Here at The Bogota Post, we have a habit of using archaic (old-fashioned, out of use) language. So this week’s grammar point focuses on a verb, an idiom and an adjective from this edition which you may not have come across before
Verb del día:
Brag: To brag is to say something in a boastful or self-aggrandizing way. For example, to tell a story in a way that makes you look talented/strong/exceptional/superior etc.
“He is always bragging about how well he sings, but we went to karaoke the other night and he sings terribly!”
The term is almost always used in a negative way – used for that annoying friend or colleague who is always talking about how great they are at everything.
To follow suit: To follow someone else’s example, or to do what someone else is doing.
For example: “Thanks to Mayor Petro, many other mayors of smaller cities and villages around Colombia are following suit.”
Often used to describe politics, like the above example, in Petro’s decision to ban bullfighting in Bogota. Politicians often like to copy each other’s ideas.
Renowned: Something or someone who is well known, or talked about by many people.
For example: “He is renowned for the development of the ‘Magical Realism’ literary genre.”
Renowned is synonymous with famous, and is almost always used in a positive way. This is opposed to the term ‘infamous’ which means to be well-known for doing something bad. For example: “The service in that restaurant is infamously bad.”