¿¿¿¿¿¿

I can do them too?! I didn't even know I could until now?

What do they signify?...

Siempre Rojo aka tenemos diecinueve (U1560)
posted 1 minute ago

niño
I have the advantage of a Spanish keyboard.
I can do upside down question marks too

¿¿¿¿¿¿

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<yikes

The devils magic!
Someone get the pitchforks and torches!!

You are all standin on yer head and talkin thro yer arrrrrrrse . Loons.

What do they signify?...

They signify that you too are a dark wizard and shall be burnt at the steak! if you survive you are a wizard and must report back while we work out how to destroy you, if you die you are a fellow mere mortal and i am very soory

It signifies the start of a question

for example

es caro = it is expensive

¿ es caro ? = is it expensive ?

You were right no sensible answers to this one i,m afraid.. Good Night everybody

and shall be burnt at the steak!
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My local restaurant is always doing that.

comment by SILKY BLUE (U1878) posted 33 minutes ago

It means " Boy of the Beach". Has no reference to race or colour. I lived there for ten years, dont try to tell me what he meant. I know it and if you were honest so you would admit it.
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You lived in Uruguay?

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comment by Sir Digby (U6039) posted 3 hours, 31 minutes ago

I'm not taking sides here but as far as i was aware spanish for "ni.gger" was "ne.gro" and "negrito" means bold

but it might have a different meaning...

also yes people are correct "ni.gger" is not taken as offencivly in spanish speaking countrys. I'm not condoning it just saying!
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This post is mistaken in almost every possible way.

Ne.gro is the standard Spanish word for black, in the same way that azul means blue or verde means green. In terms of connotation, it has absolutely nothing to do with ni.gger.

Bold, as in bold type, is negrita, with a femenine ending.

Negrito has been widely reported as meaning "little black man", but the diminutive form in Spanish isn't so simple and is used in varying ways. In much the same way that "Juanito" or "Juanillo" could be translated literally as "little John", idiomatically it is more like "Johnny".

I would personally never use negrito, basically because to me it has a condescending ring to it.

People here often use negrito instead of the common word for black with no ill intent whatsoever, but perhaps because I had a mixed English-Spanish upbringing, to me it sounds as if they were trying to avoid the term "black", as if there was something wrong with it.

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So, Suarez reckons that the rest of the Man United squad call Evra "Negrito" or "Little Black Man"?

Really?

THAT is his explanation?

REALLY??

Some people seem to be missing the point. 'Negrito' doesn't have to be an offensive term in itself for the context to be offensive. Let's assume that it just means 'black man' and the diminutive '-ito' isn't at all condescending (although some have suggested it can be). Would you really go up to someone you're not friends with and address them as 'black man'? Doesn't that kind of imply: 'When I look at you, it is the fact that you are black that defines you.' Add to this the context that they were engaged in a fiercely competitive duel in a derby match - does this suggest to anyone that such a word could come across in an affectionate or even neutral tone?

One of the defenders of 'negrito' above puts a lot of emphasis on the point that direct translations fail to convey the cultural meanings attached to the original word. This is a very valid point. But I think s/he fails to appreciate an equally important issue: that the meaning of words also derive from their context. You can say something extremely insulting without using any offensive vocabulary.

Red Russian, very good points all round.

Would you really go up to someone you're not friends with and address them as 'black man'? Doesn't that kind of imply: 'When I look at you, it is the fact that you are black that defines you.'
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No you wouldn't, definitely not in England; neither would I, nor would a great many Spaniards I know - yet others probably would and feel offended if you tried to imply that it was racist to do so). I am unaware of the cultural usage and nuances in Uruguay, so I can't say.
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But I think s/he fails to appreciate an equally important issue: that the meaning of words also derive from their context. You can say something extremely insulting without using any offensive vocabulary.
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Spot on. However, one of the implications of this is that I could seek to wind you up/offend you by repeatedly using a term of endearment.

