you obviously need something a lot stronger.

Óptico: Sí. Sí, está claro que necesita algo mucho más fuerte.

Client
Yes, I do, thank you very much!

Cliente: Sí, así es. Muchísimas gracias.

Optician
Well, I tell you what we'll do.

Óptico: Bien, le diré lo que vamos a hacer.

Client
Yes?

Cliente: ¿Sí?

Optician
We'll just have a look at some eye charts, shall we? And we'll just test your eyes.

Óptico: Vamos a echar un vistazo a algunas tablas optométricas, ¿vale?

Client:
 Right, yes.

Cliente: Vale, de acuerdo.

Client
Is there a.....is there a dog in here?

Cliente: ¿Hay...hay un perro aquí dentro?

Optician
No, no, no, that was me. I was just...well I was just scratching myself, you know?

Óptico: No, no, no, era yo. Sólo estaba...sólo estaba rascándome.

Optician: Right, now then, lets start. Before we start, would you take off your glasses, please?

Óptico: Bueno, empecemos. Pero antes de empezar, ¿quiere quitarse las gafas, por favor?

Client: Yes.

Cliente: Sí.

Optician: Are they off?

Óptico: ¿Están quitadas?

Client: Yes.

Cliente: Sí.

Optician: Oh good, yes, well, lets start...start here from the top, would you, reading?

Óptico: Bien, pues empecemos.....empiece por la parte de arriba, ¿quiere leer?

Client: Right...erm, I'm sorry, could you wave your arms about? - I've lost my sense of direction a bit.

Cliente: Vale...er...lo siento, ¿podría usted agitar los brazos? - He perdido un poco mi sentido de la orientación.

Optician: I'm over here!

Óptico: ¡Estoy por aquí!

Client: Oh, yes, that's it, right.

Cliente: Ah, sí, eso es, vale.

Client: Erm...no, I'm afraid that's completely stumped me that chart, I'm sorry.

Cliente: Er...no, me temo que esa tabla me ha despistado por completo, lo siento.

Optician: Don't worry, we've got plenty more. Try the one on the back.

Óptico: No se preocupe, tenemos muchas más. Pruebe con la de la parte de atrás.

Client: A?

cliente: ¿A?

Optician: I say try the one on the back!

Óptico: Digo que intente con la de la parte de atrás.

Client: No, 'A'!

Cliente: No, ¡A!

Optician: What A? no, no, no, not A, no.

Óptico: ¿Qué A? no, no, A no.

Client: B?

Cliente: ¿B?

Optician: No...keep going.

Óptico: No...siga.

Client: C?...D?

Cliente: ¿c?...¿d?

Optician: No.

Óptico: No.

Client. E?

Cliente: ¿e?

Optician: E! Very good! Try the next line, will you?

Óptico: ¡e! ¡Muy bien! Intente la siguiente línea, ¿vale?

Client: Er, no...sorry.

Cliente: Er...no...lo siento.

Optician: Well, don't worry. I'll give you a clue, well er, what do you see with?

Óptico: Bien, no se preocupe. Le daré una pista, a ver, ¿con qué se ve?

Client: Your eye? I....I

Cliente: ¿Con el ojo? i...i.

Optician: And, er, what do you do with your eye?

Óptico: i, er...¿qué se hace con el ojo?

Client: See?

Cliente: ¿Ver? 

Optician: C! .....Now then, now then, try the next line on your own.

Óptico: c!....Ahora vamos a ver, vamos a ver, intente la siguiente línea, usted solo.

Client: Erm...I'm sorry...is there a next line?

Cliente: Er...lo siento...¿hay otra línea?

Optician: No, probably not, probably not.

Óptico: No, probablemente no, probablemente no.

Client: You know, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to say this..I...I almost didn't see anything on that last chart.

Cliente: Yo...lo siento, voy a tener que decirle esto...yo...yo casi no vi nada en esa última tabla.

Optician: Don't worry! Don't worry. It's just a question of trial and error, trial and error. Don't worry about it.

Óptico: No se preocupe, no se preocupe. Es sólo una pregunta para ir probando. Para ir probando. No se preocupe por eso.

Optician: Now then, lets have a look...what about that?

