Mexican Spanish vs. Colombia Spanish

TioJoe says on Nov 21, 2006, 13:54:

Taco My spanish is limited however if you ask for a TACO in Colombia they will hand you a cue stick for tres bandis.

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 21, 2006, 14:14:

Is this in California? Colombians like to harp on Mexican Spanish as "low class" and "ugly". They're definately different but my own opinion is that it's terribly presumptious for one group of Spanish speakers to look down on another, just like if I were to get all uppity about an Australian asking for a "rubber" when what he wants is an "eraser" or calling "shrimp" "prawns".

If, as I suspect, the incident you describe took place in California, then I'd say the Colombian parents are way out of line taking that attitude with a Mexican or Mexican-American teacher.

mrgizmo says on Nov 21, 2006, 14:19:

There's a difference between the two countries Here's my disclaimer: I know a few people from Mexico that I like very much and consider good friends. Also, living in the suburbs of Los Angeles I'm very familiar with the difference between Colombian Spanish and Mexican Spanish. Also, here in California there are many people from Mexico that are hillbillys (campesinos) and they are really not a representation of Mexico and their vocabulary is not very polished. In Bogota we are very proud of the Spanish we speak and consider others to be wrong. Here are a few differences between Colombian Spanish and Mexican Spanish: estomago (pansa) = stomach, cesped (zacate) = grass, pavo (guajalote) = turkey, como dice? (mande?) = what did you say?, piscina (alberca), swimming pool, autobus (camion) = bus, camioneta (troka) = truck. I'd never dream of putting my son in a bi-lingual school here in L.A. He's 11 and is bi-lingual already because we taught me Colombian Spanish at home. This is not a put down to Mexico but there's a big difference between both ways of speaking.

Behind every successful man, there's a nagging woman

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 21, 2006, 14:39:

Even more funny when you consider that there are HUGE differences between Colombian Spanish and Colombian Spanish. I'll never forget the first time I was in Santa Marta with a Bogotano friend and encountered a Costeño that I simply couldn't understand a word the guy was saying. I looked at my Bogotano friend who said, in English, "Don't worry, I can't understand a damn thing these people are saying either."

Mexican Spanish is also very different by region. More so than American English, even.

utopiacowboy says on Nov 21, 2006, 15:26:

When she first got here my wife used to make snide remarks about Mexican Spanish all the time. She's since cleaned up her act.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

morphus says on Nov 21, 2006, 16:35:

Colombian Spanish is'nt perfect either. I was at a restaurant in Colombia and ordered chicken. They brought me a steak.

TioJoe says on Nov 21, 2006, 17:17:

Slang cowboy I know the same refrain -- my wife is equally proud of her heritage and language - slang I think might be the issue - I can not understand half the english I hear from England or Australia either.

Totaso says on Nov 21, 2006, 18:27:

Two different worlds and two different languages Although Mexicans are very popular and a larger population in some states in the US, there are no similarities in the Spanish language between the two countries.
Colombian Spanish is far better in intonation and in vocabulary. A good example of the many differences in the language can be seen in example listed above by mrgizmo.
Furthermore, Spaniard journalists usually evoke to Spanish from Colombia when they want to credit great speakers or writers.

Mr. Las Vegas

utopiacowboy says on Nov 21, 2006, 18:37:

In some states? Try just about every state. There are no similarities? Give me a break. My wife can understand and be understood perfectly well by the Mexicans here. I can also understand them and be understood by them perfectly well. One thing about the Colombians - they are the snootiest on the planet when it comes to their language. They may be worse than the French.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

scotty says on Nov 21, 2006, 18:47:

Colombian best spanish I have heard from several people through the years that Colombian spanish is the best spoken spanish in the western hemisphere. Last year i took a short beginners spanish class at the local community college. Each chapter in the book covers a different latin country. The book is called Basic Spanish by Jarvis and Lebredo, Chapter 10 is on Colombia the introduction to that chapter says quote: "It is said thatthe best Spanish is spoken in this country"
One of the students asked out professor ( by the way the professor is from Mexico) if Colombians really do speak the best spanish. The professor said "yes this is common knowledge amoung the latin american people".
So maybe the mother knows what she is talking about.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

Rubito says on Nov 21, 2006, 18:56:

IMEHO :P I've heard Spanish speakers from just about every region of every country where Spanish is spoken, and to me the Colombians very much come out on top, even on top of the Spaniards, who can at times be more unintelligable than anybody from Latin America.

"Panza" doesn't mean "stomach" it means "belly", and it is used all thoughout the diaspora. If somebody was teaching that "panza" translates as "stomach" they are WRONG.

"Mande" is actually proper Spanish for "what did you say". "Cómo" is more often heard than not these days, but it is technically incorrect and not a good idea in a formal situation.

"Piscina" and "alberca" both mean swimming pool, just like "lecho" and "cama" both mean bed, and "rostro" and "cara" both mean face. The first words of each pair come from Latin, the second come from Arabic.

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 21, 2006, 19:01:

"Best Spanish" Again, which Colombian Spanish would that be? I think it's just ridiculous, much like saying that the Spanish of Spain is the "best" despite the fact that in Spain there are HUGE regional differences and, in fact, about a dozen other native languages spoken.

Whenever any country starts touting itself as "best" at something I begin to think there's got to be an inferiority complex at work and, yes, I include the US in that rule.

The Colombian snootiness about their Spanish is silly. It's fine. People in Bogota and the paisa region are pretty easy to understand, but I don't think simply speaking comprehensibly is a major cause for nationalistic pride.

utopiacowboy says on Nov 21, 2006, 19:04:

You party pooper, Mr. H.
You party pooper, Mr. H.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Piatt says on Nov 21, 2006, 19:39:

Id be happy speaking any spanish To be honest Id be happy speaking spanish fluently period, no matter the dialect. However I have to be realistic, apart from wanting to study spanish in Colombia because its my heritage another big factor was that Colombians speak spanish properly and in a way which I can understand.

I dont have anything against Mexicans but they speak with a heavy accent.

Its hard enough for me to understand spanish period to begin with and adding a rough accent like Mexican would complicate things alot more.

Now for the family whether its right or wrong isnt for me to decide thats there kid. However I can understand where there coming from...Im still a teenager and dont have any kids yet; but when I do I dont want them speaking english as if they came from Compton or using slang.



Sincerely,
Gordon Piatt

gordo

Simon says on Nov 21, 2006, 19:42:

"One of the students asked out professor ( by the way the professor is from Mexico) if Colombians really do speak the best spanish. The professor said "yes this is common knowledge amoung the latin american people"."


I bet that really pissed off the pricks on this thread who want to put Colombian Spanish down, hahaha!!!

"You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do."---Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark)

Colombiche says on Nov 21, 2006, 19:43:

... Colombians are the snootiest people when it comes to the spanish language. I am part of a Colombians in Canada newsgroup and everytime I type a message I triple check the spelling lest I make a mistake and get burnt at the stake for it. Once I got into it with some Bogotano who corrected some word I used that I know is perfectly fine for paisas.


