This part will focus on two elements: variations according to social distance and the way in which normal and covert prestige operates within specific sociocultural contexts. As this part will deal with variations at a phonological level, the source of material consists in a number of interviews with people from different sociocultural backgrounds, educational level, age and sex. .
1. Mistranslation or Sense of Social membership?.
In the first section of this paper, some expressions used in Spanish but evidently originated in their English counterpart will be considered. The relevant issue here is the fact that these expressions are being increasingly spread both in the media and in the usual speech of certain social circles –normally, educated people involved in business or professional careers –despite the fact that, from the point of view of 'standard grammar style', they are awkward, ambiguous, or downright wrong.
Some of them have been collected from oral material taken from the TV or the radio or from overhearing –occasionally, eavesdropping –talks among business men and women. Still, most were taken from the press during the last two months. In any case, what I am interested in highlighting is the fact that these expressions are frequently used or adopted by people of a certain sociocultural background. .
Original English Version.
around the world .
ability to.
at the end of the day .
last minute .
be determined to.
20,000 troops.
apply (for a job).
in order to .
report.
reporter.
billion trillion.
we demand Usual Spanish Translation.
en por todo el mundo.
capacidad de .
al final de cuentasen última instancia.
de último momento.
estar decidido a .
20.000 soldados.
Postularse.
a fin de .
informe.
periodista notero.
mil millones billón.
exigimos "Translated-to-Spanish".
alrededor del mundo .
habilidad para.
al final del día.
de ultimo minute.
estar determinado a.
20.000 tropas.
aplicar.
en orden a.
