Recently I've been seeing the word "footing" as a sport in Spain. Some friends told me that it is the new word for running. When does one "foot" and when does one "correr?"

Also, someone who just returned from Spain said there is a word for accountant used there that is neither "contador" nor "tenedor de libros." Anyone? Anyone?


La Maestra (trying her best to sound like Ben Stein.)

Hi La Maestra-

About the "footing" issue, I'm not all that clear on it myself, but my husband, who is Spanish, says it's the same as jogging.

As for the accountant, I've always heard and used the word "contable".

"Footing" is a word that, somehow was made up to refer to the English term "jogging". I don't know why, where or how it was creating but, at least in Spain, people do say "hacer footing".

As for "accountant", the Spanish equivalent is "contable" (Andrés were are you? ;)) Those words may be used in South American Spanish (I'm not sure) but not in Spain.

Contador is used in South America, or at least in Ecuador, for a person who lends money at interest or "uncle´s". And that´s something else...

Post above are right. "Footing" is used incorrectly for "jogging". I heard also that in some english-speaking countries (¿UK?) they use the word footing for sth. similar: running and doing stops for groups of exercises, like in a gym.

Well, I have the degree of Accountant, and I can tell you the word in Spain is contable. I use contador when I have to explain what I studied, to any newly came south american friend.

Tenedor de libros may be used in S.Am., but here is an old fashioned word whose meaning, many people could guess, but few would be sure of. It could be an accountant or a clerk who carries the accountancy in a small firm ¿?

OK, my "dos centavos" ("2 cents"):

1) "Footing" is used in England and "Jogging" in the U.S.

It is a simple case of the Spanish using a "borrowed word" and saying "hacer footing" to go running or jogging. "Corer" is more adequate but it is stylish in Spain to use borrowed words from othe languages (this is an international practice). The perfect example is "Marketing" which one can not get away from here and should actually be "Publicidad" ("Publicity"). So, the "Marketing Director" in English is either "Jefe de Marketing" or "Director de Marketing" here. Titles shmitles! Pretty soon the fashionable "ME" will be used here in Spain to abbreviate "Marketing Executive".

2) "Contable" is indeed "Accountant" in Spain as stated and confirmed by our "nativos" on this and in L.A. (not Los Angeles but rather Latin America :D) the word can vary.

***Useless side note: In Spain (at least in the web world) "Contador" (de visitas) is what tells visitors how many have been on the website before them .

Ignacio, careful with S.Am. (you leave out the Central Americans and they may get annoyed, it is best to Say L.A. or L.Am.

Saludos,
jer...

[ 07-30-2001: Message edited by: jer ]

Thanks for the advice!

Maybe the Spanish have a term like we use in the U.S. when we refer to Accountants in the less than complimentary sense (i.e., 'bean counters').

For those of you reading this that are 'bean counters,' please don't take offense! I claim professional privilege as someone degreed in Accounting who used to teach Accounting Principles at the Community College level.

They do use the term 'Auditor,' probably much the same as it is used in the U.S.

Thanks to all for your help! We get a Mary Glasgow publication for our Spanish classes (printed in the UK) and every now and then they'll use a word with no definition that must be very common/obvious to them, but makes no sense to us. Footing was one of them.

The accountant word still puzzles me. My colleague said while she was there she heard this "really strange" word for accountant...a word SO STRANGE that she would never have guessed its meaning. She wrote it down somewhere but can't find it now...typical of a trip! Contable really isn't so far removed from contador that one couldn't possibly guess it. (Tenedor de libros, on the other hand, IS hard to connect and I'm glad it isn't common. My students would ask if "book fork" is anything like book worm!)

Anyway...mil gracias a todos!

la maestra: In addition to all the stuff that's been already said, the term "footing" is not a "new" phrase. I first set "foot(ing)" in Spain in 1988 and it was in general use then. I'm sure it's somewhat older.

Other words for certain occupations: In addition to 'dentista', you may also hear 'sacamuelas'; 'doctor' is also 'matasanos'; and Partido Popular official can also be 'mentiroso'. :p Je je.

P.d. Does the term 'diputado' mean 'offspring of a prostitute'? Or do some of them just act that way?