La Palabra del Día : el marfil

Question

el marfil - (noun) ivory

Post your sentences in Spanish and English, then vote for the ones you like. The best answer will be chosen tomorrow on the basis of the greatest number of votes and language correctness.

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And don't forget to correct your posts as suggested. Do NOT use subject pronouns!

El comercio de el marfil debe ser prohibido.

Ivory trade should be banned.

Please correct my English and Spanish - Vaanz, Jan 19, 2011

El marfil is male. ;) - miselfyo, Jan 19, 2011

Yes, also, avoid this passive voice in Spanish: El comercio de marfil debería estar prohibido, or Debería prohibirse el comercio de marfil. Good, Vaanz! :) - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 1

Los politicos deben salir de sus torres de marfil y encontrar soluciones reales a los problemas de su país.

Politicians should get out of their ivory towers and find real solutions to the problems of thier country.

políticos :) Excellent, Cathy! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

By the way! This reminded me that the other day I was corrected for saying: Po-líiiiii-ti-cians :) hehe! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Does the Spanish language recognize "ivory tower" as a metaphor? Good metaphor, Echoline. - Maria-Russell, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 2

Es triste que los elefantes tengan que perder sus colmillos por su marfil, sólo para el satisfacer el capricho de unos cuantos ricos.

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It is sad that elephants have to lose their tusks for their ivory, just for the misguided pleasure of some wealthy people.

You are so right... - Echoline, Jan 19, 2011

One correction: Es triste... por su marfil... por el placer. ;) - miselfyo, Jan 19, 2011

"Es" triste que los elefantes "tengan" que perder sus colmillos "por" su marfil, sólo para el satisfacer el capricho (placer desacertado sounds a bit weird) de unos cuantos ( algunos is correct too) ricos. Good aaaand.....CoNgRAtS Rolest!!! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Gracias cogumela, and thank you for the CoNgRats. - Rolest, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 3

Mr, President, come down from your ivory tower and see the real world.

Señor Presidente, baje su torre de marfil y vea el mundo real.

(imperative) ...baje de su torre de marfil y vea el mundo real. Good, Bryn! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Thanks so very much, cogumela - Brynleigh, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 4

Today, piano keys are made from synthetic ivory.

Hoy en día, las teclas de piano se fabrican de marfil sintético

las teclas de piano ( not del... if you mean the keys of every/ some pianos instead of the keys of one of them) Veeeeeery good, pesta! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 5

Ivory is the hard, smooth, substance, composed primarily of dentin, that constitutes the tusks, in animals including the extinct mammoths.

Marfil es el duro, sustancia suave, compuesto principalmente de la dentina, que constituye la colmillos, en los animales, incluidos los mamuts extintos.

I can't find any sense in the sentence, simpe. El marfil es un material duro, suave, compuesto principalmente por dentina. - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Está presente en los dientes de muchos vertebrados, incluidos los extintos mamuts. I had to figure out this one! :) - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Thanks cogumela. Had to re-write this one. - simpevets, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 6

![alt text][1] El uso de marfil está prohibido en todo el mundo. Esto puede salvar al elefante.

The use of Ivory is banned all over the world . This may save the Elephant.

Oh, my God, Ray. This should bring it home to anyone who sees this. I am glad that I believe there is a hell. - Echoline, Jan 19, 2011

Forgive me for showing such a brutal picture ,but people have to be aware how the Ivory is taken, they are not pulled out like teeth. Do not buy it! - ray76, Jan 19, 2011

It's really sad that we can do this to the animals on this planet. - simpevets, Jan 19, 2011

Nice Picture Ray, I thought of posting that pic, but don't know how people will react. - Vaanz, Jan 19, 2011

Goddness! ( !!! ) I'm shocked. El uso de marfil está prohibido... Good, Ray :) - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Ray, do not use such brutal pictures please, we know what is happening in the world, what is next? will you post a brutalized kid? - 00494d19, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 7

Los colmillos del elefante contienen marfil.

Elephant tusks contain ivory.

colmillos del elefante, Good Maria! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

: ) Thank you, cogumela. - Maria-Russell, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 8

El ébano y el marfil parecen una buena combinación...

Ebony and ivory seems like a good combination...

El ébano y el marfil parecen una buena combinación. Seem like = parecer. Good, luz :) - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Gracias, Cogu:) - luz_72, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 9

Cuando alguien toca el piano digamos que está "haciendo cosquillas a los marfiles".

When someone plays the piano we say that he is "tickling the ivories".

alguien toca , and "haciendo cosquillas a los..." Well done, theresa! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Thank you Cogumela! - theresa5, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 10

Costa de Marfil es un país de África situado entre Liberia y Ghana!

The Ivory Coast is a country in Africa between Liberia and Ghana.

un país de África, or un país Africano. We don't say "en" África unless you add un País "que está" en África. Good, Joe! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Also, the last part of the sentence should be " situado entre" - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 11

Sabía la diferencia entre el marfil de elefante y el marfil de morsa porque había recibido lecciones de aduana.

I used to know the difference between elephant ivory and walrus ivory because I had received training in customs.

Anyone who spent time in the US military would recognize the term collateral duty - Stadt, Jan 19, 2011

I can't understand "lecciones de aduana" Did you mean lecciones de tradiciones/ costumbres? I don't know... - cogumela, Jan 20, 2011

Training/lessons in customs- as in how to do the job of one of those people who inspect what is being imported into the country to see if it is legal (Empleado de aduanas?)- http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/customs. - Stadt, Jan 20, 2011

DRAE: Oficina pública, establecida generalmente en las costas y fronteras, para registrar, en el tráfico internacional, los géneros y mercaderías que se importan o exportan, y cobrar los derechos que adeudan - Stadt, Jan 20, 2011

Would "lecciones para actuar en la capacidad de un empleado de aduanas" work? - Stadt, Jan 20, 2011

With or without the "un" - Stadt, Jan 21, 2011

Answer 12

	Usé un código de color marfil para crear esta tabla.
	I used an ivory color code to create this table.

Did I use the preterit correctly: usar - "usé"! I'm looking for the :) from the native speakers! lol - bandit51jd, Jan 19, 2011

Yes, you did. But it is "un código de color marfil". Well done, bandit! - cogumela, Jan 20, 2011

I seem to have difficulty with 2 adjectives before the noun! Gracias cogmela! - bandit51jd, Jan 20, 2011

Answer 13

Jabón de Marfil obtuvo su nombre de un versículo bíblico que menciona torres de marfil.

Ivory Soap got its name from a biblical verse which mentions ivory towers.

El jabón de marfil (article) debe su nombre a un ... que menciona las torres ( article) Good, wansell! - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 14

El oro y el marfil siempre han sido símbolo de riqueza y poder.

Gold and ivory have always been symbols of weatth and power.

El oro y el marfil siempre..... símbolos de... Very good, dog! :) - cogumela, Jan 19, 2011

Thanks! - 0066c384, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 15

"El ébano y el marfil" es una hermosa canción que trata sobre llevarse bien siendo diferentes.

"Ebony and Ivory" is a beautiful song about being different and getting along.

.... es una hermosa canción que trata sobre llevarse bien siendo diferentes, or ...bien a pesar de ser diferentes. Good Leatha! - cogumela, Jan 20, 2011

Gracais, Cogumela. - Leatha, Jan 20, 2011