le dieron un susto de alivio
'le dieron un susto de alivio'
This is on phrase of the day, I don't understand the use of alivio here. I would have used terrible
they gave him an awful fright. This is the translation.
14 Answers
Guillermo said:
Como un alivio puede significar todo lo contrario en esta frase?
This happens to many words. Take the word terrific, for example. The generation of my parents' used it to mean awful, terrible, horrible, and indeed it comes from the word terror, but now it means wonderful.
' In the popular Xmas song "There's no place like home for the holidays," written in 1954, the lyrics say "From Atlantic to Pacific, gee the traffic is terrific," meaning the traffic is very heavy, horrible, but younger people today probably don't understand that.
Such a change may have happened to alivio, although that change is apparently not yet widespread, or maybe the change itself has died out.
I woldn't know what someone is trying to say if I heard this phrase. Can somebody explain it please'
samdie said:
Do you have a particular meaning for "nice" in mind. The OED gives fifteen (and several of those are further broken down into numerous sub-categories) ranging from the oldest (foolish/stupid/wanton) upt the modern sense but with several major shifts along the way. When I check the dictionary "here" (this site) I find two entries (with slightly different pronunciations!'). The glosses in the top of the page give examples of the modern usage While the ones at the bottom reflect the OED's #7 (a..e). And what is the word in Spanish (that you refer to and feel has kept it original meaning)?
The word "nice" meant origianlly "ignorant, stupid", from Latin nescius (literally, not knowing: "ne + scio"). In Spanish "necio" means just "ignorant" nowadays. An old dictionary that one of my colleagues kept in our office defined "nice" also as "fastidious".
Apparently, it was still being used as "ignorant / foolish" by the 15th century, but later it also with the meaning of "foolishly particular about small things" (quote: Simeon Potter), and then, "fastidiously precise". It began to be used in sentences like "nice sense of humour" (not a compliment!), and later it was believed by many to be "a mere diffuser of vague and mild agreeableness" (quote: H. W. Fowler). And eventually... Nice!
If anyone who finds this interesting, check the evolution of "fool".
oh I thought he meant how in English we took the word & at times use it to mean the opposite.
motley said:
Do you have a particular meaning for "nice" in mind.
Someone does or says something you don't like. In a sarcastic voice you say "nice", You really mean something like "Why the hell did you do that'"
No, no, Lazarus is referring to the original meaning of nice, which comes from the Latin nescius, and in Spanish is necio, which means fool.
Do you have a particular meaning for "nice" in mind.
Someone does or says something you don't like. In a sarcastic voice you say "nice", You really mean something like "Why the hell did you do that'"
lazarus1907 said:
James said:
This happens to many words. Take the word terrific, for example. The generation of my parents' used it to mean awful, terrible, horrible, and indeed it comes from the word terror, but now it means wonderful.
...something that confuse Spanish speakers that are learning English. Another curious word that has experienced a dramatic change is "nice", a word that in Spanish still keeps its original meaning.
Do you have a particular meaning for "nice" in mind. The OED gives fifteen (and several of those are further broken down into numerous sub-categories) ranging from the oldest (foolish/stupid/wanton) upt the modern sense but with several major shifts along the way.
When I check the dictionary "here" (this site) I find two entries (with slightly different pronunciations!'). The glosses in the top of the page give examples of the modern usage While the ones at the bottom reflect the OED's #7 (a..e).
And what is the word in Spanish (that you refer to and feel has kept it original meaning)'
James said:
This happens to many words. Take the word terrific, for example. The generation of my parents' used it to mean awful, terrible, horrible, and indeed it comes from the word terror, but now it means wonderful.
...something that confuse Spanish speakers that are learning English. Another curious word that has experienced a dramatic change is "nice", a word that in Spanish still keeps its original meaning.
No, tampoco. Pero acabo de buscarlo en el diccionario. Ahora sé el significado de la frase, aunque si la leo sigue sin tener sentido para mí. Como un alivio puede significar todo lo contrario en esta frase? Supongo que es una frase hecha, como tantas que hay.
Guillermo said:
I woldn't know what someone is trying to say if I heard this phrase. Can somebody explain it please?
Do you know "Un susto de aúpa"'
esto es un alivio
I don't know why the phrase & word sites send things that are rarely used.
motley said:
I hope I can remember that one.
I am not sure in other countries, but in Spain is a rather unusual expression.
What a contradictory word, if it's alivio it's relief, if it's de alivio it's terrible, awful.
I hope I can remember that one.
Motley, nice thread, I had not seen this use before, nor heard it before either:
*alivio.
de ~.
- loc. adj. coloq. U. para expresar ponderación o exageración*
Agarró un catarro de alivio. (a bad cold)
