English is a bit of a mongrel. It is basically a West Germanic language, but contains words from many other languages, especially French, Latin, Greek and Old Norse. In fact, only about 26% of English vocabulary is Germanic, 29% is from French, 29% from Latin, 6% from Greek, and the rest from many other languages [source].
When English borrows words from other languages, which it does all the time, most people see the process as a positive one that expands and enriches English vocabulary.
There will always be some who object to the adoption of certain words, however, within a few generations, or even a few years, those words can become fully integrated in the language, and people might not even be aware they were borrowed in the first place.
Japanese is also open and accepting of foreign words, mainly from Chinese and English. These loan words are changed to fit Japanese phonetics, and some are shortened and combined to make original new words, such as リモコン (rimokon) = remote control, and オープンカー (ōpun-kā) = convertible car.
Borrowing between languages is common around the world where languages come into contact. The borrowing often flows from large languages, like English or Spanish, into smaller languages, such as regional, minority and endangered languages.
When smaller languages borrow from bigger languages, some believe the smaller languages suffer in the process, becoming corrupted, impoverished, polluted, etc. Such sentiments are much less common when talking about borrowing from smaller languages into bigger languages.
There seems to be a double standard here.
Borrowing will happen, even though language regulators, such as the Académie française, might object and try to stop it. Languages change and influence one another. They can borrow many words from other languages without losing their identity, and without breaking down into incomprehensible grunts.
The Polyglot Conference is over now for another year, and I arrived back to Bangor yesterday. Although the conference only lasted two days, a lot was packed into that time.
On the Friday I went on a Golden Circle tour with two coach loads of other polyglots. Unfortunately it was a wet, cloudy and cold day, so the views were not great, but the landscape we could see was rather fine.
The first stop was Þingvellir (Thingvellir), a World Heritage Site where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. It is also where the Iceland parliament (Alþingi) met from AD 930 until 1798.
Next we went to Geysir, and area of volcanic activity with a number of sprouting hot springs, including the famous Great Geysir, which is currently inactive, and Stokkur, which erupts every few minutes (see photo below). We also had lunch here – there are a number of eating places and souvenir shops in the complex near the hot springs. I was expecting the whole place to stink of sulphur, but it didn’t really.
Our final stop was Gullfoss (“Golden Falls”), waterfalls in the canyon of Ölfusá river. They were spectacular, and well worth seeing.
In the evening, after we arrived back in Reykajvik, I went for dinner at an Indian restaurant with a few other polyglots.
Then there were talks on a variety of topics, with themes including Icelandic language and culture, bilingualism and autism, and maintaining ‘small’ languages. Some of the speakers were lecturers or researchers in universities, others were language enthusiasts. The talks I found most interesting were the one by Daniel Tammet and Sigriður Kristinsdóttir about how he learnt Icelandic in a week with her help; one about bilingualism and autism, one about the cognitive effects of language learning, and one about Mongolian.
There was plenty of time between the talks and at lunch to catch up with old friends, meet new ones and practise languages. During my time in Iceland, I had conversations in English, Welsh, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese and Irish, and spoke bits of Czech, Scottish Gaelic, Breton, Manx, Swedish and Icelandic.
Lunch was provided – small sandwiches and wraps, though didn’t appeal to me, so I bought something else in a supermarket.
There weren’t any organised activities in the evenings, as there are at the Polyglot Gatherings. Instead babbles of polyglots went off to do their own thing. I went for dinner with some polyglot friends and had very interesting discussions about all sorts of things, not all of which were related to languages – we do have other interests.
The next Polyglot Conference will be in Ljubljana in Slovenia from 5-7 October 2018 (as you might have guessed from this photo). So next year I will learn some Slovenian before the conference in Ljubljana, and some Slovak before the Polyglot Gathering in Bratislava in Slovakia.
On Monday I did some work on Omniglot in the morning, explored Reykjavik a bit, had lunch in a restaurant in the old harbour area of Reykjavik, did some more work, then explored a bit more with the two Russian teachers who were staying in the same place as me.
Iceland is a very expensive place, which I expected. Meals in restaurants cost at least twice as much as in the UK, as do most other things. It wasn’t as cold as I expected – about 7-10°C during the day and 2-5°C at night. All the locals I met speak very good English, but if you speak Icelandic, they’re happy to speak it with you. There are apparently quite a few people who have moved to Iceland recently for work, most don’t speak Icelandic. On a clear, dry day, the scenery is spectacular. Even on grey, wet days, it’s still impressive and dramatic.