As for the usage of the word "alberca" (swimming pool) in Mexico, that is actually really ancient Spanish. The word Alberca is derived from the Arabic "al - burqa" meaning "the tub" (I think).

I know some upper class mexicans from DF who use really strange anglicisms like "aparcar" (estacionar) and "checar" (chequear). I also noticed they used the word "envidioso" to denote a person who is selfish, instead of using the word "egoista". "Envidioso" is supposed to mean "envious" or "jealous". I also know if you ask them how many people were on the bus, they say "habian diez gentes" (there were ten peoples). I am talking about upper class chilangos here.

When I was in Spain, I was told multiple times that the Spanish of Colombia, especially Bogota is "good". Spaniards think we are very well-spoken drug dealers, big whoop.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Colombiche says on Nov 21, 2006, 19:54:

And for the record, I think the best spanish in Colombia is spoken by rolos and calenos. Nothing sounds sweeter to the ears than an educated caleno talking. Us paisas, we sound like we have an arepa perpetually stuck in our mouth, no matter how much schooling, or how long we live out of the country, it just doesn't go away.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

TioJoe says on Nov 21, 2006, 20:05:

My spanish is so bad the the waiters in Bogota give "me" tips

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 21, 2006, 20:12:

I heart Colombiche Nothing like someone saying it like it is.

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 21, 2006, 20:19:

Aparcar By the way, the first time I ever saw "aparcar" was in Madrid in the late 1980's, so it's very possible that it's a true "anglicism" that went from the UK to Spain to Mexico. Or, perhaps, it jumped into the vernacular both places simultaneously.

Let's start a list of idiosyncratic Colombian usages. For the first one, I nominate, "Que pena". Has anyone ever heard that in another country? Also, "mono" for blond and, yes, I know about the blond Colombian monkeys. I've even seen them. Still weird.

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 21, 2006, 20:21:

And my Mexican vocab nomination is: And for a quirky word from Mexico, I vote for "lonche" and "loncheria".

Rubito says on Nov 21, 2006, 22:59:

Lonche AINT Mexican They say that in PR and DR and Cuba too, among other places.
I've even seen signs in Bogota saying "parquear" and "parqueadero".

"Que pena" is FORMAL Spanish, but it's hardly idiosyncratic. It's very much understood everywhere in the Spanish speaking word.

"Mono" from Latin means "monkey." "Mono" from Arabic means "beautiful" or "fair of appearance". Yes, in the Semitic world they also equate the two just like on CityTV!

"Chequear" is also used throughout much of Latin America, as is "controlar". The correct verb is "revisar" but I didn't even know that until the first time I went to Colombia. Even in Italian, they say "cioccare" :P

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

scotty says on Nov 21, 2006, 23:42:

yea It blew the minds of the students in the class also some of them who were of Mexican decent. There he was a Mexican professor from Mexico City telling the class that the Colombians speak better spanish than the other latin american countries including his own native Mexico AND that this is common knowledge amoung latin people.
So when a Colombian tells me how a spanish word is pronounced....I believe them.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

scotty says on Nov 21, 2006, 23:47:

snooty? I'm not sure if i would call them snooty but you do have a interesting statement. I have noticed that Colombians in general are VERY precise about their language, they take great pride in their language...and they will correct you if you mispronounce a word.
Once my novia said to me "your espanol is malo", and she would make me pronounce a word over and over again until she was convinced i was pronouncing it correctly.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

scotty says on Nov 21, 2006, 23:49:

Funny I can picture that, sounds kinda like me to.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

elchantajista says on Nov 22, 2006, 02:58:

que onda My mex. spanish is better so!!!!! is there a Colombian slang for que onda ( que vuelta in cuba) or pinche, guero= catire???? buey or cabron, sin embargo Nov 29 d-day for Bogota can't wait,

anda de parranda en Bogota
"Vicente"

anda de parranda en Bogota "Vicente"

elmexicano says on Nov 22, 2006, 03:35:

I been to DF, it all depends on who is speaking. If you're going to talk to a person off the street opposed to a professor of course you are going to get different responses. I'd say the spanish in Guadalajara is more proper than those of Mexico City. When I talk to Colombian women at times I have a hard time understanding some of their slang. I don't think that there is a proper spanish anymore. I don't care who gives their opinion.

marcos

gabo4ever says on Nov 22, 2006, 04:06:

This will rock the boat At the annual literature awards in Spain from 'La Real Academia Española' (a couple of years ago). An award was presented to a Mexican professor by the King of Spain on behalf of the Real Academia and to honour his contribution to the Spanish Language. It was in the acceptance speech by the Mexican professor, where he stated that he had found a book which confirmed that Spanish originated in Colombia as a way for the Indians to communicate with one another (all had different languages/dialects) and was adapted by the Spanish invaders, who saw it as an excellent language which could be taught back in Spain to merge together all the languages that were being spoken in Spain at the time, (Latin, Arabic, etc).

The professor had with him this book, which could clearly be seen to be very old and he read out loud from it, to emphasise and provide evidence to back his theory.

He then discussed how the Colombian Spanish, in its essence was the purest form of Spanish in the world at the moment and how it should be used as an example of the true Spanish language.

I regret that I cannott be more precise at this time, i have tried in vain to find traces of the ceremony on the web, but to no avail.

Il ask my in-laws who showed me the presentation, to see if I can at least get dates, and names to add to this comment.

Y por si se atreven: Watsamatamaracuya?

litost says on Nov 22, 2006, 06:12:

Interesting theory, but historically speaking it makes absolutely no sense!

billyb says on Nov 22, 2006, 06:24:

Since spanish is so clearly rooted in... Latin, then one can assume that the professor believes that the colombian indians spoke Latin as well ;)

BillyB

Colombiche says on Nov 22, 2006, 06:49:

Mr Hollywood Que pena is traditional spanish, the difference is that when a colombian says "que pena" it means "what shame" as in "I'm embarrassed" i.e. The traditional meaning of "que pena" is supposed to be "what pain" as in "Oh my heart aches".


Another one is "guapo" or "guapa". For colombians, "guapo" means brave, as in "Muy guapo usted que se le enfrenta a la suegra". IN other countries "guapo/a" means "good looking" as in "que hombre tan guapo, tendra novia?".

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

gabo4ever says on Nov 22, 2006, 07:35:

Litost.. I agree with you, ive currently got my girlfriend on the case, trying to hunt down a tape i believe there is of the speech! I saw it about a year or so back, so really need to see it again, to get my facts right!

But it seemed a feasible theory at the time! I remember for some reason all the leaders of the Spanish speaking world were there, including Uribe, and they were shocked by what he said.

Y por si se atreven: Watsamatamaracuya?

