Posted by paulrivas on: July 16 2010
In the Rivas Cultural Services world of unapologetic bilingualism, the answer is never one or the other but always BOTH!
Consider the Downtown Goleta one-stop-shop called Jorgito’s Ropa. Ropa is the Spanish word for clothing, and Jorgito’s is a perfect example of how to use a possessive apostrophe in English. Apostrophes don’t exist in Spanish, except when enthusiastically but incorrectly used by in business names south of the border for no apparent reason, but that isn’t what’s happening here. Jorgito’s Ropa is The Spanish-Speaking Clothing Store Owned By The English-Speaking Guy Named Jorgito!
Talk about efficiency! Not only does the sign say all that in two words, and appear in two languages at once without translating anything, but in addition to selling FUBU gear, this clothing store also deals in moneygrams, cell phones and Regalos para Baby Shower!
Abraham Lincoln’s famous quote, “Do one thing and do it well,” has never been so apt: Jorgito’s Ropa’s one thing is to sell everything in two languages!
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Santa Barbara Man About Goleta celebrates local color with bilingual humor and California style. Rivas Cultural Services are international advisers expert in Latin America and budget travel.
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