EnglishisEasy/Elinglésesfácil

The News today: there is no News today! As the image clearly indicates the term is BREAKING NEWS and not LAST TIME NEWS or some other crazy expression like that. This is also a good time to remember that News in English is an uncountable noun, meaning it does not have a plural form. In Spanish, NOTICIA is a Countable noun  so NOTICIAS is possible. When a Spanish speaker learns the word NEWS instantly assumes it is a plural word because of its final S. in other words NEWS is another false cognate.

"Yes, yes, that's me. Now I understand what Efficacy is!"     Though similar in meaning they are not the same. EFFICACY refers to the quality of something or somebody to perform a job. It doesn't refer to how well the job is done. Some medicines are efficacious and cure patients but perhaps not so well so there are sequels because those medicines may be Efficacious but not Efficient really. EFFICIENCY indicates  how well a task is performed. It is not only about getting the job done but doing it well. If a medicine cures a disease we could say it has been Efficacious but if it also cured without causing any major inconvenience or pain unlike other medicines of the same kind then we could say our medicine has been more Efficient.                                                                  ...

"Mommy, let me in. I wanna go to bed." As many other things in life, it depends.  If you mean a kangaroo that is smaller than it should be then is a SMALL KANGAROO, but if you mean a young kangaroo then the word is JOEY. Young marsupials (Koalas, Wallabies, Tasmanian Devils, and others) in general are called JOEY.  There is not any specific word in Spanish to refer to that particular stage in the life of marsupials. Instead we say CANGURO BEBE or CANGURITO.

"New York sister, you're not alone!" The Statue of Liberty or just Liberty, as many people call it, has been in front of New York City since 1886, as a testimony of the friendship between the U.S. and France, however, it's not the only one of its kind: there  are at least three other official replicas of the giant statue and all of them are in France. The one most people know is in Paris in the Île des Cygnes (Island of Swans), a small island in the Seine river. There is another, in the Jardin de Luxembourg which is human-sized and thus smaller than the one in the Seine. The third one is in the Alsace region where Frederic Bartholdi (the creator of Liberty) was born. This one is not human-sized but is not as big as the one in  Île des Cygnes.

True. George Washington never lived in the White House not  because  he did not want to but because he could not since during his presidential time the federal capital was under construction so he lived in three different houses: the first was  the  Samuel Osgood House  (April 1789 – February 1790), and the second, Alexander Macomb House  (February–August 1790). The third was   Robert Morris 's  city house   (November 1790 -March 1797) in Philadelphia. After that he retired from presidency and lived in his property until his death in 1799. The first occupant of The White House was John Adams in 1800 and has been the official residence of every U.S. president ever since.

Right...one of us is your Great-uncle! It should be GRANDUNCLE or GRANDAUNT since Grand is used for Grandfather and Grand mother (that is if we are also looking for the translation of TIA ABUELA) but no. Though both terms GRANDUNCLE and GRANDAUNT, either presented in one word or hyphenated (GRAND-UNCLE and GRAND-AUNT),  are perfectly acceptable in English they are not common. The common way to refer to one of our grandparents' brother or sister is GREAT UNCLE and GREAT AUNT which can also be hyphenated. Why do people prefer to say GREAT UNCLE? They say the term GRANDUNCLE can be confusing and here it is why: my father's father is my grandfather so then my uncle's father is my granduncle, but no that would be my father. I hope that clarifies why the prefix GREAT is it referred in this context.

If the first one was good the sequel was even better. THG: Catching Fire revisits the bleak world of Panem a nation divided in twelve poor districts that tribute to a parasitic capital called The Capitol. One of those tributes is to to send young people to a survivalist mortal competition called the Hunger Games, the only form of entertainment in that sad country. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) the winner of the last Hunger Games and her friend and also survivor of the competition, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are forced to return to a special edition of THG in which they will compete against the winner of previous editions of THG. Unbeknowst to Katniss is that secret forces are using her to instill rebellion in the population and use her for an upcoming revolution against the brutal power of the Capitol. I just don't like this movie, I like the story that is behind all of the series. In my opinion the film itself is pretty well done which is difficult since it has s...

Both are correct though really they convey different meanings. A DEMOCRAT is member of one of the two "big ones", the Democrat party. In the United States there are several political organizations but they are truly small compared to the Democrats or the Republicans. These two political organizations that share almost all if not all the political power in the U.S. If your beliefs are more in tune with those of the Democrat party then that's what you are: a Democrat. A democrat, with a small letter, is a person who strongly believes in the values of Democracy but he or she is not necessarily part of the Democrat party.                                                                                                         ...