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 22, 2006, 07:43:

Just to clarify, I'm not suggesting that nobody says "que pena" anywhere else in the Spanish speaking world, but that it's a little weird to be saying it in place of perdoname or disculpame. It's like saying "What a pain in my heart because I stepped on your toe in the grocery line" instead of "oops, I'm sorry."

I bet that Professor with the ancient book showing the derivation of Spanish originating in Colombia, not Spain, got it from the UFOs that land out by Chia every Saturday night after Andres Carne De Res closes.

Mario says on Nov 22, 2006, 07:54:

Geography and the industrial age Tell me if this makes any sense. It's been said that Colombia is where you will find the "cleanest Spanish", and more precisely in Bogota. If you consider that Spanish has been spoken there for 500 years, and Bogota is sitting up on a huge plateau 8000 feet up, it would have been generally isolated for hundreds of years, by comparison to its accessibility since the rise of the industrial age. This would probably preserve the Spanish they were speaking as opposed to other places where Spanish was spoken including Spain, which had much more accessibility prior to the industrial age. Like a time capsule of sorts.


"The angle of the dangle is directly proportionate to the swerve of the curve."

Colombiche says on Nov 22, 2006, 07:58:

Maybe just maybe, it was the people of Atlantis who spoke latin originally. Prior to sinking under the ocean, the atlantans emmigrated in two diferent waves: 1)The land that comprised the Roman Empire 2)Colombia. Those darned Romans decided to claim the latin language as their own although they inherited it from the Atlantans. Over the years the Romans got rid of the mongoloid features because they mixed with people from Northern Africa and the middle East, that is why they grew body hair and developed a habit of speaking very loudly.

The Chibchas were direct descendants of the people of Atlantis who developed a deeper tan over the years. They spoke much better "latin" than the Romans and preserved it because they mixed less.

It's no coincidence that when you rearrange the letters of the word "latin" you get "atlin".

See... there is perfectly "logical" explanation for everything at PBH. I will be publishing the book about my theory late next year and giving lectures at every ivy league uni.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 22, 2006, 08:15:

Mario By your logic then La Paz, Bolivia must have the "purest" Spanish. Or perhaps, the "purest" has yet to be discovered, being spoken in a remote FARC encampment in the middle of the selva.

miamimike says on Nov 22, 2006, 08:20:

Depends on the Region In Mexico I first studied Spanish Intensively in Guadalajara at the Universidad Autonoma(late 80s) and amongst Spanish Instructors, they feel a very clear accent free Spanish is spoken there as is also spoken in Bogota. A Ladyfriend from Bogota(native) OTH (and Professional, highhly educated) speaks so fast(unusual being from Bogota) you would think she was from Cuba(though her grammar is perfect). I don't think either of these two countries have a claim over one another as far as who speaks a purer accent free form of Spanish. Now if you want to compare either of the Spanish to that here in Miami that the Cubans, Nicaraguans and Puerto Ricans speak, you have a very valid point. IMO Either Varieties of the Spanish spoken in Bogota(not the coastal colombian spanish)or in Guadalajara is Superior to that of Cuba/Puerto rico which is extremely heavily accented and lacking gramatically. I find the Spanish also from Nicaragua and Coastal Venezuela a bit strange also. Only my two cents,,,

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." GW Bush

Colombiche says on Nov 22, 2006, 08:32:

Actually There are claims that the purest Spanish is that of Bogota and La Paz Bolivia. The third runner up is Costa Rica.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Mario says on Nov 22, 2006, 08:37:

So... Maybe the theory makes a little sense?

"The angle of the dangle is directly proportionate to the swerve of the curve."

Colombiche says on Nov 22, 2006, 08:39:

Oh and Peru... Is also one of the runner ups. Maybe Andean spanish is generally more pure. Costa Rican Spanish is strikingly similar to the spanish spoken in the coffee growing region of Colombia.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

miamimike says on Nov 22, 2006, 08:40:

We have it all here in Miami,, so you get a feel for the Spanish from all the various Latin American countries. Miami is a rather unusual city in that aspect. In my building alone, (condo)spanish from peoples of 8 different countries is heard.

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." GW Bush

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 22, 2006, 11:05:

Purest I don't doubt the validity of the theory about the "purity" of the Spanish in places like La Paz and Bogota, meaning that places that were isolated often have archaic usages that didn't survive in the mainstream. But it's a LONG way from that to saying the BEST Spanish, which is what you frequently hear Colombians saying. Languages are living things. The English of Hollywood movies is no "better" than Queen's English or Croc Dundee's Aussie-speak. It's a stupid thing to cling to, like having national pride over winning a spelling bee or something.

rocinante says on Nov 22, 2006, 16:55:

oiga pues ain't read all the posts. I had a Spanish professor teach me one one one about 8 months ago. He consults for the Real Academia. He's a double PhD in Spanish and English and has studied in just about every latin America country (2 years in Spain, 1 in DR, Cuba Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and one more country in SA but I forget).

He says there's the Queen's Spanish from Spain, Colombian Spanish and then all the rest.

HOWEVER

He says that educated people in just about any country can fairly represent the Spanish language.

I have heard Mexicans speak some of the clearest and most aritculate Spanish I have ever heard. All depends on how you were raised, your schooling and role models in regards to speech - we tend to speak and sound like our parents and neighbors - which is why most ebonicized speech in the US comes from mom and dad.

"And for the record, I think the best spanish in Colombia is spoken by rolos and calenos. Nothing sounds sweeter to the ears than an educated caleno talking. Us paisas, we sound like we have an arepa perpetually stuck in our mouth, no matter how much schooling, or how long we live out of the country, it just doesn't go away."My heart is heavy just hearing these words from a real Paisa. I cannot tell you the difference when I speak to a rolo or caleño - compared with a paisa. When I speak with rolos the conversation just flows effortlessy - I can understand totally and I'm just so relaxed in conversation.

HOWEVER I don't think the paisas have arepas stuck in their mouths, I think that their teeth have been replaced buy white painted, glued in chicharon. Pues, está de acuerdo conmigo ushhhhhhhhtay!?

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

Colombiche says on Nov 22, 2006, 18:33:

Puesh claro mijo Chicharron de cien patas.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

elchantajista says on Nov 22, 2006, 18:58:

orale cabron no manches, no mueves la tapete a poco que oso chilanga
anda de parranda en Bogota
"Vicente"

anda de parranda en Bogota "Vicente"

Rubito says on Nov 22, 2006, 20:14:

Most people would say that people from the Andes speak the best Spanish. 'Purest' doesnt' really make sense in a conservative radical sense, but DOES make sense if you are talking about purity of VOWELS. Some accents have better vowels than others, there are five vowels that are considered to be the purest, and this goes for any language, I'm talking phonetically here, NOT grammar or slang.

As far as intelligibility I think people from Colombia win hands down once again, followed by other Andean nations. I actually notice a big difference between people from Medellin and from Colombiche's Manizales. The Manizalitas have the same accent but it's MUCH thicker. Apparently people from Caldas have even thicker accents. I have no problem understanding Costeños or Chocoanos, but that's because they tend to sound like people from the Carribean and I'm used to that accent.