Óptico: Ahora, vamos a echar un vistazo...¿qué me dice de esto?

Client: A?

Cliente: ¿A?

Optician: A! A! Now you had no help at all with that one!

Óptico: ¡A! ¡A! Ahora con ésta no necesitó usted ayuda alguna.

Client: No, I didn't!

Cliente: No, es verdad.

Client: ...I?

Cliente: ...¿i?

Optician: Er, no, that's the hat stand.

Óptico: Er, no, eso es el perchero.

Client: Em...H?

Cliente: Em, ¿h?

Optician: No. You are reading all the furniture!

Óptico: No, está usted leyendo todos los muebles.

Optician: See if you can grab the end of this long pole.

Óptico: A ver si puede usted agarrar el extremo de este palo largo.

Optician: Have you got it?

Óptico: ¿Lo tiene?

Client: Yes!

Cliente: ¡Sí!

Optician: Thank goodness for that!

Óptico: ¡Menos mal!

Optician: I'm just going to get the test frames now, and we´ll try a few lenses.

Óptico: Ahora voy a por las gafas para graduar y probaremos unas cuantas lentes.

Client: Right
Cliente: Vale.

Optician: Right, right, here we are. Just put these on.
Óptico: Vale, de acuerdo. Aquí están. Póngase éstas.

Optician: All right?
Óptico: ¿Está bien así?

Client: Yes.

Cliente: Sí.

Optician: Now, first of all we have to black that one out.

Óptico: Ahora, antes de nada, tenemos que tapar este ojo.

Client: Yes yes.

Cliente: Sí, sí.

Optician: Now lets have a look and see. There we are. Now tell me, is that better or worse?

Óptico: Bien, ahora veamos.Ya está. Ahora dígame, ¿ve  mejor o peor?

Client: That...is...worse.

Cliente: Así...es...peor.

Optician: Oh! Er, well lets see, what about, what about that? How's that?
Óptico: ¡Oh!, er...bueno vamos a ver, ¿y ahora? ¿qué tal?

Client: That's... that's...fractionally better.
Cliente: Así es... así es fraccionalmente mejor.

Optician: What about if I do this?

Óptico: Y ¿si hago esto?

Client: No, that's worse!

Cliente: No, ¡así es peor!

Optician: Ah, well, that is your prescription. I...all we need now is find out what sort of frames you would like.

Óptico: Ah, bien, esa es su graduación. Yo...ahora lo único que necesitamos es averiguar qué tipo de montura le gusta.

Optician: Off we go. Follow me...

Óptico: Allá vamos, ¡sígame!

Client: Right......Oh sorry!
Cliente: Vale.....Oh, perdón.

Optician: Now, let's see, what sort of frames we've got here. Ah, here we are, try this nice red pair on.

Óptico: Veamos ahora, ¿qué tipo de monturas tenemos aquí? Ah, aquí está. Pruébese este bonito par rojo.

Optician: There we are. Let me have these, thank you.

Óptico: Vale, déjeme éstas, gracias.

Optician: Try those. Have a look in the hand mirror. See what you think.

Óptico: Pruébese ésas. Mírese en el espejo de mano y dígame que le parece.

Client: I think this makes me look a little old. What do you think?

Cliente: Creo que me hace un poco mayor, ¿qué le parece?

Optician: Oh yes, it does! oh wait a minute! This isn't a mirror, it's a photograph of an old lady! No, they're no good at all.

Óptico: Ah sí, es verdad. ¡Espere un momento Eso no es un espejo, es la foto de una señora mayor! No, ésas no sirven en absoluto.

Client: Have you any others at all?

Cliente: ¿Tiene usted alguna otra?

Optician: Well, there's a...there's these. What about these?

Óptico: Sí...tenemos...tenemos éstas. ¡Que le parecen éstas?

Client: These are...oh wonderful! I can see everything as clearly as...

Cliente: Éstas son....oh maravillosas! Veo tan claro como...

Optician: No, no, they're mine!

Óptico: No, no, ésas son las mías.

Client: No, yours are there!

Cliente: No, las suyas están ahí!

Optician: Are you sure?

Óptico: ¿Está seguro?

Client: Yes.

Cliente: Sí.

