Points of Grammar Thread

[Periklês]

Originally Posted by CornflakeGirl

it'd be great if we kept this thread alive with other examples/questions/queries/confusions about the subjunctive in spanish -

I agree - I guess nobody has come up with an answer to my original query, but let's have some more questions.

[Janet©]

Didn't like my suggestion then??

[Periklês]

Originally Posted by Janet

Didn't like my suggestion then??

Not bad. Anyway, another question about ser and estar. The rules seem quite clear to me, but I've just come across

-Vamos, se entiende que si no tiene usted ningún compromiso, yo no quisiera ser inoportuno.
-No, no, descuide usted, no es usted inoportuno. Esta noche no tengo ningún compromiso, estoy a su disposición

.

Now why would it be ser inoportuno? Surely it needs estar?

[CornflakeGirl]

I'd say it's inoportuno as the person's general characteristic, rather than a characteristic just in this situation...

[Periklês]

Originally Posted by CornflakeGirl

I'd say it's inoportuno as the person's general characteristic, rather than a characteristic just in this situation...

That is how I have to understand it, but in English it is clearly a characteristic in the situation - I do not want to be an inconvenience to you in this situation, rather than a pain in the neck generally. Ah well. Another mystery.

[Periklês]

Can anyone translate this exactly? The context is that a girl is pregnant, and the big brother says to the boyfriend

o te casas con la Marujita o te los corto donde te encuentre

the overall meaning is absolutely clear, but I don't understand the last 3 words. Anyone?

[Periklês]

Nobody seems to want to answer my questions, but I'll keep trying.

Can anybody explain the expression sin alerones clave? An airplane is reported to have tried a take-off sin alerones clave, i.e. without the flaps being in the right position to do so. The meaning is clear, but can anyone explain the expression?

[cinnamon]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Nobody seems to want to answer my questions, but I'll keep trying.

Can anybody explain the expression sin alerones clave? An airplane is reported to have tried a take-off sin alerones clave, i.e. without the flaps being in the right position to do so. The meaning is clear, but can anyone explain the expression?

according to WordReference.com the word clave can also mean something "basico, fundamental, decisivo" ( nº7)...and always comes as singular connected to another noun...i can imagine the spanish language uses this like the english would use the word "key" as well, like in key question ( cuestión clave), key figure etc....

[John Sharples]

Many of these examples are inexplicable. They occur in al languages, English is no exception. Spanish does tend to be in a bit of a mess though, in part, this is due to the major influences of South American Countries, who inturn have been influenced by North American Terms ....... which brings it all back to us.

Clave can be used in a similar way to Nailed. As in I've nailed it, which in turn can mean fixed it, or in this case set it.

[Periklês]

Originally Posted by John Sharples

Clave can be used in a similar way to Nailed.

And I've just learned the Spanish word for Harpsichord.