Yesterday evening I went to Café Lingua – lifandi tungumál at the University of Iceland / Háskóli Íslands. It’s a regular meet-up for language enthusiasts, and last night there were a lot of extra people there who are in Reykjavik for the Polyglot Conference. It was great to see lots of familiar faces, and to meet new people.
I had conversations in English, Welsh, Irish and Mandarin, and spoke odd bits of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Swedish, Icelandic, Czech, Russian, Finnish and French. Other languages were available.
Today I’m going on a Golden Circle tour with other Polyglot Conference participants.
What’s the connecting between the words filibuster and freebooter?
The answer is, they both come from the same Dutch word vrijbuiter [ˈvrɛi̯bœy̯tər] (plunderer, robber), from vrij (free), buit (booty) and -er (agent suffix).
A freebooter as originally “an adventurer who pillages, plunders or wages ad-hoc war on other nations”, and apparently also means “one who rehosts online media without authorization”. It is a calque translation from Dutch, and was first recorded in English in the 1560s [source].
A filibuster originally meant “a mercenary soldier; specifically, a mercenary who travelled illegally in an organized group from the United States to a country in Central America or the Spanish West Indies in the mid-19th century seeking economic and political benefits through armed force”. Over time it also came to mean, “A tactic (such as giving long, often irrelevant speeches) employed to delay the proceedings of, or the making of a decision by, a legislative body, particularly the United States Senate”.
Filibuster was first recorded in English in the 1580s as flibutor. It was borrowed from the Spanish filibustero (pirate), from French flibustier (pirate), from the Dutch vrijbuiter.
Filibustering freebooters! sounds like the kind of curse Captain Haddock uses in the Tintin stories. He does in fact say Filibuster(s)! and Fancy-dress freebooter!, but not Filibustering freebooters!, as far as I can discover.
I made it to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig last night. It started to rain very heavily as the ferry arrived in Armadale. Fortunately there was a bus to the college, but I got rather damp just walking from the ferry to the bus, and from the bus into the college.
So far on this journey I’ve heard quite a few different languages, including German, Lithuanian, Mandarin, French, Spanish and Dutch. I’ve had conversations in English, Scottish Gaelic and Irish, and spoken odd bits of Manx, Swedish, Russian and German.
My Scottish Gaelic is a bit rusty, but it’s coming back, and I fill in any gaps with Irish. On the way hear I listened to an audio book and some songs in Gaelic to tune my ears into the language.
If not, you are missing out on one of the best kept secrets in Latin America. It is a country filled with life, lots of culture, and great food to eat!
It’s the place that I have called home for the past 4 months and the country that my wife Andrea grew up in. She has given me some inside information and provided me with some fun Colombian slang words to show you.
We based this article off a YouTube video that we produced featuring actual Colombians speaking the 10 Colombian Slang Expressions. If you want to hear these phrases spoken by actual Colombians than check out the video.
10 Popular Colombian Slang Expressions
1) Quiubo
It’s like saying, “What’s up” in English. Or another way of saying it is, “How’s it going?”
It’s a very common phrase used among family, friends, and co-workers. Basically, it’s great in any informal setting. So don’t try this one on your serious Colombian boss.
Here’s an example in a normal Colombian dialogue:
A: Quiubo, ¿Que mas?
B: Bien, gracias a Dios.
Translation:
A: Hows is going, what’s going on? B: Everything is good, thank the Lord.
2. ¡Que bacano! or ¡Tan bacano!
Both these phrases are extremely popular in Colombia.
It’s the equivalent of saying, “That’s awesome” or “that’s great.” If you think something is really awesome make sure to say, “¡Que bacano!”
Here are a couple examples in daily conversation:
A: Compre un nuevo celular——–B: ¡Que bacano!
A: Si, mi mama me dio la plata—–B: ¿Enserio? ¡Tan bacano!
Translation:
A: I just bought a new cell phone. B: That’s awesome!
A: My mom just gave me money. B: Really? That’s great!
3. Que Pereza
Here’s another one that I hear all the time in Colombia. It essentially means, “What a pain.”
You can also use it if something is really boring. So next time you have a boring project at work or one you really don’t want to do, take a look over at your co-worker and say, “¡Que pereza!”
A: I have to study calculus. ———-B: Really? That’s so boring!
