cantinela

Spanish

Etymology

Perhaps a variant of cantilena. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kantiˈnela/ [kãn̪.t̪iˈne.la]
• Rhymes: -ela
• Syllabification: can‧ti‧ne‧la

Noun

cantinela f (plural cantinelas)

1. (colloquial) old story, same old same old, same old song and dance

   la misma cantinela ― the same old story

   • 2020 June 14, Elvira Lindo, “¡Señorita Escarlata, señorita Escarlata!”, in El País‎^[1]:

     De hecho, cuando éramos niños pensábamos que las esclavas hablaban de esa manera ridícula en que eran interpretadas por las actrices de doblaje: “Señorita Escarlata, señorita Escarlata”. Todas hemos recitado la insufrible cantinela.

     In fact, when we were kids we through that slaves talked in that ridiculous way they they were played by voice actresses: "Miss Scarlett, Miss Scarlett." We've all recited the same insufferable song and dance.

2. gist

Further reading

• “cantinela”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014