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Red ink: Colombian cultural institute sets out to correct tattoo typos Red ink: Colombian cultural institute sets out to correct tattoo typos
(8 days later)
A Colombian institute that normally dedicates itself to lofty matters of literature and philology is getting down and dirty with the Spanish language.A Colombian institute that normally dedicates itself to lofty matters of literature and philology is getting down and dirty with the Spanish language.
The Bogotá-based Instituto Caro y Cuervo has turned its attention to body art with a campaign to identify and correct embarrassing spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in tattoos.The Bogotá-based Instituto Caro y Cuervo has turned its attention to body art with a campaign to identify and correct embarrassing spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in tattoos.
“We’ve seen a lot of people with really bad mistakes in their tattoos,” said Maria Paula Alzate, of the institute which promotes the study of linguistics. “For some people it turns out to be the worst mistake of their lives because you have to live with it every day.”“We’ve seen a lot of people with really bad mistakes in their tattoos,” said Maria Paula Alzate, of the institute which promotes the study of linguistics. “For some people it turns out to be the worst mistake of their lives because you have to live with it every day.”
Estos son los primeros tatuajes que corregirá el Caro y Cuervo. http://t.co/CbRjjYVqPx pic.twitter.com/s08HXUNOfjEstos son los primeros tatuajes que corregirá el Caro y Cuervo. http://t.co/CbRjjYVqPx pic.twitter.com/s08HXUNOfj
Common spelling mistakes in Spanish include confusing letters that are pronounced the same such as the B and the V, or S and C. One tattoo which has become notorious on the internet reads: “La Vida No es Fasil” (Life Isn’t Easy) emblazoned on a young man’s chest. The correct spelling is “facil”. Another reads “Dios Vendice a Mi Familia” (God bless my family). Bless in Spanish is spelled “bendice”. Common spelling mistakes in Spanish include confusing letters that are pronounced the same such as the B and the V, or S and C. One tattoo which has become notorious on the internet reads: “La Vida No es Fasil” (Life Isn’t Easy) emblazoned on a young man’s chest. The correct spelling is “fácil”. Another reads “Dios Vendice a Mi Familia” (God bless my family). Bless in Spanish is spelled “bendice”.
Cringing at such affronts to the language, Caro y Cuervo launched a campaign on social media using the hashtag #caroycuervoink, calling on Colombians to send pictures of the most egregious tattoo spelling mistakes. During a festival in September, the institute will hire a tattoo artist to make corrections on the biggest blunders.Cringing at such affronts to the language, Caro y Cuervo launched a campaign on social media using the hashtag #caroycuervoink, calling on Colombians to send pictures of the most egregious tattoo spelling mistakes. During a festival in September, the institute will hire a tattoo artist to make corrections on the biggest blunders.
“We want to show people to respect the language through the corrections and we thought this could be a good way to get young people interested in language,” said Alzate, adding that the institute has already recieved dozens of submissions.“We want to show people to respect the language through the corrections and we thought this could be a good way to get young people interested in language,” said Alzate, adding that the institute has already recieved dozens of submissions.
But tattoo artist Toño París, 25, said that once a mistake is made it’s not easy to correct. “If a word is missing a letter, how are you going to insert it?” he said while awaiting customers at the Foolhardy Tattoo Parlor in Bogotá.But tattoo artist Toño París, 25, said that once a mistake is made it’s not easy to correct. “If a word is missing a letter, how are you going to insert it?” he said while awaiting customers at the Foolhardy Tattoo Parlor in Bogotá.
He welcomes the initiative though, having struggled himself with the spelling of several words in Spanish that sound alike but are spelled differently, such as “hay” (there is/are), “ahí” (there, as in location) and “ay” (as in oh! or ouch!).He welcomes the initiative though, having struggled himself with the spelling of several words in Spanish that sound alike but are spelled differently, such as “hay” (there is/are), “ahí” (there, as in location) and “ay” (as in oh! or ouch!).
París says he’s always made sure to have right before setting needle to skin. “It’s the worst thing that can happen to screw up on a word, because it’s there for life.”París says he’s always made sure to have right before setting needle to skin. “It’s the worst thing that can happen to screw up on a word, because it’s there for life.”