The CORNUCOPIA is actually a fictional object, one of the many symbols associated with abundance and wealth. When we say that there is plenty of something and it really looks endless we can use this term: John is a cornucopia of knowledge. He knows so much about so many things! The context is usually a positive one.  The word CORNUCOPIA is spelt the same way in Spanish since it is originally from Latin: CORNUCOPIA but the word itself is less frequent than the expression CUERNO DE LA ABUNDANCIA which is preferred.                                                                            

                                                                                                                                                            "Passing a test is getting harder and harder every day." The problem with finding the right translation of this word is that it means different things in different countries. In many of those, POLLA refers to the masculine sexual organ for example. Not in Ecuador. Here a POLLA is that piece of paper containing all that information considered by some X student vital to pass an important exam. This piece of information remains hidden from the tea...

To think all these commodities cannot satiate Human Greed COMODIDAD should be the most logical choice but no.  It turns out that COMMODITY is another false cognate. By definition a COMMODITY in English is any article or item that is used in trade and commerce in general. In other words, Grains, Beverages, Metals are all of them COMMODITIES. The word COMODIDAD in Spanish equates to Confort which is why it is rarely found in plural form. Thus the real translation of COMMODITY would be ARTICULOS DE COMERCIO.

" Get ready for a long session of Washing-up. " The term is CRAB PARTY, though a CRAB PARTY in the U.S. for example is not necessarily the same thing as in Ecuador. A party the motifs of which is precisely Crabs is a Crab Party only a Crab-themed Party. A group of crabs altogether can also be called a Crab Party or a arty of Crabs. A group pf people with the sole purpose to eat Crab is taking part of what in Ecuador is conventionally called CANGREJADA. Note: Thanks to Dennis Maloney and Nabila Agila who said CRAB FEAST is also possible.

When Thomas Jefferson became the third president of the United States of America he received a nation that was heavily in debt. The U. S. was at the time smaller in territory and in many way was still struggling to find a common identity. Jefferson was quite an honest man and prudent also; therefore, he believed that one of the priorities of his government was to reduce the amount of the national debt, but an unexpected development would promptly make him change his mind. That event was the cession of the Louisiana territories to France. That event was a problem for the U.S. because in that land there was New Orleans. This city was at the time the principal port of North America in the Caribbean Sea and until it was ceded to France it had been part of the Spanish empire. The Spaniards had granted a Right of Deposit to the U.S. meaning they could store their products in New Orleans to later send their merchandise to other parts of the world. The city was then really impor...

"Run, Forest!" Though the word ATHLETE exists and is the English for ATLETA, there is not such word as ATHLETISM to mean ATLETISMO, but of course there is a way to say it. The problem is that while the word ATHLETICS strictly refers to a number of disciplines, including even throwing, is the same in Spanish but with a slight difference: our common perception is that ATLETISMO involves much less. In that sense the translation is TRACK AND FIELD because for us only that constitutes ATLETISMO. And we are wrong.

(Continued from previous entry) 4.   EFL learners always complain about the problems they encounter during the learning process. What recommendations can you give to all those students who do want to learn the language but feel discouraged sometimes. Some students really want to learn English (while others are in class because they have to be there).  In any case, it is easy to get discouraged when learning a new language, especially if a student doesn’t perceive a real need or urgency to learn the language.  The spelling, pronunciation, punctuation, and grammar rules are difficult enough!  Added to that is all the confusion surrounding vocabulary because words in English have various meanings and  collocations.  Likewise, there are homonyms/homophones/synonyms/antonyms and other fascinating items to learn (prefix/suffix/affix studies).  Just when a student thinks he knows a lot, he/she takes a TOEFL or I...

               (This interview is presented in two parts. The Bio pic that precedes the first part was provided by Ms. Mary Goodman)      BIO:  Mary Goodman is an ESL instructor, born and raised in New “YAWK”. She considers herself to be half-Ecuadorian since she lived & worked there for 20 years, first as an English Instructor, and then as an Academic Director and teacher- trainer.  Mary speaks fluent Spanish and understands basic Portuguese.      Mary earned her M.A. degree in Administration of ESL & Bilingual Programs from UEES in 1999, and her Undergraduate degree in Latin American Studies/ ESL from American University. Since returning to the USA in 2001, Mary has taught ESL in Florida at Miami Dade College, Palm Beach State College, and Lynn University.  She has presented her “famous” Aerobic Pronunciation seminars in Ecuador & Peru, and in the USA at International...

