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allow me to language nerd for a minute
Mar. 6th, 2025 08:51 amThis morning, I was discussing politics on Reddit (as one does), and used the phrase "por que no los dos?".
Instead of saying, in the language that is both my native language and the language of the discussion, "why not both?".
I did so because "por que no los dos?" is a phrase – a phrase that people know – and I felt that that phrase held the meaning I was trying to convey. Which wasn't exactly the meaning given by the words "why not both?" (or even by the words "por que no los dos?") but a meaning that is particular to that phrase as a known phrase.
…if you get what I mean there.
I just find it fascinating that, at least to my brain, the five-word phrase has a distinct meaning that is all its own, even though I can't really express that meaning other than by saying "But… it's what the words mean, but also what the phrase means. It's the vibe, y'know?".
Instead of saying, in the language that is both my native language and the language of the discussion, "why not both?".
I did so because "por que no los dos?" is a phrase – a phrase that people know – and I felt that that phrase held the meaning I was trying to convey. Which wasn't exactly the meaning given by the words "why not both?" (or even by the words "por que no los dos?") but a meaning that is particular to that phrase as a known phrase.
…if you get what I mean there.
I just find it fascinating that, at least to my brain, the five-word phrase has a distinct meaning that is all its own, even though I can't really express that meaning other than by saying "But… it's what the words mean, but also what the phrase means. It's the vibe, y'know?".