# Aiding brain drain?  An ethnical quandry

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aiding-brain-drain-an-ethnical-quandry/220703>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [December 23, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aiding-brain-drain-an-ethnical-quandry/220703 "2003-12-23T19:51:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aiding-brain-drain-an-ethnical-quandry/220703/21 "2003-12-26T18:04:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*  
> \*\*It should also read “quandary” (state of perplexity or doubt). There is no such palabro as “quandry”. \*\*

_Y “palabro” no es una palabra, amigo._

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aiding-brain-drain-an-ethnical-quandry/220703/22 "2003-12-26T18:37:15Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Eva Luna \*  
> OK, fine, let’s see if I let your next typo slip…

Moderator, moderator, I am being threatened by that scary poster! 😉

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by John Mace \*  
> _Y “palabro” no es una palabra, amigo._

The [Real Academia de la Lengua](http://www.rae.es/) defines [“palabro”](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=palabro) as “Palabra mal dicha o estrambótica”. In using the word I was being facetious but it worked out unexpectedly because “palabro” is a word which is strange or difficult or mis-said or mis-spelled so “quandry”. like “judgement” (another of my pet peeves) fits the definition.

\>\> Please share your thoughts on the subject of brain drain

Since I had my brain drained I have never been happier.

Seriously though, I see it as one more aspect to take into account when making decisions. One should try to do what is in his own best interest and also try to contribute to the benefit of others. To what extent and how he chooses to do so is entirely up to him.

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**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aiding-brain-drain-an-ethnical-quandry/220703/23 "2003-12-27T03:20:26Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> 
> The [Real Academia de la Lengua](http://www.rae.es/) defines [“palabro”](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=palabro) as “Palabra mal dicha o estrambótica”. In using the word I was being facetious but it worked out unexpectedly because “palabro” is a word which is strange or difficult or mis-said or mis-spelled so “quandry”. like “judgement” (another of my pet peeves) fits the definition.

C’mon, you can tell us…you’re among friends! I know you’ve secretly been memorizing _El diccionario de la Real Academia_ for fun, page by painstaking page…so how long have you been waiting to use _palabro?_

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