Optician: Good gracious! The whole thing has become clear to me now! Wonderful! 
Óptico: ¡Diós mío! Todo se ha vuelto claro para mí ahora! (ahora lo veo todo claro), ¡maravilloso! 

Client: Isn't that lovely? I trust you will just send me on the bill?
Cliente: ¿No es estupendo? Confío en que me mandará la cuenta.

Optician: Certainly not, I wouldn't dream of such a thing. You have helped me just as much as I've helped you...

Óptico: Ni hablar, no se me ocurriría hacer semejante cosa. Usted me ha ayudado a mí tanto como yo a usted...

Client: It's very kind of you to say that. Awfully nice to...Bye-bye

Cliente: Es muy amable por su parte decir eso. Estupendo...Adiós.

Optician: Bye-bye.
Óptico: Adiós.

Optician: Well, well, well, well!

Óptico: ¡Bueno, bueno, bueno, bueno!

Optician: So, this is where I work, is it?

Óptico: Así que aquí es donde trabajo, no?



21/10/13

Pinceladas gramaticales: oraciones concesivas

Las oraciones concesivas expresan algo que ocurre o se lleva a cabo a pesar de una dificultad, o algo que no se puede hacer, por mucho que se intente.
Las conjunciones más frecuentes que introducen las subordinadas concesivas son: although/though (aunque), even if/even though (aunque, a pesar de), no matter how/how much/how many/where, etc. (no importa cómo, por mucho(s) que, por más que, no importa dónde, etc.), however (por muy), however much/however many (por mucho/por muchos que), much as (por mucho que), whatever (cualquiera que sea/sean), while (aunque, a pesar de que), (as)...as (aunque):

Although he travels the world, he always spends Christmas at home - aunque viaja por el mundo entero, siempre pasa las navidades en casa.
Though she's only three, she speaks very well - aunque sólo tiene tres años, habla muy bien.
I wouldn't dream of selling my Van Gogh, however much I was offered - en la vida vendería mi Van Gogh, por mucho que me ofrecieran
We have to build a new church, no matter how long it takes - tenemos que edificar una nueva iglesia, por mucho tiempo que nos lleve.
Much as he tried, he did not succeed - no lo logró, por más que lo intentó.
Everyone has a right to vote, whatever country he comes from - todo el mundo tiene derecho a votar, venga del país que venga.
I can still remember that day, even though it was so long ago - todavía me acuerdo de aquel día, a pesar del tiempo que hace.
(As) poor as he was, he bought his wife a new dress for her birthday - aunque era pobre, le compró a su mujer un vestido nuevo por su cumpleaños.

A veces, encontramos subordinadas concesivas abreviadas, con una forma no personal del verbo, o con el verbo sobrentendido:

While wanting to be pleasant, he managed to offend everybody - aunque quería ser agradable, se las arreglaba para ofender a todo el mundo
Though well over eighty, my grandfather goes jogging every day - aunque con más de ochenta años, mi abuelo hace jogging todos los días.

PRÁCTICA

Une las dos oraciones en una sola, empezando por la conjunción dada entre paréntesis:

1.- She's over seventy. She still looks young (though)
2.- I'd like to help you. I can't do it; I'm too busy now (much as)
3.- They often went to the theatre. They never tired of it (no matter)
4.- James was always the first to turn up for work. His boss was not impressed (even though)
5.- It may be very cold. He always goes swimming (however)
6.- He was very rich. He was never a happy man (although)
7.- Your father loves you very much. He won't lend you his Mercedes (however much)
8.- He was desperate. He didn't say a word about it to anyone (as)
9.- You may give him a large sum of money. He won't be satisfied (no matter)
10.- He has his faults. I love him dearly and couldn't live without him (whatever) (usa aquí una subordinada abreviada).

CLAVE

1.- Though she's over seventy, she still looks young.
2.- Much as I'd like to help you, I can't do it; I'm too busy now.
3.- No matter how often they went to the theatre, they never tired of it.
4.- Even though James was always the first to turn up for work, his boss was not impressed.
5.- However cold it is, he always goes swimming.
6.- Although he was very rich, he was never a happy man.
7.- However much he loves you, your father won't lend you his Mercedes.
8.- (As) desperate as he was, he didn't say a word about it to anyone.
9.- No matter how much money you give him, he won't be satisfied.
10.- Whatever his faults, I love him dearly and couldn't live without him.

