THE WORLD SPREAD OF ENGLISH

“The Latin- American who learns English as a second language has his own special difficulties and advantages. English and Spanish have thousands of words that are similar in form and meaning. In some cases these words have evolved from an original Latin source. In others, they have come form some even earlier common source in Indo European, the ancestor of a large family of languages of which Latin is only one example.

These words are easy for the Spanish speaker to learn. For instance, many closely related words end in –ción in Spanish and in – tion in English: Educación, constitución, aviación, asociación and many others. Hotel, hospital and calendar are other examples of closely related words without the – ción ending.

Such closely related words are called “cognates”.

Some seeming English-Spanish equivalents are deceptive. Their forms are similar, but with different shades of meaning in the two languages. These are sure to cause trouble for Spanish speakers learning English. The Spanish word asistir looks like the English word assist, but it doesn’t mean “help”. Instead, “asistir” means “to attend” or “to be present”.

Thus, Spanish speakers learning English will say that they assisted a class when they mean that they were present at it. Actual in Spanish means “present”, not English “actual”, desgracia means “misfortune”, not disgrace, ignorar means “not to know” of “to ignore”. Such deceptive “equivalents” are called “false cognates”.

WRITE IF THESE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE, FALSE OR NOT GIVEN, ACCORDING TO THE READING. USE “T”, “F” OR “NG” FOR YOUR ANSWERS.

English and Spanish share many similar words.  (______)

English and Spanish share many false “equivalents” terms. (______)

“To ignore” and “not to know” mean “ignorar”. (______)

Latin is an Indo - European language. (______)

Spanish lacks sounds that are very common in English. (______)

USE (“C “FOR COGNATE AND “FC” FOR FALSE COGNATE)

Conversation (______)                       Exit (______)             Library (______)   Actually (______)

Similar (______)                                  Musical (______)    Large (______)      Administration (______)

WHAT DO THEY MEAN? USE YOUR DICTIONARY.

Eventually ______________________                             Eventualmente ________________________

Lecture _______________________                Lectura_______________________________

Realize ________________________               Realizar ______________________________

Sensible _______________________               Sensible______________________________

Carpet ________________________               Carpeta ______________________________

Idiom _________________________              Idioma _______________________________

WRITE “R” FOR RIGHT OR “W” FOR WRONG.

“Closely related” means                              “cercanamente relatados”              ( ______)

“Ancestor of a large family”                       “ancestor de una larga familia” ”    ( ______)

“Original Latin source”                                  “fuente latina original” ”                   ( ______)

“Their forms are similar”                             “sus formas son similares”          ”    ( ______)

“Some seeming English –Spanish

Equivalents are deceptive.                         “Algunos supuestos equivalentes

                                                                              Inglés- Español son decepcionantes”    ( ______)

                                                              

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. DISCUSS WITH YOUR CLASSMATES.

What’s the difference between cognates and false cognates?

What does “Spanish speaker learning English” mean?

Is it easy for a Spanish speaker to learn English?

Can you think of some other cognates or false cognates?

These are words that look alike in English and Spanish, but that usually differ in meaning. Look at the following examples:

Large: Long	Large: grande, extenso
Actualmente: At present.	Actually: En realidad.
Actual: Present, current	Actual: real.
Asistir: Go regularly	Assist: Ayudar.
Atender: Pay attention, take care.	Attend: Asistir regularmente.
Carpeta: Folder.	Carpet: Alfombra.
Desierto: Very dry place, empty.	Dessert: Postre.
Éxito: success	Exit: Salida.
Eventual: Fortuitous	Eventual: Suceso final, resultado.
Eventualmente: By chance.	Eventually: Finalmente.
Idioma: Language.	Idiom: Modismo del habla.
Ignorar: Not to know.	Ignore: Desairar.
Lectura: Reading.	Lecture. Conferencia.
Librería: Bookshop.	Library: Biblioteca.
Noticia: News.	Notice: Advertencia, nota, aviso.
Policía: Police.	Policy: Política, regla, sistema.
Realizar: Fulfill, carry out, perform.	Realize: Darse cuenta.
Sensible: Sensitive.	Sensible: Sensato.
Severa: Rigorous, strict, rigid, stern.	Several: Varios
Suceso: Event.	Success: Éxito.
Timbre: Call bell.	Timber: Madera, palo.