According to my pan-Spanish dictionary, the term negro/a and its diminutives are used endearingly between spouses across Latin America. It also claims that it's used in Andalusia, but I've never heard it there even though I visit Cádiz and other parts almost every year.

Used this way, I imagine it could roughly translate to 'dearie/darling/sweetheart etc.' - which could also work as a wind-up tag. Would it be right to infer racist intent in such circumstances? I'm not so sure.

Neverthless, I'm not convinced by that possibility. The fact that Evra IS black appears as too much of a coincidence for it to be true. It would seem to be much more deliberate.

itsonlyagame - the relegation pace-setter (U6426)

Thank you.

Genuinely very insightful, especially about repetition. In English repetition means a word loses it's meaning and as such I suspect Suarez was being sarcastic if anything.

Nothing will happen.

Hoody, all I'm really trying to say is that with all the jagged edges the case involves, I wish people would simply allow the case to be heard out fully on both sides before reaching a verdict.

Just the normal procedure of justice in every democratic society I know of.

If he is finally found guilty, then they should come down on him hard - and I presume that most Liverpool fans would agree with that.

Totally.

"I wish people would simply allow the case to be heard out fully on both sides before reaching a verdict."

This is spot on. I don't know what he said, what context he said it in or what he meant by it. The astonishing thing is that nobody else on here does either and yet there are such strong view points on it.

Obviously I'm biased and don't know the lad but surely somone cannot be that stupid to repeatedly rascially abuse someone during a game. It does not add up. He will be cleared I feel.

Bold, as in bold type, is negrita, with a femenine ending.
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Idiot!!!

It would only be feminine if the noun it is describing is feminine! If it was a masculine noun it would be negrito!

I do a degree in language, and that is a hilarious mistake you've just made.

It would only be feminine if the noun it is describing is feminine! If it was a masculine noun it would be negrito!
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You might have a degree in language, but you certainly haven't got one in good manners.

However, even when one has a degree in language, it is advisable to exercise caution before correcting a native speaker of one of your second languages. As a linguist you should be even more aware of this.

Perhaps you presumed that the term would be "tipo negrito", but the Spanish term is actually "letra negrita". So, it just so happens that the noun it describes is "letra", as per the Spanish dictionary entry "letra negrilla o negrita", is femenine.

You can look it up here if you like:

http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/

Type in either negrita or negrilla and you will see that both lead you to letra negrilla or negrita as the Spanish equivalent to 'bold type'.

Perhaps you presumed that the term would be "tipo negrito", but the Spanish term is actually "letra negrita". So, it just so happens that the noun it describes is "letra", as per the Spanish dictionary entry "letra negrilla o negrita", is femenine.
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I don't in fact speak Spanish but speak fluent French so know how masculine and feminine verbs work.

For example it would be la maison blanche.

And it would be l'ordinateur blanc. Just to take a couple of random examples.

So when you say bold is always negrita (which is what I understood from what you said) you are in fact wrong!

If I've misunderstood you however then that is my problem and I apologise.

Fred, my original post did say "bold, as in bold type", so yes, in that case it is always femenine.

There was obviously some misundertanding down the line; perhaps I caused it myself (English is my 2nd language, and it's not easy always easy to address such sensitive issues in a tongue other than your own). In any case, apology accepted for the idiot bit - no offence taken whatsoever regarding the rest.

But now you're here, would you mind if I ask you a question?

Yesterday you explained that any reference in France to someone's skin colour as a manner of disitinguishing them is deemed unacceptable.

If, for example, if I worked in an office where there are 9 black people and only 1 white (or vice versa, of course) - and I was talking to a third party who's familiar with the faces but not the names about this guy called "John", would I be expected to find every possible way to describe him without saying "the white bloke"?

Let's face it, if you are a Liverpool supporter you will be much more willing to understand the context of any names Evra was called , if you don't then you will want Suarez banned if found guilty, without contemplating the circumstances surrounding south American slang!

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Perception is a funny thing.