It is said that something is temporary when it is considered to be temporary, that is, it will not be durable or permanent. In this way, in everyday life there is a whole series of events that are cataloged in this way. Thus, if someone fixes a tap on their own while waiting for it to be permanently fixed by a plumber or if a worker replaces another for a time, we are faced with typically temporary situations.
Waiting for a definitive solution
Everything provisional is related to transitory situations, since it is understood that for a time the solution provided to a problem is partially valid but not definitively, since it is a temporary solution. We could say that the provisional acts as a patch, since it is a momentary fix and that in a short time it will be resolved conclusively.
An example of how temporary can become durable
A proposal or provisional solution is intended to provide a solution for a time, but it is possible that the provisional will become durable. Let's look at this idea with a soccer example. The starting striker of a football team suffers an injury and for a time is replaced by another striker who has not yet shown his qualities.
When the new striker starts to play, he shows his scoring ability and this circumstance changes the coach's initial approach; in such a way that the provisional solution becomes definitive.
In Latin America and Spain
The word we are analyzing is commonly used in Latin America, but not in Spain, where the term provisional is used. Both forms are equivalent and identical in meaning. This example shows that the same language, Spanish, presents curious differences according to the different territories. The first difference that draws attention is the word to designate the language, since in America it is Castilian and in Spain it is Spanish.
From a linguistic point of view, the differences in Spanish or Castilian can be explained by two fundamental reasons
1) During the colonial period, the Spanish of America was influenced by the different native languages and
2) immigration from different European nations to Latin American countries was accompanied by significant changes in the language (for example, in Argentina many words are of Italian origin).
Photos: Fotolia - bakhtiarzein / vecton