Para saber más sobre el tema, ver mi Gramática Inglesa, 9ª ed., Pearson, pp. 602-605.








19/10/13

Pinceladas léxicas: historic/historical

Diferencias entre historic e historical

Ambas palabras significan ‘histórico’, pero con historic nos referimos generalmente a lugares antiguos que tienen historia:
historic buildings/castles/monuments/remains, etc. -  edificios/castillos/monumentos/restos, etc. históricos, o a
acontecimientos, momentos, etc. que han sido importantes en la historia o que sin duda lo serán en el futuro: 
historic battles/agreements, etc. - batallas/acuerdos, etc. históricos
a historic race/match, etc. -una carrera/un partido, etc. históricos

mientras que historical se emplea para algo relacionado con la historia, o para personajes o hechos que existieron realmente, no ficticios o legendarios: 

historical research/studies/documents/films/novels/figures, etc. - investigación/estudios/documentos/películas/novelas/figuras, etc. históricos

NOTA.- Conviene también tener en cuenta que se usa historic times (tiempos históricos) para referirse a épocas pasadas sobre las que hay evidencia escrita y prehistoric times (tiempos prehistóricos), para las épocas anteriores a las históricas, sobre las que no existe constancia escrita.

PRÁCTICA

Rellena los huecos con historic o historical según convenga

a.- Bernardo de Galvez won a ........................... battle against the English.
b.- I’m doing some ........................... research about the Phenician colonization in Malaga.
c.- I enjoy watching ........................... films.
d.- This has been a ............................. European Cup final.
e.- Chambord is a...........castle in the Loire Department in France.
f.- Today is a ............................. day for our country.
g.- Was Robin Hood a ............................... figure?
h.- Waterloo was a..............battle.
i.- I'd like to visit all the..............places in the city, especially the Roman ruins.
j.- In this archive, many...............documents are kept.

CLAVE
a.- historic; b.- historical; c.- historical; d.- historic; e.- historic; f.- historic; g.- historical; h.- historic; i.- historic; j.- historical.

17/10/13

En defensa de la traducción

 En los últimos tiempos, se tiende a ver la traducción con recelo por parte de la mayoría de los profesores de idiomas que preconizan precisamente su evitación a la hora de comunicar en la L2 y sólo la aceptan en algunos casos en la enseñanza de idiomas con fines específicos. Estoy de acuerdo en que es totalmente desaconsejable traducir los mensajes de la L2 a la L1 o lengua materna para poder entenderlos o antes de expresarse, pero soy partidario de la traducción como técnica de refuerzo, independiente de las cuatro destrezas, pero complementaria a las mismas, a realizar en el aula y fuera de ella, especialmente en niveles avanzados. 
 Comparto hoy con vosotros un ejemplo de ejercicio de traducción, tomado de Counterpoint, uno de mis primeros libros, que escribí en colaboración con mi colega Enrique Lavín en 1978. Counterpoint, ahora totalmente agotado, tuvo bastante éxito en su día, fue usado como libro de texto para COU en muchos centros y tuvo varias reimpresiones, hasta los años '90, en que dejó de publicarse: 

 Mi amiga Melanie es una chica de quince años, bastante simpática, que piensa que la vida no es nada fácil para los adolescentes. Aunque es bastante bonita, tenía un problema. Según ella, su nariz es un poco grande. Hasta hace poco tenía pensado hacerse la cirugía estética, pero ha cambiado de idea desde que sale con un chico que le dice frecuentemente que tiene la nariz más bonita que ha visto. Ahora Melanie es una chica normal, sin complejos. 
 En cambio, Kathy es completamente diferente. Está llena de problemas y se pasa el día lamentándose. Usa gafas y está algo gorda. Dice que cualquier comida le engorda y que, por más ejercicios que hace, no consigue adelgazar. Piensa que todo el mundo se ríe de ella. 
 Por el contrario, otra amiga mía, Pat, aunque tiene más problemas que nadie, nunca la he oído quejarse de su tartamudeo, ni de las espinillas, propias de su edad, que le cubren la cara. Es una gran compañera y todos la apreciamos en el colegio. 
 En realidad, los adolescentes comparten preocupaciones similares, que el mundo de los adultos no sabe comprender. Por esta razón, muchos han adoptado nuevos modelos de conducta y han organizado centros de cultura para jóvenes, donde se reúnen y deciden lo que pueden hacer para divertirse. 

