June 23, 2018 PURSLANE/VERDOLAGA
Although the English and Spanish words to describe this succulent edible plant seem different, they both come from the Latin portulaca. Most European languages kept the “p” form: portulakk (Norwegian), Gelber Portulak (German), porcelaine/pourpier (French), and purslane in English; however, Spanish took the “b” modified Arabic form bardilāga, finally changing to verdolaga.
EXAMPLE
Las verdolagas se pueden comer crudas en ensalada, o cocidas en platillos más elaborados.
Purslane may be consumed raw in salads, or cooked in more elaborated dishes.
Quote
”… save the purslane for the table rather than the garbage can.” – Delena Tull, author of “Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest”
“ … reserve las verdolagas para la mesa en lugar del bote de basura.” – Delena Tull, autora de “Plantas comestibles y útiles de Tejas y el Suroeste”
June 21, 2018 FUNDIDO
Past participle of the Spanish verb fundir – to melt, also used as an adjective – melted, molten. The word comes from Latin fundĕre – to melt. The English word is very different because it comes from the Greek form meldein.
EXAMPLE
Many words in Spanish and English are similar when they come from the same Greek or Latin root, but melted/molten and fundido are not the case.
Muchas palabras en español y en inglés son similares cuando provienen de la misma raíz griega o latina, pero para melted/molten y fundido no se da el caso.
Quote
“Scott Slagerman has always been captivated by glass – how it is transformed from a fragile, yet unyielding solid state, to molten fluidity and back again…” – https://interestingengineering.com/glass-blower-achieves-stunning-results-by-pouring-glass-into-wood-slabs
“Scott Slagerman siempre ha estado cautivado por el vidrio – como es transformado de un frágil, pero inmóvil estado sólido a fluidez fundida, y en reversa …” – https://interestingengineering.com/glass-blower-achieves-stunning-results-by-pouring-glass-into-wood-slabs
June 16, 2018 SALCHICHA
Spanish word for sausage. Both words derive from medieval Latin – salsicia, originally from Latin salsus – salted, because of the addition of salt to aid in the preservation of the encased meats.
EXAMPLE
Antes de que hubiera refrigeración, muchos productos alimenticios se salaban para conservarlos, por ejemplo: encurtidos, anchoas, quesos y por supuesto, salchichas.
Before refrigeration, many food products were heavily salted for preservation, such as: pickles, anchovies, cheeses and, of course, sausages.
Quote
“A novel is like a sausage. You might like the final taste, but you don’t want to see how it was made.” – Harlan Coben, American writer.
“Una novela es como una salchicha. Te puede gustar el sabor, pero no quieres ver como la hicieron.” – Harlan Coben, escritor estadounidense.
June 2, 2018 LETTUCE
The name comes from the Latin name for this vegetable lactūca, from lac – milk, because of the milky fluid (latex) that bleeds from its stalks. It is the same root for the Spanish word lechuga.
EXAMPLE
Lechuga es un apellido originario de España, probablemente para identificar a las familias que cultivaban lechugas.
“Lechuga” is a last name originated in Spain, probably to identify families that cultivated lettuce.
Quote
“Lettuce was first cultivated in ancient Egypt for the production of oil from its seeds. This plant was probably selectively bred by the Egyptians into a plant grown for its edible leaves, …” – Wikipedia
“La lechuga primero se cultivó en el Egipto antiguo para la producción de aceite de sus semillas. La planta probablemente fue cruzada selectivamente por los egipcios para obtener una planta cultivada por sus hojas comestibles, …” – Wikipedia
My Slice of Mexico 