What does 'C'an' mean...?

singlemalt · 16th July 2010, 02:47 PM

What does 'C'an' mean in the names of some Majorcan holiday resorts, eg. C'an Pastilla, C'an Picafort? If it's an abbreviation can someone please tell me whta it's short for?

Thanks

yunouguaramin · 16th July 2010, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by singlemalt

What does 'C'an' mean in the names of some Majorcan holiday resorts, eg. C'an Pastilla, C'an Picafort? If it's an abbreviation can someone please tell me whta it's short for?

Thanks

'can' is catalan, the majorcan language is just a catalan dialect. Even the majorcans (or balearics?) believe that!!

It means 'casa de', 'house of'.

Technically 'can' is a contraction of the word 'ca' (casa, house) and the article 'en' (el, de).

http://ec.grec.net/lexicx.jsp?GECART=0024684

singlemalt · 17th July 2010, 12:12 PM

Thanks very much, younouguaramin, for that. And the link to a Catalan dictionary is very handy. Cheers.

Kralizec · 18th July 2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yunouguaramin

Technically 'can' is a contraction of the word 'ca' (casa, house) and the article 'en' (el, de).

http://ec.grec.net/lexicx.jsp?GECART=0024684

You're right, but "en" means "mister" just like spanish "don". So it's "house of Mr.(whatever)". It's like adding "'s" in English.
Can Pinet -> Ca en Pinet -> Casa d'en Pinet (~Pinet's, Mr.Pinet's)

EN -> CAT -> ES
Mr. -> En -> Don
Ms./Mrs. -> Na -> Doña

yunouguaramin · 20th July 2010, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kralizec

You're right, but "en" means "mister" just like spanish "don". So it's "house of Mr.(whatever)". It's like adding "'s" in English.
Can Pinet -> Ca en Pinet -> Casa d'en Pinet (~Pinet's, Mr.Pinet's)

EN -> CAT -> ES
Mr. -> En -> Don
Ms./Mrs. -> Na -> Doña

Yes, that's what 'en' means.
My explanation on 'en = el o de' was..

...poor, al least.

I was trying to say something like :

can fanga -> casa de el fanga -> casa del fanga.

Kralizec · 20th July 2010, 01:12 PM

No, I think it was close enough... I'd say you just confused en and el because both are used before names. Although the usage varies from one place to another, el/la would be an informal way of referring to either somebody you're familiar with (family, friends, neighbors) or famous characters (both RL and fictional: el Yoda, l'Audrey Hepburn). The informal equivalent of can would be cal, but it's not as widely used.

singlemalt · 22nd July 2010, 02:06 PM

That's a very interesting debate that I seem to have started. Thanks, it makes very interesting reading. Since we're on a Catalan theme does anybody know of a good Catalan grammar web page? I'd be interested in seeing how much I can understand, and how similar/different it is from Castellano.

Kralizec · 25th July 2010, 12:23 AM

Here's a Catalan grammar from zompist's forums. I'd say it's very detailed, except in the part about dialects.

16th July 2010, 02:47 PM	#1
singlemalt Forero Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 10	What does 'C'an' mean...? What does 'C'an' mean in the names of some Majorcan holiday resorts, eg. C'an Pastilla, C'an Picafort? If it's an abbreviation can someone please tell me whta it's short for? Thanks

20th July 2010, 01:12 PM	#6
Kralizec Ací n'hi han dracs Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: P.Cat. Posts: 209	No, I think it was close enough... I'd say you just confused en and el because both are used before names. Although the usage varies from one place to another, el/la would be an informal way of referring to either somebody you're familiar with (family, friends, neighbors) or famous characters (both RL and fictional: el Yoda, l'Audrey Hepburn). The informal equivalent of can would be cal, but it's not as widely used. Last edited by Kralizec; 20th July 2010 at 04:47 PM.

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17th July 2010, 12:12 PM	#3
singlemalt Forero Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 10	Thanks very much, younouguaramin, for that. And the link to a Catalan dictionary is very handy. Cheers.

22nd July 2010, 02:06 PM	#7
singlemalt Forero Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 10	That's a very interesting debate that I seem to have started. Thanks, it makes very interesting reading. Since we're on a Catalan theme does anybody know of a good Catalan grammar web page? I'd be interested in seeing how much I can understand, and how similar/different it is from Castellano.

25th July 2010, 12:23 AM	#8
Kralizec Ací n'hi han dracs Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: P.Cat. Posts: 209	Here's a Catalan grammar from zompist's forums. I'd say it's very detailed, except in the part about dialects.