La palabra de la semana/Word of the week

[Marianopolita]

Good word choice-

Norma-

This is a good word choice IMO and I would be surprised if any of the non-Caribbean Spanish speakers have even heard the word. IMO it is known to and used by those who grew up in a particular Spanish-speaking country but it's not a word one learns via studies per se. Via book reading yes, if the author uses vocabulary typical of the country or region in question although embullar(se) with the meaning you presented is not a colloquialism. The word is not even registered in fair sized dictionaries.

I have observed that the usage is very common among Cubans in particular. They use embullar(se) a lot with the meaning of animarse. For example- many times my Cuban friends say to me: "Lesley, si te embullas, ven a visitarnos y nos ponemos al d?a". It's not a word that I use at all but the meaning is quite clear from the context.

alboroto (de alborotar) (disturbance, uproar)

Here is the expression with "alboroto" that I was referring to:

En pocos minutos se elev? un alboroto de arrabal que Nico finalmente detuvo con el ?nico grito que le hemos escuchado en su vida?. P?g 115- La suma de los d?as.

It's understandable from the context but new to me.

-LDG.

 

[Norma Rosa]

Norma - thanks for this. What about 'bulla'? I've never seen that word in writing but it means 'noise', doesn't it? A party is also 'una bullita', especially a children's party, and now I see that it comes from 'embullar'.

In the south of Spain, though, 'bulla' means 'hurry' - 'tengo mucha bulla' - I'm in a hurry; 'se cas? de bulla' - she got married in a hurry.

I think it is the other way around; embullar(se) comes from bulla which means noise; however, it does not have to be noisy. Embullarse is to have a moment of relaxation.

Bullita: You are right, it is a small get together.

Whenever I go to the DR, my relatives make me una bullita.

I was not aware of how the word "bulla" was used in Spain, thanks.

 

[Norma Rosa]

From RAE:

bulla. (De bullir).


1. f. Griter?a o ruido que hacen una o m?s personas.

2. f. Concurrencia de mucha gente.

3. f. And. Prisa, apresuramiento.

 

[Chirimoya]

Thanks Norma: I also looked it up and saw that it could mean both things - as well as the 'crowd' meaning. When someone says they don't like living in a big city because of all the 'bulla' it could mean all of the above.

 

[Norma Rosa]

RAE:
embullar. (De en- y bulla).


1. tr. Animar a alguien para que tome parte en una diversi?n bulliciosa. U. t. c. prnl.

2. intr. Col. y Hond. Meter bulla, alborotar.

3. intr. Col. Decir mentiras. (to lie)

(#3 is new to me, but I can see why it can also mean to lie. One tells tales so that others might entertain other ideas. That's my way to look at it. What do you think?

Bullicio is another word used to mean bulla.

 

[Norma Rosa]

=Lesley D;580501]Norma-
This is a good word choice IMO and I would be surprised if any of the non-Caribbean Spanish speakers have even heard the word. IMO it is known to and used by those who grew up in a particular Spanish-speaking country but it's not a word one learns via studies per se. Via book reading yes, if the author uses vocabulary typical of the country or region in question although embullar(se) with the meaning you presented is not a colloquialism. The word is not even registered in fair sized dictionaries.

I have observed that the usage is very common among Cubans in particular. They use embullar(se) a lot with the meaning of animarse. For example- many times my Cuban friends say to me: "Lesley, si te embullas, ven a visitarnos y nos ponemos al d?a". It's not a word that I use at all but the meaning is quite clear from the context.

I had a hard time finding it (embullar) in a dictionary. I found it later on RAE - which was not on-line when I first posted the word. RAE attributes it to Colombia and Honduras, but Peque?o Larousse says that it is Cuban. Perhaps it is used throughout the Caribbean area. It is of ample use in the DR - literally and otherwise.

Here is the expression with "alboroto" that I was referring to:

En pocos minutos se elev? un alboroto de arrabal que Nico finalmente detuvo con el ?nico grito que le hemos escuchado en su vida?. P?g 115- La suma de los d?as.

It's understandable from the context but new to me.-LDG.

Un alboroto de barrio? (wild?)

 

[Norma Rosa]

porra

Although this word has different regional meanings, in the DR it is used to express anger, annoyance:

1. “?V?yase a la porra!” It can be translated as Go take a walk, Go to hell. (It is softer than “?V?yase a la mierda!"

2. ?A la porra! (maldito) Darned it!

 

[A.Hidalgo]

porra

Although this word has different regional meanings, in the DR it is used to express anger, annoyance:

1. ??V?yase a la porra!? It can be translated as Go take a walk, Go to hell. (It is softer than ??V?yase a la mierda!"

2. ?A la porra! (maldito) Darned it!

My dear prima you are on a roll.......:cheeky:

 

[Norma Rosa]

My dear prima you are on a roll.......:cheeky:

Gracias, primo. Thanks for not saying, "l?rgate a la porra" to me.

 

[Norma Rosa]

bregar

Verb:
1. Ajetrearse, trabajar afanosamente, trabajar duro. (to toil, slaveaway)

He estado bregando todo el d?a en el restaurante. I have been slaving away all day at the restaurant.

2. Luchar, re?ir, forcejear, discutir (to argue)
Han estado bregando toda la ma?ana. They have been arguing all morning.


Noun: brega
cosa dif?cil (a difficult thing)

Ese ni?o es una brega. (That child is a difficult thing.)

Please add your comments.

 

[Marianopolita]

Bregar, trabajar y chambear-

Norma,

This is a good word choice once again. Although bregar means trabajar IMO, there is different connotation implied when using bregar vs. trabajar. Bregar is a verb of universal usage in the Spanish language and it is one that I use but only when I want be specific about the type of work I am doing and how I feel about it. As an example, if I am doing a job or project or a type of work that really requires a lot of effort, concentration (more than usual), long hours, hard work without giving up I would say estoy bregando to imply that it's difficult or taking a lot out of me. In Spanish this can be implied by con af?n or con empe?o like the definition says and also I use it in the sense of estoy luchando.

This also reminds me of the word chambear that I noticed mostly Central Americans use to say they are working or they have a lot of work to do. It's a synonym for trabajar that's of common usage by region. Just an observation.


-LDG.

 

[Norma Rosa]

Norma,

This is a good word choice once again. Although bregar means trabajar IMO, there is different connotation implied when using bregar vs. trabajar. Bregar is a verb of universal usage in the Spanish language and it is one that I use but only when I want be specific about the type of work I am doing and how I feel about it. As an example, if I am doing a job or project or a type of work that really requires a lot of effort, concentration (more than usual), long hours, hard work without giving up I would say estoy bregando to imply that it's difficult or taking a lot out of me. In Spanish this can be implied by con af?n or con empe?o like the definition says and also I use it in the sense of estoy luchando.

This also reminds me of the word chambear that I noticed mostly Central Americans use to say they are working or they have a lot of work to do. It's a synonym for trabajar that's of common usage by region. Just an observation.


-LDG.

Yes, you are correct. In the DR, bregar is used with that connotation, also. It implies that the work one is doing although difficult, one does not give up.

A response to the question how are you is sometimes: Siempre bregando.

Norma

 

[doval]

As promised, Norma:

Hanguear/janguear (Spanglish slang): To hang out

Sign seen in New York: Se prohibe hanguear frente al building. (Well, something like that!)

Synonyms: callejear; vagar

Similar expressions: ir/andar de bonche; ir/andar de parranda; haraganear

This term originated, I believe, among nuyoricans, but has since been adopted by dominicans and exported back to the DR. It's also been popularized by the hiphop/reggaeton culture.