To me, for unintelligability the Boricuas probably take the cake, although they have almost a century here in NYC and regueton is all over the airwaves so people tend to understand their shit more than they otherwise would. As far as just a plain ugly sounding accent when speaking Spanish, I'd pick the Chilango accent.

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Sam Salmon says on Nov 22, 2006, 21:14:

Mexicans Have The Best Swearwords One area where Colombian Spanish is deficient is strong colourful swearwords.

In fact I was in Colombia for a week before I noticed I was the only person saying "Chingarro puto mojado", etc, etc.

Sometimes I'm not very bright....


' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'

billyb says on Nov 22, 2006, 21:21:

Sam, Colombians might have taken you... literally and been looking around for some guy sopping wet with a dick hanging out of his mouth ;)

BillyB

goin_south says on Nov 23, 2006, 01:49:

That's funny, strobers: "If I let her she'd paint the house the colors of the Colombian flag." You could let her do it; tone it down a bit and make her use PASTELS... lol

This is an interesting thread.
Unfortunately, I have nothing to add with my Mad Manglish.

why can't the freakin Chung King Chinese just LEAVE THE FREAKN DOLLY LLAMA and Tibet ... ALONE!

kat1 (Moderator) says on Nov 23, 2006, 02:15:

UHmm i m not dure but the UHmm i m not sure but the word "Mande" does not mean "what did you said"

I think is an expresion meaning "what do you want me to do".

Rubito panza, barriga, estomago is the same for us, example me duele la panza (mexicans) me duele la barriga ( used more in costeño Spanish) me duele el estomago used more in Bogota.


Another thing Mexicans use the word "Membresia" and I think the correct word is Afiliacion.

yumyums says on Nov 23, 2006, 02:33:

un poco de slang colombiano que onda = que hou'ubo ... chevere = una chimba, bacano

tenga buen viaje :)

"combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams."

Rubito says on Nov 23, 2006, 04:44:

I was just listening to Calle 13 and they are definitely from PR and used the words 'panza' and 'barriga', among a few others :P

Sam Salmon, I"m really surprised to hear you say that, I think Colombian swears are some of the best in the world, except for Italian swear words are pretty good, especially the Southern ones ('cazzo dulce da madonna' is my favorite). But Colombia has 'gonorrhea' 'pichurria' 'pirobo' 'huevón' 'malparido'(used other places) etc. Those are all pretty fun to say, especially if you are ready to kill somebody and need something to escalate the situation :P

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

podborski says on Nov 23, 2006, 05:43:

I chose to go to Bogota mainly because researching the 'best' place to learn spanish in Latin America, Colombia (specifically Bog) came up the most often.

My experience is that rolos do speak in a nice, clear, slightly slower manner.

Of course that doesn't mean it is the 'best'spanish, just a good place to learn.

When I lived in japan Canadian english teachers were in high demand as they supposedly spoke without an accent. You have to admit the average person from Toronto is easier to understand than an east London barrow boy.

But I always thought it would be funny to see a japanese school hire a newfie (from the east coast), expecting some guy to speak a nice 'accent free' english. Love to see their faces when the new teacher greets them:

"Lord tunderin jaysus dere's a lot uh folks ere. Down home..."

Colombiche says on Nov 23, 2006, 07:17:

Interesting Discusssion Rubito, I would say the accents of Manizales and Caldas are about 95% similar, both very strong paisa accents, but the accent of Medellin is actually stronger "golpeado". When I talk to people in Bogota, they automatically assume I am from Medellin.

The slight difference: People of Medellin put more emphasis on the "sh" sound than Manizalitas
When they speak fast they tend to leave out the "r" before the "lo" at the end of the verb ... for example "voy a coloca'lo" (voy a colocarlo), voy a pone'lo.
They tend to dip a little bit more at the end of every sentence "como asi?" (by the time they get to asi the tone has taken an abrupt plunge and the iiiiiii extends for 2 seconds or more). Caldenses do this too , but in Medellin the dip at the end is more abrupt.

Sam Salmon, you have not yet been fully introduced to the colorful world of colombian swearwords, where the name of a VD is changed, modified, played with and applied to your friends or foes depending on a situations. Colombians also tend to give degrees to insults i.e: doble HP, triple HP, cuadruple HP and if you hate they guy a lot he is a quintuple HP.

I know the jerga of a lot of latin countries and I have yet to find anybody more colorful and exagerated than my compatriots.

I would give a few more examples but I am a prim and proper little paisa.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Rubito says on Nov 23, 2006, 09:02:

Stop fronting Colomb :P Here is one more...

'bagre' REAL ugly SOB, named after the fish, which are ugly as sin. Also super offensive. Often used by cachacas to refer to Elmo. :P

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Colombiche says on Nov 23, 2006, 09:13:

Rubi Bagre in Bogota, in Medellin it's guayo or zapato. If a guy dates ugly girls they call him "zapatero" or "blue jean" (porque sale con cualquier zapato) LOL. I also have a cousin who loves dating gorditas (fofas), we call him "Botero".

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Olgalucia says on Nov 23, 2006, 09:20:

Mr. Hollywood, I agree with you 99%. The 1% disagreement comes in that no matter what state, country, province, etc. the Colombian parents live in, they are totally way out of line. And it's funny you should mention eraser as an example. My daughter came to me one day and said her Spanish teacher told her not to say "borrador" because that's incorrect. The correct word is "goma". I told my daughter I have no idea what the correct word is, but seeing as she has forever heard me say borrador and that's what she learnt at home, she could keep on saying "borrador". I left it at that – Why make a big stink about it?

"I am not bound to please thee with my answers" William Shakespeare

utopiacowboy says on Nov 23, 2006, 09:45:

You are a wise woman, Olgalucia.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Rubito says on Nov 23, 2006, 10:06:

Interestingly enough... In Inuit languages they have dozens of words for snow and ice. In Spanish they have many different words for 'maybe' 'later' and 'pig'. :P

In both English and Spanish, how many words do we have for 'fuck' 'penis' 'vagina' 'ass' etc. :P It boggles the mind. We create more nuance for what is on our minds :)

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

utopiacowboy says on Nov 23, 2006, 13:09:

Yeah, but they need a word for "fuck" that any Spanish speaker can understand. You can go to the UK, Canada, US, NZ, or Australia and say, "Fuck off" or "Baby, let's fuck" and everyone is on the same wavelength. No all purpose understood by everyone equivalent in Spanish.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

calocalo says on Nov 23, 2006, 20:31:

spanish Hello,

Here is a few things to ponder:

As an "hipanoparlante" from somwhere other than Colombia, I have found the following:
- Spanish is spoken at its best on Bogota, hands down. The others colombian departments have as much of an accent as any other department/province in any other latin country.
- As far as written expresion goes, that is completely dependant on the individual writing (this owing to many factors).
- Every country has its own tasty swearwords, it is just a matter of learning them all.