4. Hacer Una Vaca
Are you about to watch a sports game with friends and you need people to chip in for pizza?
It’s time to “hacer una vaca.” This one is only used in the plural form though.
For instance: “Hagamos una vaca” or “Por qué no hacemos una vaca” means “Let’s all put money together for…”
Let’s take a look at this phrase in action:
A: ¡Tengo mucha sed!——B: Hagamos una vaca para la gaseosa.
Translation:
I’m so thirsty. Let’s chip in to buy a soda.
5. Que Boleta
This phrase means, “That’s not fair!” or “That’s not nice!”
Basically, you can use this phrase when you are in a bad situation or something bad happened when someone treated you poorly.
My Colombian wife uses this one a lot whenever I do something she doesn’t like or is upset about.
Here’s an example:
A: Juan no tiene trabajo, su jefe lo despidió.
B: ¿Enserio? ¡Que boleta!, Él es un muy buen trabajador.
Translation:
A: Juan doesn’t have a job because his boss fired him. B: Really? That’s terrible, he is a great worker.
6. Por Si Las Moscas
This is one I am trying to use more and more. It means, “Just in case.”
It’s very common in Colombia where I live. If you think it is going to rain, you could make sure to bring an umbrella, “Por si las moscas.”
Here’s an example from a dialogue:
A: Piensas que debo traer repelente?
B: Si, tráelo por si las moscas, quizás hay muchos mosquitos.
Translation:
A: Do you think I should bring insect repellant?
B: Yes, bring it just in case as there might be lots of mosquitos.
7. Parar Bolas
You can use this one to signify, “Pay attention!” A common conjugation for most Colombians here is “¡Páreme bolas!”
This signifies someone telling them to pay attention already. My wife uses this one a lot when she tells me to pay attention to what she has to say.
Here’s an example in conversation:
A: ¿Usted hizo la tarea?—–B:(no contesta nada)—–A: Oiga, páreme bolas!
Translation:
A: Did you do your homework? (no response) B: Hey, pay attention to me!
8. Dar Papaya
“Dar papaya” means to make yourself an easy target. You can say, “No de papaya” o “no hay que dar papaya” when you are telling someone to be careful around others.
Parents can use this one to tell their kids to be careful and not make themselves an easy target.Here’s an example in conversation:
Here’s a conversational example:
A: ¿Por qué utiliza el celular aquí? ¡Estamos en el centro, no de papaya!
Translation:
A: Why are you using your phone here. We are downtown, don’t make yourself an easy target [to get robbed]!
9. Que Embarrada o Embarrarla
Here’s another very common Colombian slang expression. I hear this one said all the time.
“Que embarrada” can be used when something bad happens and to express that you are sorry about it.
You can also say, “La embarre” (embarrarla) when you make an error.
Here’s and example in conversation:
A: la abuela de Alex murió——-B: ¿Si? ¡Qué embarrada!
A: La embarré en el examen, tuve 7 errores.
Translation:
A: Alex’s grandma passed away. B: Really? I’m so sorry to hear that!
A: I really screwed up on the test, I had 7 mistakes.
10. Mamar Gallo
We have now reached our 10th and final popular Colombian slang expression.
“Mamar gallo” means to “mess around” or to “joke around.” You can use this phrase to tell someone to stop messing around. I like this phrase a lot as I like to “Mamar gallo” at times.
Example in conversation:
A: ¡Deje de mamar gallo y limpie la habitación!
Translation:
Stop messing around and clean your room!
Other Colombian Slang Words to Learn (and sound like a native)
Here’s a few more Colombian phrases or words you can learn.
They are all quite common and will be universally understood by just about any Colombian and probably by most Latinos.
Try a few out on a Colombian friend or language partner.
Que oso = How embarrassing!
Tengo un filo = I am super hungry
Me estoy asando = It’s boiling hot in here
Tiene huevo = What nerves!
Que chevere = That’s great/ Cool
Que jartera = What a pain (as well)
Mentiras = I am joking!
Arruncharse = to cuddle
Camellar = trabajar
Wrapping It Up
As a quick reminder if you want to check out these Colombian Slang Expressions spoken by Colombian natives check out this short dramatic video.
Better yet, download Andrea’s cheat sheet and get the 1 page PDF with the important phrases and how to use them. It’s in both English and Spanish to help you learn something new.
I hope you have learned something new or a new phrase you can try out with a Colombian friend.
My recommendation is to travel to Colombia and use a couple of these phrases on locals. They would be happy to play along with your slang words and you will be sure to sound like a native.
