Callar VS Acallar

Question

El único hombre capaz de acallar este miedo hace mucho tiempo que se desapareció.

Would

El único hombre capaz de callar este miedo hace mucho tiempo que se desapareció.

work?

Some difference between the two? Gracias

I'm wondering if it's like caer / decaer and deshacerse / desprenderse (and desechar). - in similarity not in meaning.

Gracias

Answer 1

Callar - to be quiet

Acallar - to quieten

Hacer callar - to quieten

quieten? acallar must be used about as much as quieten then because I've never heard either of them. - jeezzle, Dec 28, 2011

Tal vez sea una cosa britannica.... - jeezzle, Dec 28, 2011

really? it's pretty common here, a little old fashioned but few people would never have heard it here in NZ, which as you say, has had a very strong British influence so that could be the key :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 28, 2011

In American English, we use quiet where the Brits use quieten. - lorenzo9, Dec 28, 2011

Answer 2

Callar ...... to be quiet (callarse)

Acallar ..... to cause someone/something to become quiet

Answer 3

Callar: to be silent or to keep silent. State of being verb

Acallar: to silence. Action verb

Thus they have different meanings.

La madre le mandó a el niño, callate. Pues ella acalló el niño.

The mother demanded the child to be quiet, thus she silenced the child.

Answer 4

I think that Acallar is the act of silencing (in whatever manner) while callar is the act of maintaining that silence. But practically speaking I have never heard anyone use acallar. It may be one of those verbs only used in writing.

We need a native speaker here!

Yeah, I think I'm of the same mind. - jeezzle, Dec 28, 2011

Answer 5

Couldn't she just "callar" the niño though? Does my above sentence make sense too

El único hombre capaz de callar este miedo hace mucho tiempo que se desapareció.

??

Parece que me dices que "acallar" es "obligar a alguien que se calle" pero "callar" es "guardar silencio" - Híjole - que guardes silencio.

Seems like "shut up or I'll shut you up" with acallar being to shut you up.

Cállate antes de que te mate o te acallo por mi mismo.

Sure aren't many hits on google for this word at all. - jeezzle, Dec 28, 2011