From Newsgroup: rec.puzzles
(Almost) Every time I hear --- Para espa|#ol, oprima dos.
Never saw that.
i'm reminded that in Spanish, Press and Oppress are the same verb.
Don't think so. There's also apretar, and (more appropriate here) presionar.
in Spanish, Press and Oppress are the same verb.
-------- I just checked this with my AI (tutor)
If you want, I can give you a few more verbs like this where Spanish keeps the physical root and English moralizes it, or show how French sits awkwardly in between.
Ok!!!
Cool EfOe Here are a few **clean, telling examples**rCosame physical root in Romance, split or abstracted in English.
### 1. **oprimir** (we did this one)
* press raA oppress
Spanish: *one verb, one metaphor*
English: *mechanical vs moral*
---
### 2. **pesar**
From *pondus* (weight)
* **pesar 10 kilos** raA to weigh 10 kilos
* **me pesa la culpa** raA guilt weighs on me
English:
* weigh (physical)
* burden / weigh on (emotional, split)
Spanish keeps **weight = pressure = moral force** unified.
---
### 3. **cargar**
From *carrus* (cart)
* **cargar una caja** raA to carry a box
* **cargar con una responsabilidad** raA to bear responsibility
* **cargar contra alguien** raA to charge (attack)
English fractures this into:
* carry
* bear
* charge
Spanish: still **load + force over time**.
---
### 4. **sufrir**
From Latin *sub-ferre* (rCLto carry from belowrCY)
* **sufrir dolor** raA suffer pain
* **sufrir injusticias** raA suffer injustices
Originally: *to bear weight underneath*.
Spanish preserves the embodied sense; English mostly forgets it.
---
### 5. **aguantar**
From *aqua* raA resist, endure (originally rCLhold against flowrCY)
* **aguantar el dolor** raA endure pain
* **aguantar a alguien** raA put up with someone
Still a **temporal verb**: resistance *over time*.
---
### Pattern yourCOre seeing
Romance languages often:
* keep **body raA force raA time raA meaning** intact
English often:
* splits physical / emotional / political into different verbs
* cleans the metaphor away
So your two insights connect neatly:
* **verbs as duration**
* **meaning as pressure extended in time**
If you want next:
* one page on **why English does this historically**, or
* a comparison where **German goes even further than Spanish**, or
* how this shows up in **prepositions** (rCLunder,rCY rCLover,rCY rCLthroughrCY).
Just point.
___________________________
Good catch rCo no, I *talked* about French sitting in between, but I didnrCOt actually **show** it. LetrCOs fix that cleanly.
French often **splits a little**, but still keeps the physical metaphor closer to the surface than English.
---
## 1. **presser / opprimer**
Same Latin root as Spanish *oprimir*.
* **presser un bouton** raA press a button
* **opprimer un peuple** raA oppress a people
Here French *does* split the verbs (like English), **but**:
* *opprimer* still literally means *press down*
* the metaphor is still transparent to a French ear
So: **half-split, not fully abstracted**.
---
## 2. **peser**
Like Spanish *pesar*.
* **peser 10 kilos** raA weigh 10 kilos
* **|oa me p|?se** raA it weighs on me
* **une atmosph|?re pesante** raA oppressive/heavy atmosphere
English needs:
* weigh
* weigh on
* oppressive
French keeps **weight raA emotional force raA environment** in one family.
---
## 3. **porter**
This one is very telling.
* **porter un sac** raA carry a bag
* **porter une responsabilit|-** raA bear responsibility
* **porter plainte** raA bring a charge
* **porter atteinte** raA inflict harm
English splits:
* carry
* bear
* bring
* inflict
French keeps **carrying raA enduring raA imposing**, all time-extended.
---
## 4. **supporter**
From *sub-portare* (rCLcarry from belowrCY)
* **supporter un poids** raA support a weight
* **supporter la douleur** raA endure pain
* **je ne le supporte plus** raA I canrCOt stand him anymore
Physical raA emotional raA interpersonal, same verb.
---
## 5. **souffrir**
Same as Spanish *sufrir*.
* **souffrir physiquement** raA suffer physically
* **souffrir drCOune injustice** raA suffer from an injustice
Still explicitly **bearing something over time**.
---
## Why French is rCLin betweenrCY
* Spanish: **one verb, broad semantic field**
* English: **many verbs, narrow meanings**
* French: **families of verbs**, etymologically tight, metaphor still visible
French *lexicalizes* the metaphor more than Spanish, but **never erases it** the way English often does.
So yes rCo French really is a middle case:
* not as unified as Spanish
* not as disembodied as English
If you want, we can push this one level deeper and look at **French prepositions** (*sous, sur, |a travers*) doing the same conceptual work with time and force.
_________________________
Sure rCo **very briefly**, and yourCOll see German goes even *more* physical than French.
### 1. **dr|+cken**
* **einen Knopf dr|+cken** raA press a button
* **jemanden dr|+cken** raA squeeze / press someone
* **etwas dr|+ckt auf die Seele** raA something weighs/presses on the soul
One verb: **pressure raA emotional burden**.
---
### 2. **belasten**
From *Last* (load)
* **eine Br|+cke belasten** raA load a bridge
* **jemanden belasten** raA burden someone (emotionally, legally)
Still very concrete: **load over time**.
---
### 3. **tragen**
* **eine Tasche tragen** raA carry a bag
* **eine Verantwortung tragen** raA bear responsibility
* **eine Schuld tragen** raA bear guilt
English splits; German doesnrCOt.
---
### 4. **leiden**
* **an Schmerzen leiden** raA suffer pain
* **unter Unterdr|+ckung leiden** raA suffer under oppression
Note **unter** (rCLunderrCY) rCo the metaphor is explicit.
---
### 5. **unterdr|+cken**
Literally: **under + press**
* **eine Taste unterdr|+cken** raA suppress a key
* **ein Volk unterdr|+cken** raA oppress a people
German makes the metaphor almost embarrassingly clear.
**Bottom line:** German loves to keep meaning **spatial, bodily, and extended in time** rCo very little abstraction, lots of pressure, weight, and rCLunder-ness.rCY
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