Colombia is a fantastic place to visit with crystal clear beaches, tropical beaches, and happy people to meet. It’s nothing like the dangerous, drug-infested reports that are often portrayed in the government or media (although it does have dangerous parts).
Finally, whatever your reason is for learning Colombian expressions, my one hope is that you actually use them!
About the writer
Nate and his wife Podcast and teach Spanish to Intermediate and Advanced language learners over at SpanishlandSchool.com. He loves to travel (particularly in South America) and writes on his hikes at LiveOutdoorsy.com. If you have any Colombian questions please feel free to reach out!
I came across the word calaboose in a book I read recently and as I couldn’t work out its meaning from the context I had to look it up. I also like the sound of it, so thought I’d write about it.
A calaboose is an informal American term for a prison or jail. It comes from the Spanish calabozo (dungeon), according to the Collins English Dictionary.
Calabozo possibly comes from the Late Latin *calafodium, from fodiō (I dig, bury), which comes from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰod- (plot, patch of ground) from *bʰedʰ- (to pierce, dig).
This is also the root of the English word bed, via the Proto-Germanic badją (lair, grave, bed), the Welsh word bedd (grave), via the Proto-Celtic *bedo- (grave, ditch), and related words in other, mainly Germanic, languages.
Wherever you find yourself in the States or Canada, you are likely to find most voices around you are speaking in English, French, Spanish, or another modern European language. But dotted among the vocabulary of the typical American will be a number of words that we all profess to understand, without knowing their true meaning: place names!
With their roots in native languages or their meanings and pronunciations altered over the decades and centuries, these often romantic-sounding words instantly conjure a mental picture of lakes, mountains, big cities or sleepy villages, depending on that place’s prevailing image.
Funnily enough, while these place names conjure up such landscapes by association, the original meaning of the names – almost forgotten over time – often refer quite literally to the physical characteristics of the place. For example, the state of Arizona seems to be named for a native word for ‘small spring’ while, within that state, Tucson is a Pima O’odham word meaning ‘black base’ – and no wonder since that city lives in the shadow of nearby Black Mountain.
Meanwhile, the Canadian province of Saskatchewan is quite simply named for the Saskatchewan River that runs across it. That river is in turn named after itself, given that Saskatchewan if a Cree aboriginal word meaning “swift flowing river”.
There are few more pleasurable pastimes for the sworn word addict than tracing the detailed etymology of a curious word or phrase, and the place names of Canada and the United States can become a real wormhole once you get started. This new infographic from Expedia is a great starting point, being as it is a detailed map of the region with informed suggestions on what a number of place names truly mean. Get stuck in, learn a bit about where you’re from, and maybe you’ll even find some conclusions to argue with!
The Literal Translation of Places in Canada & the United States, courtesy of Expedia.ca
Last night I went to the first Languages of London meetup – it’s the same group I’ve been going to for a few months (the Polyglot Pub), but with a new name and venue, and more participants.
The meetup was supposed to take place in the Institute of Education in UCL, which is a good location in central London near Russell Square and Euston. Unfortunately they were closed for the Easter holidays, even though they had confirmed in advance that the venue would be available. So we had to find somewhere else in a hurry. Fortunately we found a good alternative in the café in the nearby Wellcome Collection.
There were more people there last night than have been at any of the Polyglot Pub meetups I’ve been to, from various countries. We chatted about languages, and other things, in a variety of languages, and generally had a good time. I had conversations in English, Welsh, French and Japanese, and spoke odd bits of Spanish and Portuguese. There were also conversations in Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, Thai and a few other languages.
These meetups happen once a month and if you’re in London for the next one. Do come along. They’re for anybody who is learning a language or two, who speaks a few languages, and/or is interested in languages.
This week Rocket Languges are celebrating their 13th Anniversary with a 4-day sale starting today and continuing until Friday 17th March, or until they’ve sold 1,000 courses.
The coupon code to receive the discount is ANNIVERSARY
They also offer online piano courses, in case you fancy a break from your language studies.
I have tried and reviewed their Hindi and Japanese courses, and think they are definitely worth a look. Since then they have added some new languages – Russian and Portuguese – and I’m tempted to try their Russian course, even though I already have plenty of other Russian courses and learning materials. Can you ever have too many language learning materials?
Note: I am a Rocket Languages affiliate, and will receive commission if you buy any of the courses via the links above.