All of these are just my own personal thoughts.

"Los ninos y los locos dicen la verdad. Por eso a los primeros los educan y a los segundos los encierran".

"children and madmen tell the truth. So we educate the former and lock up the later."

Rubito says on Nov 23, 2006, 21:06:

Well you COULD say 'vamos a JODER' I don't think anybody would have a problem understanding that. Or 'Jódete' for that matter.

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

utopiacowboy says on Nov 24, 2006, 06:21:

Joder is the closest candidate but in many places it simply means fastidiar and no more. For most Colombians I don't think joder would even be their first choice when they wanted to say fuck.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

Plato says on Nov 24, 2006, 08:15:

Thus far, this is the best thread I've read on this forum.

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

podborski says on Nov 24, 2006, 08:33:

I know just enough spanish to NOT say 'voy a coger un taxi' here in BsAs.

But not sure if 'quiero comerte' has the same meaning here as it does in Colombia? Guess I should try it out and see what happens.

Plato says on Nov 24, 2006, 10:26:

In Venezuela, "coger" or "tirar" means to get busy as well. "Agarrar" is used in place of "coger un taxi."

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Colombiche says on Nov 24, 2006, 11:02:

Hijole gueyes No mames..... que thread tan chingon! Que platica mas padre! La mera neta que esta mejor que esas pinches platicas tarugas de los ultimos dias.

Pos yo la verdad pienso que nosotros los mexicanos platicamos retelindo!

A poco no?

Ahora me pinto de colores y sigo chambeando, la verdad que me da hueva pero ni modo.......... ahi nos vidrios!

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Plato says on Nov 24, 2006, 11:52:

? Huh? Can someone please interpret?

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Plato says on Nov 24, 2006, 12:00:

Cuate!!!!!! By the way, what the hell is a cuate?

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Rubito says on Nov 24, 2006, 12:02:

Pes entonces seguire chilando de chapirete pa que me sobre la lana pa un chupe con la chama :)

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 24, 2006, 12:09:

I consider myself lucky for having learned my Spanish in Cali, from people with the sweetest and clerarest Spanish in Colombia (I agree, colombiche) the speech of an educated caleño us not just sweet and moderate but also well-modulated, grammatically correct, with a good vocabulary and phonetically clean (without unnecessary glides, contractions or slurs).

Paisa Spanish is charming with the characteristic accent and rolos speak clearly and a bit pretensiously; I aslo agree with all the posters who say that the educated people of any country speak the best, regardless of the region, city or town.

My "beef" has been with the local Chilean community here. I had to re-assign my children to another home-language teacher since the Chilean teacher they were assigned to spoke a Spanish that I would have been ashamed of if my children had adapted her accent and spoke like that in front of their grandparents in Colombia. It was heavy with slang expressions from Chile and would have certainly sounded very strange from the mouths of two Colombian-born youngsters.

Cheersm
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

webmanco says on Nov 24, 2006, 12:28:

Yesterday there was a quick rain in downtwon Bogota, I had to stop because it was raining hard, anyway I heard someone saying, "Es solo a miao de Arco Iris" a rainbow piss, he meant that the rain would not last long, and he was right.

Here is a song Colombiche's cousin Mr Botero, can had as favorite.

Oda a las Gordas, a ppt presentation. I am surprise the word panza or panzona was no mentioned at all.

Another word we don't use a lot in Colombia is Apearse, for someone learning Spanish it could be a little difficult.

Apearse means to get off from the bus or car.
Bajarse del carro o vehiculo.


Yo me apeo
Tú te apeas

........

But, I'm going to start making some assumptions here.... Which means I might actually end up making an ass out of myself ..........Thu 04 17, 2008 11:34 am

Colombiche says on Nov 24, 2006, 12:33:

Andale Rubito Pos ahi no mas nos vamos a chelear, a tequilear y si nos sobra una lana, ahi nos comemos unos taquit's al pastor. Tu eres un cuate buena onda.

Orale que se te quema el chilorio guerito!

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Colombiche says on Nov 24, 2006, 12:43:

Desi... try Nicaraguans Don't even get me started. Just so you get a taste of what they sound like (in case you are not familiar yourself):

Colombia: "Hechar llave a la puerta"
Nicaragua: "enllavar la puerta".

Colombia "Que linda la camisa que tiene puesta Desi"
Nicaragua: "que linda la blusa que anda Desi".


Colombia: "Te ves muy bien hoy"
Nicaragua: "que bien te miras hoy"

Colombia: "Eso queda lejos"
Nicaragua: "Eso queda largo"

Colombia: "No te demores"
Nicaragua: "No te delates" (ja??)

Colombia: "Habla con el taxista"
Nicaragua: "Habla con el taxero"

Colombia: "Ese tipo es malo"
Nicaragua: "Ese tipo es maldito".

I could go on and on, I've always been really passionate about learning the variations of the Spanish language from country to country. After years of perking up my ears, I still want my future children to sound like colombians.

Webmanco: Gracias, esa esta buena para mi primo, a el no le encantan sino las viejas con Michelines.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

kat1 (Moderator) says on Nov 24, 2006, 15:34:

Colombiche try Hondura

Mopear: Trapear
peti po: yes they do say it like that = alverjas
pampers= pañales
tape= but you have pronounce like in Spanish, it means: cinta pegante
and there is more.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 24, 2006, 15:47:

at last
I had to accept a home language teacher from Uruguay... Che this and che that, /dzyo/ no se pero trato de comprender....actually a pretty nice person and not a bad teacher except when she tried to teach my Colombian-born youngster the Spanish second person plural...vosotros estais....amd my kids said...."huh?"

Cheers,
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

rocinante says on Nov 24, 2006, 16:49:

Death to Vosotros!
Death to Vosotros!

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

Sam Salmon says on Nov 25, 2006, 10:52:

Death to Vosotros! Si Verdad!





' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 25, 2006, 11:58:

Actually, I don't mind vosotros, the second person plural as used by a native madrileño, for example, totally normally and naturally part of the living language. I wish I could use it as elegantly as they do, but I'm stuck with my "Ustedes".

Cheers,
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

rocinante says on Nov 25, 2006, 16:09:

Oh no vos! Tú many "Yous" - three conjugation attachments are enough.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

Rubito says on Nov 25, 2006, 20:42:

Mopear and Pampers are used throughout NYC. As a matter of fact I bet a good many Spanish speakers here have no idea what 'pañales' are, or what a 'sótano' is for that matter!

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

podborski says on Nov 26, 2006, 05:09:

don't forget 'vos' which is used here in Argentina...all I need is another conjugation...

A popular saying here is 'la noche esta en panales', and sotano is common too, although they also use subsuelo.

(sorry, I don't know how to do accent marks and tildes.)

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 26, 2006, 05:55:

shouldn't call yourself a "Spanish speaker" id you have no idea of what sótano or pañales mean. Perhaps a "Spanglish-speaker"?

