Why this spate of simple translation questions

Question

All old hands - please tell me if this is an annual build up to Exam time. It certainly feels like it as dozens of "homework" style questions are pouring in.

Or dating questions.... - margaretbl, MAY 19, 2010

It happens - Izanoni1, MAY 19, 2010

You're not suggesting that any of today's youth actually does homework or are you! - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

Apparently not, Late, they pass it on to you and me - geofc, MAY 20, 2010

Answer 1

Creo que podría ser debido a la pereza absoluta - lol

¿tal vez se trata de una mezcla de pereza, panico y paralisis? - geofc, MAY 20, 2010

Answer 2

I would agree with your observation.

I also think it is going to be funny, or not so funny, for those that blindly use the answers. No one is identifying whether their Spanish question is from Spain or Latin America. I seam to be the only one identifying the origin of my answers.

Rosetta Stone makes the two different versions for a reason.

I have Tico friends that have graduated from the University of CR with their bachelors and they do not understand some of the Spanish sentences posted from text books because of the origin.

Some of the words in the SpanishDict lessons are not commonly used here in CR. Example: 1. el campo = country , aquí es el país and the same in Rosetta Stone L.A. 2. el coche = car, aquí es el carro and the same in Rosetta Stone L.A.

But good luck on those tests guys.

You're too right. It's like the newspaper story from World War II regarding the British and American soldiers - "They get along well, despite the language differences". - KevinB, MAY 20, 2010

I sure hope that is a real quote! I love it! - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

Interesting about campo and pais. I learned campo = country (not city) and pais = country (nation). - KevinB, MAY 20, 2010

Rosetta might owe you a commision, DV! My wife's school district is trying to reach far more Mexicans than Spaniards! Please read that as positive, I don't know what is PC anymore. - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

PC - politically correct. - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

politically correct an oxymoron - 00a52084, MAY 20, 2010

Now you get to define oxymoron! - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

The reason the tropps got on so well was because the British women were acting as intermediaries. - ray76, MAY 20, 2010

I bought a ten foot pole for just such opportunities but I can't find it! - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

Who is this "Rosetta Stone"? - geofc, MAY 20, 2010

Rosetta Stone is an imersion type language software, no translation. - 00a52084, MAY 20, 2010

Oxymoron: figure of speech with conflicting terms like: fire water or living dead. - 00a52084, MAY 20, 2010

Answer 3

I have old hands ( my excuse for the many typos) and in my class (introduction to beginning Spanish) the homework was due last week! So I think it has to do with the fact that the answers here are so much more interesting, entertaining and educational than those one-word-entries in the back of my workbook.

Answer 4

Would you find it at least a little funny it I asked for a translation of Maria-Claire's answer?

and would chistoso be correct in this application? - LateToDinner, MAY 19, 2010

LOL I commented that i believe it could be due to outright laziness :) - Kiwi-Girl, MAY 20, 2010

I'm so lazy I'd just copy and paste it into the translator, rather than typing out a question. - KevinB, MAY 20, 2010

but I'm not complaining, i view those questions as good motivation for me to get researching if i can't answer off the top of my head :) - Kiwi-Girl, MAY 20, 2010

My apologies, M-C, I was tossing Mr. G a joke. That's why I asked if 'chistoso' really would pass for facetious. - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

No offense taken :) - Kiwi-Girl, MAY 20, 2010

Answer 5

What does spate mean?

Sudden rush or last minute crunch. It was closing time but the spate of last minute shoppers kept us an hour late! - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

Also, a large amount - 00a52084, MAY 20, 2010

Thanks Latetodinner and Donvon! - Rey_Mysterio, MAY 20, 2010

Una avalancha! :) - Kiwi-Girl, MAY 20, 2010

Good answer! I like 'una avalancha' - LateToDinner, MAY 20, 2010

My dictionary says "un torrente de". Spate describes a river in flood. - geofc, MAY 20, 2010