SC - Martino Question (Blancmange)

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

And it came to pass on 10 May 00,, that CBlackwill at aol.com wrote:

[recipe snipped]

>  Hmmmnn...  I don't speak Spanish very well, 

I *speak* Spanish very poorly.  Whenever I have to translate for a 
Spanish-speaking patron in my library, I stumble over the most basic 
words.  Reading is another matter.

> and have only a limited
> vocabulary (mostly as it relates to a Dishwasher's duties in
> Restaurants, and very simple instructions for basic prep), and even I
> can _almost_ pick out this recipe well enough to make a _vague_
> translation.  

That's kinda where I am in regard to Catalan.

> I would, of course, need help with some of the words
> (Amasarlo, masado, and a few others), 

They all come from the same root.  "Masa" is dough.  The verb 
"amasar" is to knead or to form into dough.

> but the point is that, the
> original poster is right.  This _seems_ like it would be a lot easier
> (for me, anyway) than trying to translate Latin or Italian.  Think of
> how easy it would be for someone who actually speaks the language.. 

Some are harder than others, of course.  Sometimes you run into 
archaic idioms, or have to look under every conceivable alternate 
spelling of a word before you find it in the dictionary.  But the language 
tends to be simple, and so many phrases are repeated over and over 
("take blanched almonds and grind them in a mortar") that you quickly 
learn them by heart.
 
> Balthazar of Blackmoor

It would be wonderful if more of the Spanish material was available to 
those who do not read the language.


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net