Pod, that vos is not standard Spanish,it's dialect.

Sooooo, where was it now that the best Spanish in the whole world was spoken?

Cheers,
Desi
Cheers,
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Mario says on Nov 26, 2006, 14:51:

BOGOTA "rolos speak clearly and a bit pretensiously" [sic]

Generalizations again...


"The angle of the dangle is directly proportionate to the swerve of the curve."

goin_south says on Nov 26, 2006, 18:28:

I think it could be a success, if someone would Write a book on Colombian Spanish, taken from all the posts from PBH. I have a similar book called 'StreetWise Spanish' by Mary McVey Gill and Brenda Wegmann, publisher, McGraw-Hill. It is a Dictionary/Thesaurus, user-friendly guide to spanish slang and idioms, 340 pages, and denotes at the end of each idiom, the countries where you will find its greatest usage.

I think if a group of you would work with Peter on a project like that, you guys/gals could come up with a voluminous book, just with idioms from Colombia and Colombian spanish. I would have nothing to contribute, but I would be happy to be the first one to buy it

why can't the freakin Chung King Chinese just LEAVE THE FREAKN DOLLY LLAMA and Tibet ... ALONE!

laguerejaloka says on Nov 26, 2006, 19:17:

yeah i've heard that colombianos speak more of a spaniard spanish, im not sure if colombian spanish is the most pure, cuz it definately has its own unique touch to it, but i'll tell u, being a guera it is so much easier to have conversations with colombians, hondurenos, and ecuadorenos rather than with mexicans, dominicans, catrachos n some of those with more of a different dialect and accent. oh rubito- yeah thats true.. i can understand boriquas more these days since the popularity of reggeaton.

~la guera~

goin_south says on Nov 26, 2006, 19:33:

.

why can't the freakin Chung King Chinese just LEAVE THE FREAKN DOLLY LLAMA and Tibet ... ALONE!

goin_south says on Nov 26, 2006, 19:35:

Please tell me, what is a guera? laguerejaloka

why can't the freakin Chung King Chinese just LEAVE THE FREAKN DOLLY LLAMA and Tibet ... ALONE!

Rubito says on Nov 26, 2006, 21:34:

I had a book like that too It was good and helped but had a decidedly Mexican flavor.

A guera is a rubia or a mona, a blondie :)

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 26, 2006, 22:11:

mario, everything we have said here is just an opinion. That was mine. What's yours? (Never mind, your signature is a generalization and an opinion at the same time :) )

Cheers,
Desi


«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

goin_south says on Nov 26, 2006, 22:35:

refresh my memory Is a rolo from bogota?

why can't the freakin Chung King Chinese just LEAVE THE FREAKN DOLLY LLAMA and Tibet ... ALONE!

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 26, 2006, 22:37:

yes Cheers,
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Mario says on Nov 27, 2006, 05:25:

My opinion has already been logged And you're really reading into signatures far too much... ;)


"The angle of the dangle is directly proportionate to the swerve of the curve."

Plato says on Nov 27, 2006, 08:16:

Here’s the thing: if you learn to speak the standard language of the country without regionalisms, heavy accents, or drawls, then you’ll speak any language correctly. Take your cue from journalists and diplomats from their respective countries.


Case in point:

Mexican born Jorge Ramos: the friendly face of TV: Univision anchor man, columns printed by 30 newspapers, Columbia University Maria Moors Cabot Journalism Award and the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Communication, and author or several books - Top Ten Latinos

Jorge Ramos is a fine example of a well spoken Spanish speaker, to name just one prominent example from Mexico.

The example about how paisas speak sounds as if you’re comparing arepa eating mountain people to cultured and educated caleños and bogotanos – not a fair comparison, but then again I’m biased.

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 09:14:

Jorge Ramos I have great admiration for him and basically ate his book "Atravesando Fronteras". He is definitely one of the most influential latinos in the US Spanish media.

On TV, he speaks with a rather amiguous neutral accent which is good, but his usage of the spanish language is far from proper. He even jokes about it in his book, when he writes "Hablo un Espanol madreado y un Ingles madreadisimo".

I remember back when Fidel was sick, I was watching Univision and Jorge Ramos was reading the news:

"Fidel y Chavez se han estado carteando". I think he should have said "se han estado enviado cartas" or "escribiendo", but "carteando" was such blatant Spanglish, I had to laugh.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 09:23:

Plato For Paisas, just like any other cultural group, the higher the strata, the cleaner the language. An educated paisa might speak with a heavy regional accent, but the usage of the spanish language is very proper and extremely formal.

If you compare oranges to oranges - an educated paisa with and educated rolo, I think the quality of the spoken language is the same. I still think the rolo has a more neutral, and yes, pretencious accent while the paisa (i.e colombiche) has a more matter of fact, in your face kind of "deje".

Que paso con el sancocho pues!

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Plato says on Nov 27, 2006, 09:50:

Colombiche – Neutral Colombiche –

Neutral accent or no accent? Or, just plain vanilla? For example, Americans have accents, not the English, even though the English have distinct regional accents as well.

There is a “standard� American English; I believe Americans from Colorado are the model of how American journalists speak.

I tried to make a case for Jorge Ramos and Mexico, but I defer to your judgment on this one.

Lastly, you put three journalists or diplomats in the same room: a paisa, a caleño, and a bogotano, and it’s all a matter of one’s personal preference how they dab their Spanish with their local heritage, but all excellent.

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 27, 2006, 10:00:

Is there a Spanish equivalent of "airline pilot english"?

You know, how every pilot speaks on the radio with a slight texan drawl regardless of where he's from?

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 10:01:

Ramos lives in the US, Spanglish permeates his speech, it's only natural. It happens to the best of us :)

Hollywood - If you listen to the guys who sell "loteria, loteriaaa", they all sound like Emeterio y Felipe, no matter what part of colombia they are from LOL.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 27, 2006, 12:05:

Emeterio y Felipe? Are they the Tolimenses? Somebody sent me a file of whole 17 minutes of their humour and I felt like another time, another place.

Hollywood, if some Avianca pilots have (older ones) have a Finnish accent when they speak English then you know that he comes from Cali and once upon a time had a teacher called Desi...

Cheers,
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

kat1 (Moderator) says on Nov 27, 2006, 12:15:

Mr Hollywood I admire you, so you do understand when the pilots speak, because I don't, no matter in what language!

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 12:35:

Yeah Son los tolimenses, and it is indeed another time, another place when you listen to those guys.
Damn Desi, you know pretty much everything quintessenially colombian that is out there, your knowing los tolimenses is like passing the final quiz, there is no stumping you!

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Cerealkiller says on Nov 27, 2006, 12:47:

I find Bogota spanish much more neutral, less slang words and generally speaking, rolos have a better grammar than people from the rest of the country. Paisa spanish is much more open and friendly but it sounds very province-like...just like Colombiche said...it only takes an Alvaro Uribe speech to prove it, due to the heavy accent some words appear mispronounced.
As for the comparison to Costa Rican spanish, well costa ricans openly admit colombian spanish sounds more educated, they use words very similar to those nicaraguan words someone posted.

