English words and phrases of Spanish origin.
3
votes
7answers
271 views
“Crack” as a positive noun?
Some Spanish speakers use the word crack as a positive noun. For example:
Lionel Messi es un crack del football!
Is it the same in English? Can I say: You're a crack?
10
votes
10answers
477 views
Equivalent expression to Spanish “cutting by the healthy part”
What would be an equivalent expression to the Spanish "cortar por lo sano", probably something like "cutting by the healthy part", to convey the idea that to solve a problem from spreading, like ...
3
votes
1answer
254 views
Pronunciation of “Nevada” [closed]
People in the state of Nevada insist that it should be pronounced /nəˈvædə/ (with the vowel of TRAP)—this "issue" always comes up during campaigns—while much of the country typically pronounces it ...
2
votes
5answers
846 views
Is there an equivalent of the spanish “que hueva” slang expression in English to denote that you feel lazy about doing something?
In Spanish slang, particularly in the west, the expressions "que hueva" or "me da hueva" are used, respectively, to convey that you are lazy about doing something. The context might be as follows:
A: ...
6
votes
2answers
23k views
Why do British people pronounce “Ibiza” as “Ibitha”?
My brief overseas experience in Great Britain has taught me that British people tend to pronounce Ibiza as Ibitha. My questions are as follows:
Why is this the case?
How did this develop?
What are ...
11
votes
1answer
2k views
Why is the “J” in San Jacinto pronounced like an English “J” instead of an “H” in Texas?
Many Spanish words taken into English have a "J" sounding like "H", but San Jacinto follows a different rule:
San Jose
La Jolla
San Juan
Jiminez
Why is San Jacinto not pronounced San Hacinto in ...
7
votes
2answers
13k views
How do you spell “Aye Yai Yai”
The phrase that's spoken when someone is hand-wringing about a thorny problem.
Speaker One: Uh-oh -- we have to reformat ALL THE DOCUMENTS!
Speaker Two: Aye Yai Yai, that's a lot of work!
"Aye ...
3
votes
1answer
210 views
What is the word of Spanish or Portuguese origin starting with “a” and meaning enthusiast?
There is a word starting with "a" (along the lines of "afinados") meaning enthusiast, connoisseur or fan. What is it?
1
vote
1answer
2k views
“Cannabis” vs. “marijuana” vs. “weed”
I know all these words have the same meaning and refer to a kind of drug.
Also, as far as I know, weed is slang for marijuana or cannabis. (Correct me if I’m wrong).
What I do not understand is the ...
1
vote
3answers
776 views
Pronunciation of “Paraguay”
The English article for Paraguay in Wikipedia mentions that Paraguay is pronounced as /ˈpɛərəɡweɪ/, which matches the pronunciation recommended by Merriam-Webster. However, inogolo recommends ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
How do I pronounce Gaudí, the architect?
How do I pronounce 'Gaudi', in the name of Antoni Gaudí (the architect)?
