ingléspañol

auxiliar = ancillary, auxiliary

One thing I've noticed that might be considered a benefit to English (if you are as garruloso como yo!) is that English often has more words than Spanish for any given thing.

Not true! Take the above example - ancillary and auxiliary are not exactly the same word, yet when you look up each you get the SINGLE Spanish word. Ancillary and auxiliary have shades of difference, subtleties in definition. Ancillary refers to a different tool that you MIGHT be able to use, or path to take, that is RIGHT THERE, at hand, at any given time; Auxiliary is something that is ready to step in and take the place to help out on a moment's notice. An ancillary is a pair of pliers that's right there in the tool box waiting to be used when you finally get fed up with the wrench you're trying to use, and an auxiliary is the guy standing behind you, willing to step in to take over and finally get that drain plug pulled outta that oil pan!

But they both translate as auxiliar - there's probably subtleties of shades of definitions with that word in Spanish as well, probably depending solely on context, or possibly inflection, but I'm not sufficiently bilingual to know.

More study required!!!!


VG

posted by Verble Gherulous @ 6:15 AM