  SUGGESTED ANSWER  

  My friend Melanie is a rather nice fifteen-year-old girl who thinks life is not easy at all for teenagers. Though she is quite pretty, she has a problem. In her opinion, her nose is a bit too long. Until recently she had thought of plastic surgery on her nose, but she has changed her mind since she started going out with a boy who keeps telling her that she has the most beautiful nose he has ever seen. Now, Melanie is a well-adjusted girl with no hang-ups. 
 Kathy, however, is completely different. She is full of worries and keeps complaining all day long. She wears glasses and is a bit fat. She says any food makes her fat, and that no matter how much exercise she does, she doesn't manage to lose weight/she doesn't get any thinner. She thinks everybody laughs at her. 
 On the other hand, Pat, another friend of mine, although she has more problems than anybody else, has never been heard to complain about her stutter or the spots, natural at her age, that cover her face. She is a good classmate and we are all very fond of her at school. 
  In fact, teenagers share similar worries that the adult world cannot understand. For this reason, many have adopted new patterns of behaviour and have organized cultural centres for the young, where they get together and decide what they can do to have a good time.
















15/10/13

Learning phrasal verbs can be fun

LEARNING PHRASAL VERBS CAN BE FUN

Some students find phrasal verbs very difficult to learn, and some even hate them. To those students, I say that phrasal verbs are not really so difficult to learn if you go about it the right way.

Here are a few hints for teachers, drawn on my long teaching experience:
-Teach your students a limited number of Phrasal Verbs each time.
-Have your students learn the verbs in context.
- Give them a non-phrasal equivalent for each new phrasal verb they learn, whenever there is one. If there isn’t one, give them a good definition, either in English or in Spanish, of the phrasal verb in question.
-Have them practise each verb by means of a role-play and, if possible, encourage them to make up their own dialogues. Here are some examples of role-plays, which my students acted out in my classes:


Role-play 1: to get on well with someone  = llevarse bien con alguien (sketch based on an old joke)

TWO FRIENDS MEET IN THE STREET

John: Hullo, Peter. I hear you’ve bought your mother-in-law a jaguar.
Peter: Yes, I have.
John: But I thought you didn’t get on well with her.
Peter: And I don’t. The jaguar has already bitten her twice.

Role-play 2: to drop off = quedarse dormido (lit. caerse de un sitio) (sketch based on an old joke)

AT THE DOCTOR’S SURGERY

Patient: Doctor, doctor, I suffer from insomnia, I can’t get any sleep at night, what can I do?
Doctor: You can't get any sleep, I see. Well, my advice is: sleep on the edge of the bed and you’ll soon drop off.
Patient: But, but, doctor, I don’t want to drop, I just want to sleep.
Doctor: I never said you'd drop, I said you'd soon drop off. Don’t you know your phrasal verbs? To drop off means to fall asleep.
Patient: Oh, I see, thak you so much, doctor.

Role-play 3: to speak up - hablar más alto (sketch made up by the the students themselves)

AT SCHOOL

Teacher: John, did you study your phrasal verbs?
Student (speaking in a low voice): No, I couldn’t. I had a terrible headache.
Teacher: I can’t hear you. Speak up!
Student (getting on to his desk and speaking as softly as before): I couldn’t. I had a terrible headache.
Teacher (getting angry): What are you doing there? Come down at once!
Student: But you told me to speak up and I am up.
Teacher: For goodness’ sake. You don’t know your phrasal verbs. To speak up means to speak louder or clearer.

Role-play 4: to put sb up= hospedar, dar alojamiento (sketch made up by the students themselves)

AT THE HOTEL

Guest: Can you put me up?
Receptionist: No, I’m sorry. I can’t put you up, you’re too heavy for me.
Guest: You don’t understand, what I mean is if you have a vacant room.
Receptionist: Ah, that’s different. Room 405.


