James Again - This time 4,000 plus posts

Question

We have missed the 4,000 mark as it is now 4026 and counting.

On behalf of everyone concerned who contributes to making this a great forum, Heidita and I would like to add our own personal congratulations to James for the valuable content and interest in all his posts.

Well Done James

Answer 1

Congratulations, all I want to know is how you do it. Over 4 k posts and very few mistakes.
I have a million... no! not posts, mistakes.

Answer 2

¡Enhorabuena! Siempre aprendo algo de tus comentarios, sea de inglés o de español.

Answer 3

James Santiago said:

Hola a todos,

(guiño)

¡¡Esto sí que es grande!!! jeje

Answer 4

Congratulations, James! Thanks for all the help and explanations that you gave to me and they were really helpful as always.

I believe that we would see your 5000 mark soon.

Marco

Answer 5

Muchisimas gracias James. As a native English speaker, you can understand what those of us learning Spanish are going through. Between you & Lazarus, we have the best.

Answer 6

Gracias por la explicación. Me alegro saber que mi entendimiento no era equivocado.

Y también gracias por el enlace, lo que me hizo soltar una carcajada, ya que él que comenzó ese hilo en Word Reference, nuestro muy estimado Lazarus1907, cuyo avatar en WR nos dice que usemos no la coma después de "Hola," sino los dos puntos, empezó el hilo en la siguiente manera.

Hola a todos,

(guiño)

Answer 7

:

Right, that's why I said "use a feminine noun to refer to a male." But I didn't know you could do this, that is, use a masculine article with a feminine noun.

Of course you can use feminine for men, and masculine for women. I cannot stress how important it is to keep the concepts of gender and sex separated:

ÿl es UNA persona
ÿl es UNA víctima
ÿl es UNA maravilla

Those nouns can only be used in feminine, regardless of the sex of the person.

No puedo trabajar más rápido. ¿Crees que soy una máquina, o qué?

There is a recent tendency to say "un máquina", but the original one is like saying "Rambo es una máquina de matar". After all, it is a metaphor that identifies a person with an object, which happens to be a noun with feminine gender. When people say "un máquina", they are trying to use the word as if it was an adjective, and not as a noun.

Here you can see a discussion about it: apparently, it is also used in other countries:

<http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php't=102885>

Answer 8

ereu una huevo does not sound right
eres una huevona sounds right but it changes the meaning just a little bit

does not sounds right to say to a man eres una vaca o eres un vaco. Rather, you would say eres un büey.

Eres una maquina to a male is ok don't ask me why.

Answer 9

I want to say it's one of those cases in which either article is fine when addressing someone of the opposite gender. I see your point though.

Answer 10

Right, that's why I said "use a feminine noun to refer to a male." But I didn't know you could do this, that is, use a masculine article with a feminine noun. I would have said "Eres una máquina" to a man. I just want to confirm whether or not that would have been incorrect.

Specifically, if I'm talking to a woman, would I say "Eres una huevo" (just making up examples here), and if talking to a man, would I say "Eres un vaca"'

Answer 11

James Santiago said:

Thank you all. I guess I just get bored with my translation work every hour or so, and need to take a break by trying to solve someone else's translation problems! It clears my mind so I can get back to the grindstone.Lazarus, you called me un máquina, but that brings up a question (as usual). When you use a feminine noun to refer to a male, do you use the masculine article as you have done? Or was that just a typo?

I should probably let Lazarus answer himself but maybe it's because you're a male.

Answer 12

Thank you all. I guess I just get bored with my translation work every hour or so, and need to take a break by trying to solve someone else's translation problems! It clears my mind so I can get back to the grindstone.

Lazarus, you called me un máquina, but that brings up a question (as usual). When you use a feminine noun to refer to a male, do you use the masculine article as you have done? Or was that just a typo'

Answer 13

All I can say is WOW! And knowledgeable on not just spanish (and japanese) but on so much else too!
How do you manage to find time for a life as well?

Answer 14

¡Felicitaciones James!

Answer 15

Gracias, too, to Lazarus, for his informative posts.