When faced with an original text in another language, we translators usually tend to copy the same format to express time.
For example, if in an original Spanish document we have “9 de la mañana” [lit. “9 in the morning”] or “9 a. m.,” in English we can translate “9:00 am” or “9 AM.”
Why Is the Correct Spanish Abbreviation of “a. m.” Separated and With a Period After Each Letter?
As we’ve already explained in our article about the correct Spanish abbreviation of the United States (EE. UU.), I return to the topic of abbreviations because “a. m.” is, in reality, the abbreviation of “ante meridiem,” a Latin expression that means before noon, and “p. m.” is the abbreviation of “post meridiem,” a Latin expression that means after noon.
How Are “Hours,” “Minutes,” and “Seconds” Expressed?
Typically, we see the abbreviations: “hr,” “min,” and “sec.” We would translate those “hr.,” “min.,” and “seg.” in Spanish.
In Spanish, however, the correct symbols are “h,” “min,” and “s.” For example, “The operation began at ‘10 h, 9 min y 30 s.’”
Why Do “a. m.” and “p. m.” Have A Period While “h,” “min,” and “s” Do Not?
Because “a. m.” and “p. m.” are abbreviations and “h,” “min,” and “s” are symbols. Abbreviations have periods; symbols do not.
In your opinion, which abbreviations or symbols are the most difficult to remember?
Tags: abbreviation, symbol, time
In translating spoken language, some words have different meaning in some contexts. For example, the Spanish word for “now” is “ahora”, but, though in Spain, Chile, and other countries, “ahora” can mean “now” (i.e. “In this precise moment”), in Venezuela, “ahora” means “in a short while” (aproximately 10 to 15 minutes). So what some people do is put a diminutive to “ahora”, in order to make it “smaller”: “ahorita” (or even “ahoritica”). An old guide for Americans who came to Venezuela finally said, very sensibly: “If you want your employees and other people to understand you want things done NOW, don’t say “ahora”, but “¡YA!”.” A wise counsel.