Colombian Spanish: Suerte
CR Spanish: Guava

Col: Cosa
CR: Chunche


Col: Marica
CR: Playo

Col: Marrano
CR: Chancho

Col:Morral/ Maleta
Cr: Bulto

I dont know which one is proper and which one isnt. I am used to both but find the colombian version easier to be understood when visiting any other spanish speaking country. That said, I am only defending Bogota spanish, people from the coast speak something I dont understand, paisas use too many local words that are not even in the dictionary "maluco, mañé, matado"...Caleños...better than paisas but still...

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

Qubo says on Nov 27, 2006, 12:48:

My 2 centavos I think everything was just about covered on this thread regarding the spanish spoken in the Americas. As mentioned, we all know that education is the essence of someone expressing themselves eloquently and clearly. I would say Colombians use the correct usage of words while other latin american countries use jargon to describe certain obejects.

On my trip to Cali,Colombia I was amazed of how so many people new how to use the correct tenses and could actually explain why such tense is used rather than the other. I think it is part of the cultural to preserve which is embedded in the Colombian society to speak well.

Unfortunately, in the Tri-state area all of the radio station en español have semi-illiterate host from the caribbean and they usually bastardize the language and discuss topics that you'll watch on Jerry Springer. I use to listen to the AM station where they had one Colombian host but was removed for a Dominican host which talks nothing but pura basura. I no longer listen to the spanish radio stations because all of them are not worth listening to.

I would say the clearest spanish I've heard would go to Bogotanos & Caleños.

Places that speak clear spanish would go to

1. Colombia
2. Ecuador
3. Costa Rica

Worst spanish speakers would go to

1 Puerto Ricans
2. Dominicans
3. Hondureans & Nicaragua
4. Cubans

The sad thing is alot of the mass are unaware of their incorrect use of grammar & words. I've heard he escribido instead of he escrito. Also alot of people confuse b and v..I've seen this in a colombian restuarant and was shocked..."Bevido" instead of "Bebido"...

My opinion I think that spanish is such a phonetic language that is very easy to understand even if a slight pronunciation of a word is twisted it can still be intelligible. Overall I would say I am glad I learnt and picked up the Colombian accent.

One more thing. I also believe colombian jergas are the most colorful and creative. Aguacate=policia..

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 13:28:

Cereal K Mane and matado are slang paisa expressions just like rolos use slang expressions like: fofa, guisa, que oso, que filo, mamera, mamerta, ficti..... and the list goes on and on.

I don't think paisas use more slang than rolos, just maybe more colorful words. I agree that rolos are generally well spoken, but I think that if you get past the heavy accent, paisas can speak quite well and use very proper grammar. We do use a few more regionalisms.... that I'll give you. I remember going into a supermarket in Bogota and asking for "parva", they were at a loss as to what I was saying. Finally they caught on and told me "pan y tostadas?". Then again, rolos call cafe con leche "perico"....


RE: costa rica slang

In Nicaragua they also use the word "chinear" to meaning " cargar un bebe I think ticos use it as well.
Chunche, they used that word in Nicaragua too, i can't stand it, I all for "cosianfirulo" :)

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

webmanco says on Nov 27, 2006, 17:42:

!!

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//]]

2006-12-16 00:00:00 GMT-05:00

But, I'm going to start making some assumptions here.... Which means I might actually end up making an ass out of myself ..........Thu 04 17, 2008 11:34 am

Plato says on Nov 27, 2006, 18:19:

Exactly! Qubo posted:

Unfortunately, in the Tri-state area all of the radio station en español have semi-illiterate host from the caribbean and they usually bastardize the language and discuss topics that you'll watch on Jerry Springer. I use to listen to the AM station where they had one Colombian host but was removed for a Dominican host which talks nothing but pura basura. I no longer listen to the spanish radio stations because all of them are not worth listening to.

Exactly. I freaken hate Spanish news radio in NYC! The music is fine, but the bullshit? Where do they get these clowns from La Mega? I mean, we're trying to evolve as decent people but they really talk some stupid shit. I remember growing up listening to Radio WADO on the AM. My father always listened to that station in the mornings and it was straight up news with decent Spanish.

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Cerealkiller says on Nov 27, 2006, 18:20:

Colombiche Youre probably right about the slang, I wouldnt know how to define colorful slang from non- colorful slang, to me slang is colorful by default. I for one have never heard filo, mamerta or ficti...I guess I just have a rather hard time with paisa accent, dont get me wrong I love Medellin I lived there when I was younger but if I am to compare medellin paisa to manizales paisa...manizales beats medellin by far, it just sounds more elegant, but maybe it is nothing but my own bias...

In regards to ticos, yeah ticos use chinear but it means to spoil (babies, bf, parents etc), I dont know what cosianfirulo is.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 18:22:

Bogotano slang Filo - when you are hungry ("Tengo un filo que me chifla la tripa")
mamerta - boring ("Que clase tan mamerta")
ficti - ficticio, I suppose this is when somebody is a hypocrite or something of the sort, I heard this from my rolo friends. Any Bogotanos can help us out here?

Cosianfirulo is a word designed to mean anything and everything under the sun.

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Plato says on Nov 27, 2006, 18:44:

Cubans sound like they have marbles in their mouths.

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Colombiche says on Nov 27, 2006, 19:33:

Aprenda a Hablar Cubano

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Rubito says on Nov 27, 2006, 20:11:

Choncho or chancho? In Colombia I hear 'choncho' for 'pig' a lot. 'Levantar choncho' or 'levantar marrano' is when girls go to a bar and get the guys there to buy their drinks for them.

"Pues nena no tengo plata pa gastar en polas(cervezas)"
"No, eso no influye marica(!) ahi levantamos choncho"

Come to think of it 'pola' for beer is a uniquely Colombian word.

"Ficti" is a fake, "haciendo ficti" is "faking it". "Eso es puro ficti" "That's pure fiction" same difference.

Here people say "bulto" for "maleta" a lot. I also hear "mochila" for "maletín" (backpack or small bag). In the DR they say "maricón", "otro-lado" "pareguayo", "culero", or "pájaro" for faggot. Come to think of it, they have LOTS of words for that! Hmmmmm...........

"Maluco" may not be in the dictionary but it is well understood anywhere in Latin America, including Brazil, and it means the same thing in Brazil. In Brazil "mané" is kind of like a pendejo, or a sucker, a sap, a dumbass. I have never heard it in Spanish. ALSO I noticed in Colombia they say "morar" and "morador" instead of "habitar" or "vivir" and "residente" like they would in other parts.

Most NYC area radio hosts speak Spanish worse than I do. :P

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Cerealkiller says on Nov 27, 2006, 20:14:

I am positive it is chancho in CR. I have never heard choncho...Ive heard marrano (which I only use when someone has done something I consider dirty, because the animal is and will always be Cerdo), cochino, puerco....

