Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Spanish

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Spanish Look in just about any good Spanish dictionary, and most verbs will be listed as either transitive (verbo transitivo, often abbreviated in dictionaries as vt or tr) or intransitive (verbo intransitivo, abbreviated to vi or int). These designations can give you an important clue as to how the verb is used in sentences. What Are Transitive and Intransitive Verbs? A transitive verb is simply one that needs a direct object (a noun or a pronoun that the verb acts upon) to complete its thought. An intransitive one does not. An example of a transitive verb is the English verb to get and one of its Spanish equivalents, obtener. If you were to use the verb by itself, such by saying I get in English or obtengo in Spanish, it is clear you arent expressing a complete thought. Theres a natural follow-up question here: What are you getting?  ¿Quà © obtengas? The verb simply isnt complete without an accompanying noun (or pronoun) to indicate what is being obtained: I am getting an error message. Obtengo un mensaje de error. Another transitive verb is to surprise or its Spanish equivalent, sorprender. To express a complete thought, the verb must indicate who is surprised: It surprised me. Me sorprendià ³. To get, to surprise, obtener and sorpender, then, are all transitive verbs. They must be used with an object. Intransitive verbs are used without objects. They stand by themselves without acting on a noun or pronoun. Although they can be modified in meaning using adverbs or phrases, they cannot take a noun as an object. An example is the English verb to flourish and its Spanish equivalent, florecer. It doesnt make sense to flourish something, so the verb stands alone: The sciences flourished. Florecà ­an las ciencias. There are many verbs that can be used either transitively or intransitively. One example is to study or estudiar. You can use an object for a transitive usage (I am studying the book. Estudio el libro.) or without an object for an intransitive usage (I am studying. Estudio.). To write and escribir can be used in exactly the same ways. Take Note Transitive verbs (or verbs that are used transitively) need a direct object to be complete.Intransitive verbs do not need an object to be complete.Usually, but not always, Spanish verbs and their English counterparts match each other in transitivity. Verb Usage in Spanish vs. English The distinctions between transitive and intransitive verbs usually dont give Spanish students a lot of trouble. Most of the time, when a transitive verb is used in English, youll use a transitive one in Spanish. However, there are some verbs that can be used transitively in one language but not the other, or the opposite. That is one reason you may want to check the dictionary before you try using a verb in a way you havent heard it before. An example of a verb that can be used transitively in English but not Spanish is to swim, as in He swam the river. But the Spanish equivalent, nadar, cant be used in that way. While you can swim something in English, you cant nadar algo in Spanish. Youll need to recast the sentence: Nadà ³ por el rà ­o. The opposite can happen as well. In English, you cant sleep something, but in Spanish you can: La madre durmià ³ al bebà ©. The mother put the baby to sleep. In translating such verbs to English, youll often need to recast the sentence. Note that there are some verbs that are classified as neither transitive nor intransitive. These include pronominal or reflexive verbs (often abbreviated in Spanish as prnl), compulative or linking verbs (cop), and auxiliary verbs (aux). Pronominal verbs are listed in dictionaries as ending in -se. Examples of Spanish Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Use Transitive verbs: Comà ­ tres hamburguesas. (I ate three hamburgers.)El estudiante golpeà ³ la pared. (The student hit the wall.)Cambiarà © el dinero en el aeropuerto. (I will change the money in the airport.) Intransitive verbs: Comà ­ hace dos horas. (I ate three years ago. Hace tres horas is an adverbial phrase, not an object. The verb in the next example is also followed by an adverbial phrase.)La luz brillaba con muchà ­sima fuerte. (The light shone very strongly.)Las mofetas huelen mal. (Skunks stink.)

Definition and Examples of Red Herrings in Logic

Definition and Examples of Red Herrings in Logic In logic and rhetoric, a red herring is an observation that draws attention away from the central issue in an argument or discussion; an informal logical fallacy. Also called a decoy. In certain types of fiction (especially in mystery and detective stories), authors deliberately use red herrings as a plot device to mislead readers (metaphorically, to throw them off the scent) in order to maintain interest and generate suspense.The term red herring (an idiom) supposedly arose from the practice of distracting hunting dogs by dragging a smelly, salt-cured herring across the trail of the animal they were pursuing. Examples and Observations A red herring is a detail or remark inserted into a discussion, either intentionally or unintentionally, that sidetracks the discussion. The red herring is invariably irrelevant and is often emotionally charged. The participants in the discussion go after the red herring and forget what they were initially talking about; in fact, they may never get back to their original topic.(Robert J. Gula, Nonsense: Red Herrings, Straw Men and Sacred Cows: How We Abuse Logic in Our Everyday Language. Axios, 2007)Some analysts even question the widespread assumption that rising consumption in developing nations will continue to force up food prices. Paul Ashworth, senior international economist at Capital Economics, calls that argument a red herring, saying that consumption of meat in China and India has reached a plateau.(Patrick Falby, Economy: Panicked About Expensive Food And Oil? Don’t Be. Newsweek, Dec. 31, 2007-Jan. 7, 2008) Alastair Campbells Red Herring Credit where credit is due. In the space of a couple of days, Alastair Campbell has managed to turn an argument about the way the government presented its case for war in Iraq into an entirely different dispute about the way the BBC covered what was going on in Whitehall at the time. As a piece of news management, it has been brilliantly done. Hats off to Mr Campbell for the way he pulled the trick. It is easy to imagine, in years to come, how a new generation of trainee spin doctors will be raised on this case study of how the master was able to wrongfoot his tormentors so successfully.Brilliant or not, what Mr. Campbell has achieved is largely a classic use of a very pungent red herring. The BBCs reporting, though important, is not in fact the real issue; that is the strength of the case for action against Iraq. Nor is the red herring within a red herring about single sourced stories really relevant either; if your source is good enough, then the story is too.(Labours Phoney War, T he Guardian [UK],  June 28, 2003) Red Herrings in a Henning Mankell Mystery Novel There is something in the report that disturbs me, [President de Clerk] said. Let us assume there are red herrings laid out in appropriate places. Let us imagine two different sets of circumstances. One is that its me, the president, who is the intended victim. Id like you to read the report with that in mind, Scheepers. Id also like you to consider the possibility that these people intend to attack both Mandela and myself. That doesnt mean Im excluding the possibility that it really is Mandela these lunatics are after. I just want you to think critically about what you are doing. Pieter van Heerden was murdered. That means there are eyes and ears everywhere. Experience has taught me that red herrings are an important part of intelligence work. Do you follow me?(Henning Mankell,  The White Lioness, trans. by Laurie Thompson. The New Press, 2011) The Lighter Side of Red Herrings What about Red Herring, maam?Im not sure. Is Red Herring a red herring?  Or is it the fact that were meant to think  Red Herring is a  red herring that is actually the red herring?Or perhaps the fact youre meant to think Red Herring isnt a red herring is what makes Red Herring a red herring after all.Were talking serious metaherrings here.(Jasper Fforde, One of Our Thursdays Is Missing. Viking, 2011)