And now a QUIZ to see how self-confident you are. Answer the questions with always, often, sometimes, seldom or never, as the case may be:

a.- Do you easily blow up (lose your temper/get suddenly angry)..................
b.- If someone is rude to you, do you find it necessary to answer back (to reply in a rude way)? ...................
c.- Do you easily give up (lose interest and admit defeat)............................
d.- In a group, do you go along with (agree with) other people’s suggestions, even if you don’t like them, rather than make your own? ...................
e.- At meetings or discussions, you dare not break in (interrupt) even if you feel you have something really important to say? .....................
f.- Is it practically impossible for you to get on well with (to have a friendly relationship with) strangers?..................
g.- If someone you hardly know invites you to call on (to visit) him or her, are you too shy to accept?................
h.- In a shop, etc., do you let others push in (jump the queue) even if it’s your turn?..................
i.- At a party, does it take you long to warm up (to liven up)?....................
j.- If someone is wasting your time, do you find it impossible to invite him or her to push off (to go away)? .....................

SCORE    

always – 1 point
often – 2 points
sometimes – 3 points
seldom – 4 points
never – 5 points

KEY       

41-50          you are full of self-confidence
31-40          you are rather self-confident
21-30          you are reasonably self-confident
11-20          you are a bit shy
1-10            you are extremely shy and should try to increase                      your self-confidence

In my Gramática Inglesa, 9ª ed., pp. 700-726, you will find an appendix (Apéndice 8) with the most usual phrasal verbs, with definitions, examples and non-phrasal equivalents, whenever there is one, v.g. account for something (dar cuenta de, explicar, justificar) Every penny you spend will have to be accounted for Tendrás que dar cuenta de cada penique que gastes [justify]; act up (causar problemas, dar la lata, dar guerra) My car has been acting up again Mi coche me ha estado dando la lata otra vez [give trouble, play up].


Learning phrasal verbs: review

LEARNING PHRASAL VERBS


1.- What do we understand by ‘phrasal verb’?

A ‘phrasal verb’ can be defined as the combination of a verb plus one or sometimes two particles whose meaning is different from the sum of its components: to put up = to give lodging to somebody, for example, is a phrasal verb but to belong to (pertenecer a) is just a verb which patterns with the preposition to, but this preposition does not alter the meaning of the verb= ‘pertenecer’.

PRACTICE 1

How many of these combinations would you call a phrasal verb?

to put off – aplazar
to break down – averiarse
to abstain from -  abstenerse de
to complain about – quejarse de
to fill in – rellenar (impresos, etc.)
to laught at – reirse de
to put up with sth/sb – aguantarse con algo o alguien
to insist on – insistir en
to take after – parecerse a, salir a
to smell of – oler a
to dream of/about – soñar con
to look forward to – estar deseando

KEY  1

phrasal: to put off, to break down, to fill in, to put up with, to take after, to look forward to
non-phrasal: to abstain from, to complain about, to laugh at, to insist on, to smell of, to dream about/of



2.- Different types of phrasal verbs according to whether the particle functions as an adverb or a preposition.

There are three different types:

a.- verb + adverbial particle:

to find sth out – averiguar algo
to take off – despegar (un avión)
to take off (clothes)  - quitarse (ropa)
to put on (clothes)- ponerse (ropa)
to switch sth on – enchufar
to switch sth off - desenchufar
to see sb off – despedir (a alguien que se va de viaje)
to bring sb up – educar a alguien.

b.- verb + prepositional particle:

to look for sth/sb – buscar algo o a alguien
to look after sb – cuidar de alguien
to look into sth – investigar algo
to feel like sth  – apetecer algo
to get over (an illness) – recuperarse (de una enfermedad) to run into sb – toparse con alguien.

c.- verb + adverbial particle + prepositional particle:

to look down on sb  – despreciar a alguien
to get on with sb – llevarse bien con
to get on with sth - progresar.

Place of object

It is important to know whether the particle functions as an adverb or a preposition because when there is an object, this object is placed differently in each case:

· if the particle functions as a preposition, the object must go after the preposition: eg. look after the cat, look after it, etc.

· if the particle functions as an adverb the object if it is a noun can be placed before or after the particle: turn the TV on or turn on the TV, but always before the particle if the object is a pronoun: turn it on.