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

Plato says on Nov 27, 2006, 20:21:

Rubito - good post. I'm telling ya', this is a great thread!

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 27, 2006, 20:42:

Patilla What's up with calling sandia (watermelon) in Bogota "patilla"? Even in the coast they don't understand that, or 50 miles away from BOG for that matter.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 28, 2006, 00:42:

The rule of "bread" You can tell where in Colombia a person comes from just the way he/she pronounces "bread". People fom Bogotá buy "pan", people from the coast buy "pang" and people from Cali buy "pam".

Rubito, the resident linguist or anybody else, is this true?

Cheers,
Desi

«Sé que los seres humanos y los peces podrán coexistir en paz». ( George W. Bush, Saginaw 29-09-00)

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Cerealkiller says on Nov 28, 2006, 06:45:

Yes Desi it is true. Its funny how people from Cali say Pam and pamdebono (which is pretty damn hard to pronounce!!!), and they call plastic bags chuzpa instead of bolsa...in regards to the Pang...it is something like that, not quite pang, but thats probably the most accurate way to put it.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

Qubo says on Nov 28, 2006, 07:01:

What a great thread!!!! Plato I am glad you understand where I am coming from. I mean it's a disgrace the type of spanish radio stations we have in the tri-state area. The only station that had some serious topics with decent spanish was WADO on AM but now it has been taken over by dumbinicans. Even the music genre has changed and the ghetto hispanics have made reggaeton the cultural music. I mean it's like we can't get away from them. There is only one station that I listen to occasionally "Amor" and the rest of the time I'm listening to my CD's.

Some portuguese slang as Rubito mentioned are used in american spanish as well. The similarities between spanish in the americas and brazilian portuguese are many.

Legal=Legal=cool
Vacana=bacana=cool,great

Then you have some dominicans who can't pronounce words correctly and confuse the "l" with "r" and "r" with "i"..por ejemplo..mi amoi como tu 'ta? Mi amor ¿como tú estás? I wa so impressed with the colombian spanish in Cali. The thing is many colombians articulate and use a better usage of words than most hispanos. Although, I've met some colombians in the tri-state area that speak horrible too, but I don't really count them because most have learned them from other hispanohablantes. Overall, it alot has to do with education and upbringing.

Rubito says on Nov 28, 2006, 07:22:

Qubo please explain why is it in Brazil it's only 'bacana' in the FEMININE, but in the Spanish-speaking world it's 'vacanO' and changes gender like any other adjective.

I learned Spanish mainly from Dominicans so I say 'pang' as well. I find the currambero accent to be very close to the Dominican accent. There was this recent arrival from BAQ at a rehearsal and I understood him better than the local rolos did :P

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Qubo says on Nov 28, 2006, 08:19:

Rubito That's a good question..I have no idea and kind of wierd since most of the genders in latin remains the same in all of the latin dialects. I have the tendency to use it in the feminine in spanish too..LOL.. Rubito, 'tonces tu habla' epañoi asi..LOL..I have met many domonicans who speak well but it's so rare that it suprises me and I have to question there nationality..LOL..I've been there as well and I have to say that the general mass speak horrible. I was so impressed with the spanish in Cali..to the put I was damn shocked to see how formal people were, educated and un-educated. Although, the younger kids spoke in so much slang but knew the difference between slang and formal usage unlike most spanish speakers I've encountered. I was lost when I heard the word chuzpa for bag...and chuzco for guapo.. I think only colombians use pitillo for a straw and gaseosa for soda

Plato says on Nov 28, 2006, 08:52:

Qubo,I have many Dominican Qubo,

I have many Dominican friends and practically lived in Washington Heights for several years. I’ve also been to DR several times.

They are friendly, warm, and hilariously funny people. Dominican women are super hot. Dominican men like to think of themselves as “toros� – and many are by the way they carry on with many women. They would agree with you on how they speak, but it seems they don’t care for the most part. We’re the ones who take notice since we’re more conscience of what constitutes a well-spoken Spanish.

Nevertheless, it’s a damn shame we don’t have a quality Spanish news radio in NYC to communicate – NEWS!

Regards,

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Qubo says on Nov 28, 2006, 09:07:

Plato I, too, have many dominican friends and agree with you that they aren't to concerned about how well they speak. I think they could careless as you mentioned. I agree that there women are super super super hot..I love that mulatta woman look. I am not Colombian btw, I am from brazil well my parents are. People make fun of the way we speak portuguese especially people from the NorthEast where my parents are from. I am just glad that spanish is very easy for me.:) ....I must say my country has the hottest women on earth..hey just a little bragging rights..LOL...

I love all of the latin languages it is sad that most hispanics in the USA can't speak portuguese but hey it's all good in the neighborhood. What part of dominican republic did you go to..I see alot of similarities between Cali and Santo Domingo..what do you think?

Plato says on Nov 28, 2006, 09:30:

Qubo,
I've been to both Qubo,

I've been to both Santo Domingo and Santiago (De los Reyes).

Plato

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those [liberals] who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.--Dante Alighieri, (1265-1321)

Colombiche says on Nov 28, 2006, 10:21:

Qubo The other day I was watching the brazilian movie "city of God" I could swear I heard them using the word "parcero" over and over. Is that word used in Brazil?

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Tinto (Moderator) says on Nov 28, 2006, 11:57:

Considering the shape of some of their famous products, Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico is very well-named.

Qubo says on Nov 28, 2006, 12:26:

Hello Colombiche City of God is a great movie. I never heard the usage "parcero" in brazilian portuguese. I've seen the movie several times and don't recall. I have to say brazilian portuguese is closer to american spanish than portuguese from portugal in regarding to structure of pronouns. It's also easy for us to learn french as well with almost no accent. I just love all latin based languages..

Plato,

I can say the ambiance in Cali was similar to that of Sto Dgo a little but to me dominicans are more laissez-faire type of attitude about everything while in Colombia people were more professional and attentive. The worst thing to do to a dominican is to confuse them for a haitian. They really despise them but have so much in common with them in my opinion. Some places I went I could not distinguish the two. Although most haitians are of darker hue than dominicans. I was really impressed with Cali. I tell everyone how beautiful and nice Colombia was and most people think I am crazy..LOL..typical stereotypes just like when people assume all of brazil are full people out of Cidade de Deus living in favelas..

podborski says on Nov 28, 2006, 17:02:

I just heard 'chancho' here and I asked about it, and was told it meant specifically a baby pig, not a full grown one.

They also called a baby goat a 'chivo' (I think).

I imagine I'll be hearing 'levantar choncho' a lot when I hit Bogota in 2 weeks, lol.

griffbos says on Nov 28, 2006, 18:04:

my take on this I had a private tutor from Chile one of the things he stressed to me is if you want to learn and speak the best spanish you will hear and learn it in Colombia of all the latin countries they are the best, even my best friend from Mexico has made the same comment.

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