Tag Archives: spanish

You always do kind things with expecting nothing in return.

Age: 22
Language: Spanish/English

Text: You always do kind things with expecting nothing in return.

Context: The participant remembers hearing this saying a lot around his family, especially coming from his mother. Although originally the phrase was said to him in Spanish, he does not remember the original Spanish phrasing; as such, he only remember this translation. He recounted that in his youth, his mother enjoyed volunteer work and would always encourage his entire family to volunteer and help out their local community. To the participant, this saying reminds him that he should be doing good “not as a means to something but for the act of doing good”. 

Analysis: This saying is meant to convey an ethical lesson in support of altruism. In other words, it’s meant to encourage the helping of others without the expectation of any reward – monetary, praise, or otherwise. This proverb feels pretty universal in its applicability – although the participant has been told the saying in Spanish, the main message of selflessness transcends language.

Spanish Proverb

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: United States
Language: English

Text:

Spanish: “el que se enoja, pierde”

Translation: “The one who gets mad loses”

Context:

“It’s kind of hard to pin point as to when I first heard it. I’ve always known this phrase since I was young. I think my grandpa was the one who taught me this concept since I would often talk back or argue with my siblings. I think the phrase explains that when we become very emotional in any given situation, like being angry, we often don’t think rationally.”

Analysis:

This phrase represents Latin culture, showing the informant’s culture to be considered as hard-workers and diligent in the workforce, which also emphasizes the group’s oichotype. For the literal meaning, the phrase values and favors those who are patient rather than those who let their anger win. The saying also consists of an importance within family values as the informant states that she mostly heard it within family contexts. This relates to the folk as the informant family in addition to their culture with the lore showcasing the idea of patience winning over anger. It’s used in situations of emotions or a battle between favorable and undesirable feelings.

“El burro trabaja doble”

Translation: “The donkey works twice”

Information Info

Age: 19

Date_of_performance: 02/16/2025

Informant Name:  YP

Language: English 

Nationality: Mexican

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: Spanish

Residence: Los Angeles, CA

Text:

“The phrase I grew up hearing from all my relatives, but particularly my mom was: “el burro trabaja doble.” 

It’s a funny, straightforward saying and it essentially means to do things all the way right the first time, and don’t take shortcuts or else you’ll have to redo it. It’s basically telling you “don’t be lazy, you’ll regret it when you’re doing the same thing again, fixing your silly mistakes.” Whether I accidentally made my clothes pink cause I accidentally threw red shirt in with my white clothes or I failed an exam because i didnt go back and check my work, my family repeated this phrase to me over and over. At this point, it’s an engrained part of my life. Everything I do, I try to put in my best effort and make sure to take my time with things that I care about so I don’t have to worry about them again later. It’s simple, but it’s made me a pretty methodical person and I credit that to my mom and that saying. And every time I don’t go about my tasks thoroughly, it echoes back in my head that “el burro trabaja doble”

Analysis:
I never heard this proverb before, so I enjoyed hearing her talk about it and the history it has in her family. She mentioned to me before i started recording was that the translation comes off a bit funny ““The donkey works twice” and i would assume she is the donkey in this situation. It is a proverb that gets you thinking about not completely tasks just so it can be done with, but putting your best foot forward and completely it to the fullest extent and correctly. I feel like from the moment people enter high school there is so much pressure put on us that we need to rush to plan our future out in a second and we carry that rush into everything we do because it is ingrained in us that is is better to get things done in a fast way than in the correct way. This proverb could be a wake up call for people, to realize that it is better to take a step back and do things slowly and properly to avoid making mistakes we may regret. I’ll always take this proverb with me as I go through life and hold myself accountable for any mistakes I make because I was doing things quickly and without focus.

Santa Barbara Fiesta Spanish Celebration

Text 

Collector: “Do you have any specific rituals or festivals you have participated in?”

Informant: “In Santa Barbara there’s Fiesta. We celebrate the Old Spanish Days the first week of August every year.”

Collector: “How do people celebrate fiesta?”

Informant: “There are parades with dancers and Clydesdale horses. We make paper mache eggs that are filled with confetti and you place confetti over people’s heads by cracking the eggs. Eating tamales, corn on the cob. They make all kinds of tamales and Spanish drinks. We have different concerts and bands playing mariachi in the center of town.”

Collector: “Is it restricted to only a certain group of people?”

Informant: “Anyone can join in. It’s a festival for the whole town to celebrate.”

Context

The informant is a black forty-eight-year-old woman from Santa Barbara California.

Analysis

After learning about Fiesta’s rituals, I found it interesting that the informant participated in Spanish cultural events when she was black. Though she doesn’t share Hispanic ethnicity, attended Fiesta annually as a child and it is now part of her identity. Thus it can be argued that one’s culture does not come from race, but from customs and traditions one participates in. The informant said Fiesta is for the whole town to celebrate. I found it ironic that outsiders felt welcomed in Fiesta, as it is very culturally specific to the Spanish. Instead of “othering” the community, this celebration brought people together.

Siete Infantes de Lara

Nationality: Spanish

Primary Language: Spanish/English

Age: 25

Occupation: Student

Residence: Madrid

Date: 3/28/2024

Text:

J.M- “The tale of the “Siete Infantes de Lara”, is a story in which seven Spanish brothers get double-crossed by their uncle because he’s holding a grudge. He sends them off to Cordoba on a mission that turns out to be a trap and they all end up getting killed. It’s a pretty sad turn of events. But then, their younger half-brother, Mudarra, steps up. Mudarra has both Christian and Muslim roots, which is significant to the story. He decides to go on a mission of his own to settle the score and gets revenge on the uncle for what he did. The whole story represents betrayal, and a quest for family honor amidst the backdrop of the old Christian-Muslim clashes in Spain.”

Context:

The participant was told this tale as a young boy by his parents. He describes it as an action filled story that also holds family values, and teaches the importance of loyalty. Recounts it as a bedtime story that made him value heroistic qualities.

Analysis:

Although this is a childhood story, it has many themes that help with instilling familial values and lightly explains historical tensions in Spain. The tale reflects the broader cultural and religious tensions between Christians and Muslims in medieval Spain, with Mudarra’s mixed Christian and Muslim heritage. It is also more than just a story of medieval conflict; it is a reflection on human values, the complexities of familial and political relationships, and the enduring quest for justice and honor