· if there are two particles, the object usually goes after the prepositional particle: I can’t put up with the noise; I can’t put up with it

But attention, in questions beginning with the object the particle goes at the end: What are you looking for? What did you find out?

Please, note what happens when the prepositional object is not the same as the direct object: They’ve made the novel into a film Han llevado la novela a la pantalla/al cine.

PRACTICE 2

Answer the questions replacing the nouns by pronouns:

1.- Did you see Uncle Richard off at the station? Yes, I saw....
2.- Will you look after the baby? Yes, I will look....
3.- Has she got over her flu? No, she hasn’t......yet
4.- Do you mind turning down the TV? I can’t study. OK, I’ll turn........
5.- Will the police look into the matter? Yes, they’ll look.......

KEY 2

1.- Yes, I saw him off
2.- Yes, I will look after it
3.- No, she hasn’t got over it yet
4.- OK, I’ll turn it down
5.- Yes, they’ll look into it.


3.- From the point of view of their meaning, some phrasal verbs are literal, others are semi-metaphorical and others fully metaphorical:

a.- Literal:

to go/come in/out/up/down, etc – entrar/salir/subir/bajar, etc.


b.- Semi-metaphorical:

to eat up- comérselo todo
to argue away – discutir sin parar
to work away – trabajar sin parar
to read on- seguir leyendo


c.- Fully metaphorical:

to give sth up- dejar (bebida, tabaco, etc.)
to carry sth out – llevar a cabo
to turn sth down – rechazar
to stand someone up – dar plantón

PRACTICE 3

Which of the following combinations would you regard as fully metaphorical, which semi-metaphorical and which literal:

to play on – seguir jugando
to make sth up – inventarse (una  historia, etc.)
to talk away – charlar sin parar
to come in – entrar
to break out – estallar (guerra), declararse (epidemia)
to go up – subir
to hold on – esperar, no colgar (el teléfono)
to drink up – bebérselo todo
to come to – recuperar el conocimiento

KEY 3

fully metaphorical: to make sth. up, to break out, to hang on, to come to/round
semi-metaphorical: to play on, to work away, to drink up
literal: to come in, to go up

4.- Some phrasal verbs are polysemous, that is they have more than one meaning: e.g. to go off can have several meanings: irse, apagarse/irse (la luz), explotar (bomba, fuegos artificiales), dispararse (pistola), sonar (despertador), echarse a perder (alimentos), dejar de gustar algo o alguien, etc.

PRACTICE 4

You’ll find the verb to go off in all the examples below, but with a different meaning each time, can you translate the examples into Spanish?

a) Our neighbours have gone off to live in Australia
b) Fortunately, the bomb didn't go off
c) The gun went off
d) When the alarm clock goes off, I wake up and get up
e) There’s some milk in the fridge, but I’m afraid it has gone off
f) I’ve gone off cakes
g) She has gone off George
h) Fireworks were going off all over the city
i) Suddenly, all the lights went off

KEY 4

a) Nuestros vecinos se han ido a vivir a Australia
b) Afortunadamente, la bomba no explotó
c) La pistola se disparó
d) Cuando  el despertador  suena me despierto y me levanto
e) Hay leche en la nevera, pero me temo que se ha echado a perder
f) Han dejado de gustarme los pasteles
g) A ella ya no le gusta George
h) Estaban explotando cohetes por toda la ciudad
i) De pronto, se apagaron todas las luces


5.- Phrasal verbs usually have non-phrasal equivalents

a.- to put sth off – to postpone
b.- to bring sb up – to educate
c.- to call on sb – to visit
d.- to find sth out – to discover
e.- to come into some money – to inherit

But attention, it’s not always possible to find a non-phrasal verb synonym:

to get away with sth – not to be caught or punished when you’done sth wrong: He always cheats at exams and gets away with it! - siempre se copia en los exámenes y no lo pillan.

PRACTICE 5

Cross out the wrong alternatives

a.- If you slip up, do you fall, or make a mistake?
b.- If you put aside some money, do you save it, or spend it?
c.- If you invite someone to pop round any time he wants to, are you inviting him to visit you, or to have a drink?
d.- If you say that someone has passed away, do you mean he has died, or simply fainted? (note: to faint is to pass out)
e.- When something turns up, does it happen, or come to an end?
f.- If you bear someone out, are you corroborating or denying  what he said?