Is there perhaps another Funny Bone in the knee too ? This is another example of the "lost-in-translation" case, one we can find only in English and that refers to the famous (for English speakers at least) Funny Bone.   Located in the elbow (as seen in the illustration), there is really nothing funny about the Funny Bone. If you accidentally hit it the result will be anything but funny since there is a nerve that runs in that part of the body and is also connected to your neck. The result: brief but intense pain; definitely not funny. One misconception about the bone is what really is. The Funny Bone is not the elbow but only part of it. The elbow is the joint of a lot of tissues, nerves and essentially the radius and the ulna (which form the forearm) and the HUMERUS (which holds the upper arm) but the pain produced when you whack it is due to the presence of the nerve mentioned above called Ulnar Nerve. The Funny Bone is then not a bone, it is a nerve! So it begs ...

BTW, this is not that group Years ago, I had this group to whom I had to teach Basic English. One day I had prepared a multiple-choice quiz the day before and told my students to study hard. Most of them did, but one did not completely. T: Ok class, please begin. (after a little while...)  R: Mister, excuse me. T: Please R, don't call me mister. And what do you need? R: Mister...eh...teacher.  La número tres está difícil. (Number three is hard) I took a look. In this exercise all they had to do was to respond to the phrase  Thank you!  and they were given three choices ...  a. See you b. You're welcome. c. Fine, thanks. d. Hello there . As you can see it couldn´t be simpler. T: But if it is the easiest in this quiz. R: Mister, no sé, de veras, creo que tengo un bloqueo mental. ( Mister, I don't know, really, I think I have a mental block ). T: I'm sorry, R. I cannot help you. It's a quiz and you should do it without my help. ...

MULCH is a type of covering preferably used in gardening. It is used with the purpose of protecting the soil, enriching it, impeding excessive evaporation, preventing weed from growing, stopping erosion and even serving as additional decoration (it's for gardening after all). MULCH is spread over the selected area. This material is usually vegetable in nature ans as diverse as compost, straw and even sawdust (others use plastic sheeting and that also qualifies as MULCH). Because of the different products that can work as MULCH also there are different types of MULCH which are classified according to the color so there is Red, Brown or Black MULCH and , Hardwood, Pine or Cedar MULCH. There is not a word for MULCH in Spanish so the same word is used, though ACOLCHADO is being used with CUBIERTA ORGÁNICA also as a good alternative.

Here...best bubble gum you can get. By definition a TRADER and a RETAILER are both DEALERS. Someone who buys and sells goods is a DEALER.  If you are a TRADER buying and selling goods, in particular importing or exporting, then you are a DEALER.  If you are a RETAILER you sell items, only in smaller quantities, such as books in book store, tools in a hardware store and so on. Then you are also a DEALER. In fact, someone who sells cars you a Car Dealer. For some reason the word DEALER also has a negative connotation and someone who sells drugs for example is a Drug Dealer. In a lesser note, the person who gives you cards when playing in a casino is also called a Dealer.

Dog:  "Again that suspicious sound from my master's behind,,," The practicality of English can be seen in the simplicity of this expression. SACAR A PASEAR EL PERRO is such a common activity that there should be one word in Spanish to describe it, but there isn't any. On the other hand, English does have one and that term is TO WALK THE DOG. This is also such an important activity that in case you cannot walk your dog other people (usually youngsters) offer themselves to do the job for an adequate sum of money, of course. And if yo really care for your dog then you happily pay.

It's not a toy. It's a steampunk motorbike The term STEAMPUNK has no translation in Spanish because it is not really connected to our sphere of experience. The word STEAMPUNK was first used in a literary subgenre which played with the idea of using technology existing in the Victorian age such as steam power to create highly advanced and more ambitious (perhaps extravagant) machines. These days STEAMPUNK has crossed over from literature and is also associated to the world of fashion and the film industry that occassionally puts out productions which have STEAMPUNK elements such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or  Wild West.

Really, I had greater expectations about this movie than actually were fulfilled. Thor, the Dark World tells you what happened after Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns to Asgard. Because of Bifrost (the bridge that connects Asgard with the other eight realms) being broken after the events told in the first movie there have been unrest in some of the other realms and Thor and his friends have been sent by Odin to restore order. Thor is busy but his heart cannot forget the human Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who she met two years ago in Midgard (Earth). In the meantime, a cosmic event that takes place after a very long cycle is happening again: the Nine Realms are aligning and random portals between dimensions are opening which has attracted Jane Foster's attention. Accidentally, she accesses one of the portals and immediately she is taken to a place where a doomsday weapon called the Aether is kept in secret. The weapon is highly advanced and soon invades Jane's body. See...

