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http://mariafernandez.stumbleupon.com/review/12410441/

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:04:28 -0700

Google translations - Spanish proverbs in curious English

Lately I've been testing Google's Spanish to English translation abilities with proverbs. It has been a most entertaining pastime. Here are some of the curious, puzzling and often cryptic results I've got. I haven't edited any. There was no need. Long live human translators!

Come ni�o y crecer�s, bebe viejo y vivir�s.
It eats boy and you will grow, drinks old and you will live.

Con ayuda del vecino, mat� mi padre un cochino.
With the help of the neighbor, a pig killed my father.

Abre la boca, que te va la sopa.
It opens the mouth, that goes the soup to you.

Como come el mulo, caga el culo.
As it eats the mule, caga the ass.

Yo como t� y t� como yo, el diablo nos junt�.
I eat your and your like I, the devil join to us.

A caracoles picantes, vino abundante.
To sharp snails, it came abundant.

Haz bien sin mirar a qui�n.
Affluent beam without watching that.

Callos y caracoles no es comida de se�ores.
Calluses and snails are not eaten of gentlemen.

You can find the more accurate but less interesting translations on my blog.

http://mariafernandez.stumbleupon.com/review/12312846/

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 01:47:46 -0700

Free Spanish podcasts for Beginners - improvements

I've made some improvements to my Spanish Podcasts for Beginners. I've added some transcripts in interactive multimedia pdfs and more free podcast samples. You can find them here and on

http://mariafernandez.stumbleupon.com/review/12248606/

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:06:11 -0700

Listen to my free Spanish Podcasts for Beginners on SU while stumbling

You can now learn Spanish while reading this blog or anyone else's. All you need to do is launch my embedded podcast player, and it will automatically appear at the top of this page.

If you want to listen to my podcasts while stumbling, simply open a new tab on your browser, or a new window, and keep my podcasts playing here!

If you have any questions about what you learn in my podcasts, I have a free Spanish learning forum where you can post your queries. I'll reply to your messages promptly!

http://mariafernandez.stumbleupon.com/review/12245633/

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 08:40:49 -0700

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Calder%C3%B3n_de_la_Barca

Google's Spanish to English translations

These inspiring verses are from La vida es sue�o (Life is a Dream), by Pedro Calder�n de la Barca (1600-1681), one of Spain's greatest playwrights:

Cuentan de un sabio que un d�a / tan pobre y m�sero estaba,
que s�lo se sustentaba / de unas yerbas que com�a.
�Habr� otro --entre s� dec�a-- / m�s pobre y triste que yo?
Y cuando el rostro volvi�, / hall� la respuesta, viendo
que iba otro sabio cogiendo / las hojas que �l arroj�.

And this is Google's intriguing and unedited translation:

They count of a wise person, that a day / so poor and miserable it was,
that it was only sustained / of a grass that took.
"There will be another one", to each other it said, / "more sad poor man and that I"
And when the face returned, / it found the answer, seeing
that another wise person went taking / the leaves that it threw.

What I wonder is, where did the face go, and why did it return? Only Google knows.

http://mariafernandez.stumbleupon.com/review/12168426/

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:02:25 -0700

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quino

By Quino. An outstanding cartoonist. A true free mind.

Translation: "Yes, well, but I wanted a mum first."