what does mansa mean

Question

my boyfriend called it to me

Answer 1

Why are you talking about Mensa here? The word was "mansa". I know that in English, replacing one vowel with another often makes very little noticeable difference, but when you write the word, the difference is as dramatic as the change in the sound for a word written in Spanish.

But maybe I am being biased here, because in Spanish, one vowel is so different from any other one, that writing the wrong vowel is unthinkable, even for natives with the most appalling spelling. Actually, getting the wrong vowel in a word is a clear sign that someone does not speak Spanish as a first language, like Ikepuede in this forum. In Spain, you can find people with very low education who can't write their own name properly, and whose spelling is an absolute disaster, but they will never get any vowel wrong; everything, but the vowels. These people could write several words together, omit H's, split words randomly and mix B and V, G and J, but never mistake one vowel for another. It is plain impossible! If they do, they'll also mistake pigs for caterpillars!

Whenever someone comes to me saying that he is a "Spanish native", but they mix the E and the I, or the A and the E, I know right away that their Spanish is rubbish, so rubbish that even real natives who have never gone to school would be utterly shocked with a confusion like that. Only a non-Spanish native would make such a mistake, especially an English speaker.

This is so true! My Spanish teacher from Cuba refuses to let us spell in the class. She says if you pronounce it right you don't need to spell it. - Alicia-53, Sep 4, 2009

Answer 2

MENSA is an organization for the best and brightest in the world. I doubt that is what he said (because it is not an adjective, but a proper noun). To be accepted into MENSA you need to be in the top 98th percentile in standardized IQ scoring in the world.

One of such organizations. There are others with even more stringent requirements. Off of the top of my head, I only remember two: The Triple Nine Society (of which I was a member for a while) and the Four Sigmas Society. The former was restricted to the top 0.1% (as the name suggests) and the other to four standard deviations from the norm (There is no way that I can explain this unless one is familiar with statistics). If memory serves, there is/was also the "Mega" society which was even more exclusive.

All of that, notwithstanding, Mensa is, by far, the best known (and most active) of such societies.

Answer 3

According to the RAE

menso, sa.

1. adj. coloq. Ec., El Salv., Hond., Méx. y Nic. tonto (? falto de entendimiento o razón).

I'm familiar with the MENSA organization.

It's strange that the two languages would have such antipodal definitions. Usually words are created using historical etymology and have somewhat similar meanings.

she said "mansa" not mensa - sarahjs, Sep 4, 2009

I know that MENSA, the organization, takes its name from the latin for "table". It would be interesting to know the history of the Spanish word. - Valerie, Sep 4, 2009

Answer 4

mmm, when you refer to animal Mansa (fem) = Tame.

when refered to people "mansa" means "harmless"

Answer 5

MENSA is an organization for the best and brightest in the world. I doubt that is what he said (because it is not an adjective, but a proper noun). To be accepted into MENSA you need to be in the top 98th percentile in standardized IQ scoring in the world.

I don't mean to say that you are unintelligent, but I doubt that is what he said or meant. He probably meant/said mansa - meek, mild, humble.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensa_International

she said "mansa" not mensa - sarahjs, Sep 4, 2009

Answer 6

Are you sure is "mansa" or "mensa"? the first one means quiet,peaceful,gentle etc but the second is idiot,fool etc ask him again and be sure bye.

Answer 7

It means gentle, meek, or mild.