Is this not a tough one? There are several differences between RABBITS (conejos) and HARES (liebres), both behavioral and physical. We will only see the physical here. To start with, HARES are larger in size in a proportion similar to that in the illustration that accompanies this entry. RABBITS have shorter ears though there are races that are famous for their long ears. HARES have stronger legs and therefore are much faster. They are so quick that it is a Hare not a Rabbit who is used as the epitome of speed in the famous fable The Tortoise and the Hare.   "Y' know what?, Mommy told me another story altogether." HARES can soon tend to themselves right after birth while RABBITS are born blind, hairless, and defenseless. When young, HARES are called Leverets while RABBITS are called Kits or Bunnies. The famous Bugs Bunny is then a Rabbit (it's all in the name), right? Not quite. If we use our memory Bugs may be called a Bunny but its physical a...

It doesn't mean Inverse Triangle YIELD actually has a lot of meanings in fields as diverse as Finance or Chemistry. For this article I will focus on YIELD in its most unlikely meaning yet the most common of them all.  The word YIELD is used as a traffic sign in the United States. It means that if you are driving and this sign is in front of you then you have to stop and give what is called The Right of Way to a driver approaching from  a different road.  The word YIELD is then what we know in Spanish as CEDA EL PASO. In British English the expression is GIVE WAY.

If we only did this literally it would be THE LAW OF THE FUNNEL since Funnel means Embudo in Spanish but it's not that easy. Though common in Latin America the expression LA LEY DEL EMBUDO does not seem to be as common in English or at least there is not a perfect equivalent. LA LEY DEL EMBUDO could be better understood after reading the following: There is never a good reason for us the employees to be absent but if our boss is absent there is always a good reason. By definition LA LEY DEL EMBUDO is an UNFAIR LAW which is why the closest to it would be THERE IS ONE LAW FOR THE POOR AND ANOTHER FOR THE RICH   or the following, in my opinion even better, ONE LAW FOR ONE AND ANOTHER FOR ANOTHER.

If you want to say ALAMBRE DE PUAS in English then use the words BARBED WIRE. This type of wire is made of metal and essentially used for fencing. At certain intervals along the extension of the wire there are small pieces of twisted pointy wire. Though humble in aspect, BARBED WIRE has been since its introduction the prime method to contain animals inside a fence and deter others from getting inside. It has also been used in warfare and on top of prison walls to reinforce security.   

"Concentrate...try harder...keep pushing..." A BRAIN FREEZE is that horrible feeling or pain which usually affects the temples and the forehead when you quickly, and carelessly, consume some cold drink or meal such as yogurt or ice cream .  This annoying sensation also has another name: ICE CREAM HEADACHE. Incredibly enough there is not a common Spanish name for BRAIN FREEZE, so we should go for FRIO CEREBRAL for lack of a better term. 

The sequel to Kick Ass (2010) is a bit inferior when compared to its predecessor. The ironic humor blended with the silly violence all happening in "the real world" is all there but definitely there is this feeling that they have lost some steam, though still it is an enjoyable production if you are one who enjoys this type of violent films which are yet another sign of our times. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)  who years ago put on a costume he himself designed to be the hero called Kick Ass   has now retired from fighting crime but his actions have inspired other people to become heroes themselves. Feeling directionless and bored, he begins training with  Mindy Macready  ( Chloë Grace Moretz) who is still Hit-Girl  to become the hero he wants to be. In the meantime, Chris D'Amico ( Christopher Mintz-Plasse) the boy whose gangster father was killed by Kick Ass, and was first the hero then criminal Red Mist lives a forced, quiet and dull life i...

None of the teams in this match is Ecuadorian, it seems. Just as there is Table Tennis there is also Table Football which we know in Spanish as FUTBOLIN. This form of entertainment can be found in pubs (Football or Soccer is not so popular in the United States as it is in the rest of the world), theme clubs and even parks. In Guayaquil there used to be one of those in every neighborhood but interest on Table Football has declined greatly and is now dwindling but there are still places where they can be found. In the rest of the world this tradition endures somewhat and there are even tournament events every year. Note: My colleague, David Castro, observes that Table Football may be the formal term but not the one people most commonly use, in the States at least. The name Fussball or Foosball is also possible. (Nov. 13, 2013)