False Friends
False friends
are an important issue to keep in mind when learning a different language. If we are Spanish students learning English, false friends will play tricks on our minds when we try to learn English
and we have to be very careful when studying new words.
What are
false friends?
Words that are similar in spelling and/or
pronunciation in two languages but have completely different meanings.
In the following examples, we will look at different verbs that may get Spanish speakers confused. Words with asterisk are verbs that Spanish speakers take wrongly for the translation of the English verbs (*). These examples are:
To have an argument: to speak violently with someone
instead oh to have a plot (tener un argumento*).
To molest: to attack someone (also attack someone
sexually) instead of to bother (molestar*).
To resume: to restart something instead of to
summarize (resumir*).
To support: to back someone or something instead of to
put up with (soportar*).
To realize: to give real existence of something
instead of to do something (realizar*).
To assist: to
help someone instead of to go to a place (asistir*).
Of course, there
are more verbs that are false friends. You just have to look them up in any
dictionary in case of doubt and, as I always say, to hesitate to ask for help
in case you need it!
Posted by: Francisco M. Alfonso Sánchez
I agree with your post. I think sometimes false friends play tricks to us and we tend to mix up it with our own language. We need to have this clear for all the English learners! God job!!
ResponderEliminarThe thing with false friends it that they make you mistrust your intuitions from Spanish and get used to them. Nice explanation.
ResponderEliminarThanks guys. I thought that this thing about false friends was an important issue we must get into account when learning or teaching a different language.
ResponderEliminar