La fosa de las palabras

Las palabras no son inocentes. Una fosa no es lo mismo que una tumba. Cada giro del lenguaje abre heridas, entierra memorias o las desentierra. En «La fosa de las palabras» desarmo el disfraz de neutralidad y muestro cómo la política se esconde —o se revela— en cada metáfora. 👉 Léelo aquí: La fosa de…

Where words go to die

What if a single word could bury truth, silence history, or even rewrite memory? In my latest piece for SUR in English, I uncover how the Spanish political class is quietly weaponizing words — turning metaphors into tools of power and denial. From “fosas” (mass graves) to “concord” laws, the fight over language isn’t just…

Medieval Tests

Writing in the local paper. Local Issues with a global take. I never translate literally and the editor trims at will to make it fit. Here’s my version, then theirs. After having lived here for more than a decade, I still catch myself looking up in wonder as the last rays of the setting sun hit the Torre…

Are your Toothpicks Ready to Race?

Just when you thought you were getting the hang of the way Spaniards lisp their Cs, they go and change the language on you. More discreet than their more famous Catalan, Basque, and Galician cousins, speakers of Mañego in this hidden green valley have been ‘falaing’ (falar=hablar=to speak) their curious mix of Spanish, Latin, Gallego,…

Passion

Writing in the local paper. Local issues with a global take. I never translate literally and the editor trims at will to make it fit. Here’s my version, then theirs. No matter how long I live in Spain, there are words that I think I will never completely understand. When I say this, I don’t…