KEY 5

wrong alternatives: a.- fall; b- spend it; c.- to have a drink; d.- fainted; e.- come to an end; f.- denying.


6.- Phrasal verbs in conversation.

Some people say that phrasal verbs are only found in writing (books, newspapers, etc.), but it isn’t true, they are often used in conversation:


PRACTICE 6

A.- Match the letters with the numbers to complete the dialogues:

a.- “Why are you selling your car?”
b.- “Does your son resemble you?”
c.-  “What time do you finish working?”
d.- “Is she very rich?”
e.-  “Do you miss your boyfriend very much?”

1.- “Oh, yes, she came into a lot of money when her grandfather died.”
2.- “Well, it’s too old and it keeps breaking down.”
3.. “No, he takes after his father”.
4.- “Oh, yes, I love him so; I really can’t do without him”,
5.- “Oh, we knock off at five”.

B.- Read the following dialogues carefully and then explain the meaning of each phrasal verb:

a.- “What a pretty photo!” “Yes, I like it so much that I’m going to have it blown up.
b.- “Why have you been so long in cashing the cheque?” “Well, I had to wait for a long time, because the computer had gone down/was down.
c.-  “How much did the bill come to?” “120 euros”. “That’s a lot of money. I think they ripped you off”.
d.- “I’m up to my neck in work and feeling really stressed so I went to the doctor’s.” “And what did he tell you?” “The doctor has told me that I must slow down.”
e.- “Was the teacher angry with you for being late?” “Yes, he told me off.”

KEY 6

A.- a-2; b-3; c-5; d-1; e-4

B.- a.- to have a photo blown up = to have a photo enlarged  (ampliar una foto); b.- if a computer goes down, it is temporarily disabled/there is no line - (to go down - dejar de funcionar por un tiempo, perderse la conexión); c.- if they rip you off, they charge you too much/they overcharge you - (to rip somebody off - cobrar en exceso, clavar); d.- to slow down = to work less, to rest more - (trabajar menos, descansar más, tomarse las cosas con más calma); e.- to tell somebody off = to scold somebody  (regañar a alguien).


7.- Different style

Most phrasal verbs are standard English: e.g. to die out – extinguirse (especies animales, etc), to bring sth about – causar, etc.

Some phrasal verbs are colloquial or familiar: to pop in= to enter, to bump someone off= to kill someone - cargarse a alguien, etc.

Some are slang: to rat on someone= to inform on someone to the police, to blimp out on sth. – atracarse de (comida) (Yesterday we blimped out on pizza)

Some are technical jargon: to clock in/out (at work) (fichar a la entrada y salida del trabajo), to log in (computers=entrar en el sistema), to sign off (TV)= despedir la emisión, to zoom in/out (cinema)=acercarse o alejarse con la cámara, etc.

Some are not polite: to knock up a woman = to make her pregnant - delarla embarazada

Some are taboo: to get it on= to have sex, to get it up= to get an erection, to jack/jerk off= to masturbate (IAm)(IBr to wank)

To know more about phrasal verbs, see my Gramática Inglesa, 9ª ed., Pearson, pp. 370-409 (for the basic theory) and 700-726 (for the basic phrasal verbs, with definitions, examples and non-phrasal equivalents, whenever there is one), v.g. account for something (dar cuenta de, explicar, justificar) Every penny you spend will have to be accounted for - Tendrás que dar cuenta de cada penique que gastes [justify]; act up (causar problemas, dar la lata, dar guerra) - My car has been acting up again Mi coche me ha estado dando la lata otra vez [give trouble, play up].
More advanced students may also find useful the Diccionario de Verbos Frasales Ingleses, 3ª ed., Comares, Granada, where there is a Thematic Panel (Panel Temático, pp. 353-384), in which they will find all the phrasal verbs that can be used for each meaning, v.g. adornar – deck out/1, do out/2, do up/3, doll up/2, sprice up/2, tart up/2, trick out/up; adular – butter up, fawn on/upon, fawn over, make up to, play up to, shine up (to/with), suck up to, toady to.