yes, it is INDEED a word that we use in the English language
There was some argument over the word "aficionado" yesterday at work. Not really an argument, but Carol didn't think it was a real word. Or at least an English word. Matt and I were trying to convince her otherwise.
I sincerely hope that those of you who read this LJ know what "aficionado" means, or at least use the term from time to time. Nevertheless, here's the definition from http://www.dictionary.com :
aficionado
[uh-fish-yuh-nah-doh; Sp. ah-fee-thyaw-nah-thaw, ah-fee-syaw-]
-noun, plural -dos [-dohz; Sp. -thaws]
an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast.
Also, afficionado.
Origin:
1835-45; < Sp: lit., amateur, ptp. in -ado -ate 1 of aficionar "to engender affection," equiv. to afición "affection" 1 + -ar inf. suffix
For example, "Matt McCoy, being an avid musician and lead singer of Dramatic Visions is a music aficionado."
Carol was partly right, it isn't an English word, but we do use it in the English language. Really, just about everything in the American English language derives from some other language. We're a big vocabulary melting pot, or "language thieves" as I like to call it.
I sincerely hope that those of you who read this LJ know what "aficionado" means, or at least use the term from time to time. Nevertheless, here's the definition from http://www.dictionary.com :
aficionado
[uh-fish-yuh-nah-doh; Sp. ah-fee-thyaw-nah-thaw, ah-fee-syaw-]
-noun, plural -dos [-dohz; Sp. -thaws]
an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast.
Also, afficionado.
Origin:
1835-45; < Sp: lit., amateur, ptp. in -ado -ate 1 of aficionar "to engender affection," equiv. to afición "affection" 1 + -ar inf. suffix
For example, "Matt McCoy, being an avid musician and lead singer of Dramatic Visions is a music aficionado."
Carol was partly right, it isn't an English word, but we do use it in the English language. Really, just about everything in the American English language derives from some other language. We're a big vocabulary melting pot, or "language thieves" as I like to call it.