Every Client workshop inevitably results in an improvement to Red Angle content. We communicate a concept one way and in discussion with the Client… they teach us a vastly superior way. Today’s workshop with Pioneer Materials West in Colorado was no exception.
A quick way to build your Construction Spanish vocabulary is to identify the Spanish Twins (words or phrases that are either identical or nearly the same in both English and Spanish) that are relevant to your job.
Today we were reviewing Spanish Twins in the “Shun Family.”
The Shun Family consists of English words that end with the “Shun” sound: confusion, association, insulation, solution, information, distribution, application, collaboration, institution, installation, confirmation, discussion… you get the idea.
In Spanish the “Shun” gets swapped out for a “SYOHN” sound – like (SEE-OWN), except in one syllable. Because there are plenty of syllables in the Shun/SYOHN family, this is often a challenging exercise.
Many times the Spanish “SYOHN” sounds Italian (chee-OH-nee) or like (SHONEY). It’s tough to get a handle on.
We were reviewing these words today and one participant said, “SYOHN – like you SEE it and you OWN it…. SEE OWN.”
The bombilla went off for me.
Yes – That’s exactly it.
The rest of the group went around and nailed every one of the Shun Spanish Twins.
SYOHN: SEE it, OWN it.
(SEE OWN) one syllable….
confusion :: confusión
(kohn-fooh-SYOHN)
association :: asociación
(ah-soh-see-ah-SYOHN)
insulation :: insulación
(een-sooh-lah-SYOHN)
solution :: solución
(soh-looh-SYOHN)
information :: información
(een-fohr-mah-SYOHN)
distribution :: distribución
(dee-stree-byooh-SYOHN)
application :: aplicación
(ah-plee-kah-SYOHN)
collaboration :: colaboración
(koh-lah-boh-rah-SYOHN)
institution :: institución
(een-stee-tooh-SYOHN)
installation :: instalación
(een-stah-lah-SYOHN)
confirmation :: confirmación
(kohn-feer-mah-SYOHN)
discussion :: discusión
(dee-skooh-SYOHN)
Brilliant.
Categories: Jobsite Leadership
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