Question about Colombian Spanish

Desideria (Moderator) says on Mar 13, 2004, 17:54:

Colombian Spanish It's not like Mexican Spanish, neither is it like Argentinian Spanish.
It's like the famous Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes says..."the neutral speech of a Colombian oligarch". You'll find out (if you ever get there) that Colombian Spanish has a class of it's own.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoX says on Mar 13, 2004, 20:43:

Colombian spanish is the best in the world, period.

ColombianoX 'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Mar 13, 2004, 22:21:

Colombians don't swear constantly like many Mexicans-which is a welcome change.
Colombian Caribbean Spanish however is another story-fast beyond belief/heavily accented/full of slang-listen to old Joe Arroyo records for an idea.

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Mar 14, 2004, 07:00:

what a humiliation That's bad tinto, and utterly humiliating. The average Colombian actor speaks clean, cultivated Spanish that is easily understood even by the underpriviledged migrant workers watching their telenovelas in the back of their trailers parked beside orange groves of California.
My experience with the latinos of the US is that a good portion of them speak a bastardized version of Spanish, heavily influenced by English, shabbily structured, and with weird intonation. Should this then be the standard for Colombian actors/actresses if they want a job in US produced telenovelas. What a shame.
And yes, I still think "accent" is something you might have if you speak a language that is not your own.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoX says on Mar 14, 2004, 13:03:

Here's the article Tinto,

Here's the article I think you were talking about:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-sbmcnamara07mar07,0,7171334.story?coll=sfla-business-front

Here's the e-mail I sent the columnist:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Magaly,

I completely disagree with this. I think that it was actually the local colloquialisms that helped make those novelas so humorous. Those telenovelas were not made for the U.S. latino community but for the people of Colombia. I think it is very arrogant of him to say that those colombian novelas should have omitted their use of colombian slang just because viewers in other countries wouldn't understand.

I also think it is very disrespectful and insulting of Mr. McNamara to say that they should have worked on their diction to have been even more successful. I can't imagine these novelas having been more successful than what they were!

And for his information, colombian spanish is considered by many to be among the best spoken in the world. Do you know if Mr. McNamara has an e-maill
address?

Keep up the great work Magaly!
ColombianoX
------------------------------------------------------------------

And this is what she responded:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi ColombianoX


Don't be offended, he didn't mean it as an insult. In fact, he went on and on about the beautiful landscapes in Colombia and how outstanding its television industry was, and about all the benefits of working there,including its talented writers, directors and actors...But, of course,because of space, my editors cut the interview in half, and made it sound as if he was being insulting.

Also, he never said Betty and Pedro SHOULD have omitted its colloquial language...don't put words in his mouth!...he just said, had it not been there, it would have been just as funny. (I'm not sure I agree with him here. the proof is that when Univisión took over and produced Ecomoda, where the language was made purposely global, it didn't work as well as expected)

We talked about the style of telenovelas costumbristas, where they use that regional language that, in fact, only people from Colombia can understand(I'm lucky I have a Colombian boyfriend who translated for me all the "mompirris" and "canecas" and the likes...otherwise, I would have been lost.

It is true Colombian Spanish is considered one of the best, but he was referring to the Spanish spoken by Pedro el Escamoso, which is definitely not the good Spanish that makes Colombians so proud.

I think you just misinterpreted his words, and it is perhaps our fault, because of our editing.
Thanks anyway for taking the time to write,
have a nice week.
Magaly.

ColombianoX 'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 14, 2004, 14:25:

At least learn it before you damn it so badly. Shane, I understand that lots of people like to take potshots at Mexican Spanish just like people like to make fun of various American accents, but if you're going to criticize their language so, I would at least expect you to know that they're saying "No mames" (Don't suck), "Cabrón", and "Buey" (both references to male livestock and cuckholding).

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Skippy says on Mar 14, 2004, 18:51:

Spanish in Colombia Fair enough. You got me there. I am not that great at writing Spanish. Like I said, I was not trying to be an ass.... It was just my opinion. On the same wave length, I know many Candadians (myslef included) who probably have horrible English to ears of a British person.

I guess it comes back to the old thing mom used to say.

"If you can't say something nice. Don't say anything at all."

Yup

0 funny, 0 helpful.

markdeinglaterra says on Mar 18, 2004, 12:02:

accents shane, i'm english and my ears don't consider canadian english to be horrible!!! it perhaps gives us the occasional chuckle, but no more!! some people find my english accent amusing, i don't stress too much about it!!

I am from a part of england where every 5-10kms brings a new totally different accent.
Can anyone tell me if this is the case in Colombia and other S.American countries?? I have asked many people on my travels, and I have got mixed responses, matter of opinion i know.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

z e p h y r says on Mar 18, 2004, 14:34:

The word "accent" as defined by Webster's dictionary : a mode of pronunciation, as pitch or tone, emphasis patern, or intonation, characteristic of or peculiar to the speech of a particular person, group, or locality: foriegn accent; regional accent. I'm no expert but I believe one can use either the word dialect or accent and still be correct. :-)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 18, 2004, 15:02:

Answer about Colombian Accents Yes, Colombians have varying accents. Maybe not as closely separated as every 10K but they have very distinctive regional accents.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

asmith says on Mar 18, 2004, 21:24:

Mexicans and their terrible Spanish Hey Sam by chance are you in Santa Rosa? I am married to a Colombian woman. I grew up with the mexicans and therefore I use Mexican words which are totally incorrect, my wife gives me a strange look when I speak Mexican. It is difficult to understand the low class Mexicians because they do not enunciate, but then again those are Mexicians, what do you expect from them? Only those from the frontera speak spanglish.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

asmith says on Mar 18, 2004, 21:40:

Reply to Shane There are parts of Mexico which are beautiful but the Mexicians have done to the Spanish language what the Black Americans have done to the English language. It is not only what they have done to the language but one must look at the Mexican/Indian culture and you will get a better understanding of how and why they are what they are. The television programming is most juvenile as well as there music and art not much immagination if any. Compare Mexican food to Colombian food, Ha, Mexican food is indian food. Poor dumb stupid Mexicians. Please do not take offense, it is only the truth.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

arturo says on Mar 21, 2004, 01:31:

...and what european barabrians have done to the latin language. Poor dump studpid barbarians. Don't take it as an offense asmith.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

saint says on Mar 24, 2004, 10:42:

I was only in Colombia 10 days but... I thought the quality of Spanish there was excellent. In Cali most of the people spoke crisp and clear. The only problem was I found that they spoke quite fast. My Spanish is only conversational. I only took a month long intensive class but mostly studied on my own and from traveling quite a bit in Buenos Aires.

Mexican spanish is horrible, IMHO. Argentinian Spanish is quite nice to hear. You can get used to how they use "vos" instead of tu or usted. I think you'll find the Spanish in Colombia to be quite good.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Mar 24, 2004, 11:24:

Colombian Spanish I learned my Spanish in Colombia and for that reason my opinion is bound to be biased. However, when I lived in the US I came into contact with a lot of latinos from different parts of Spanish America. I found the Puerto Rican Spanish the hardest to comprehend closely followed by Cuban Spanish. I don't really know what does it take to qualify one country's Spanish "better" or "worse" than another's. I don't especially like the intonation of Argentinian Spanish, or the heavy use of modismos/vernacular in Mexican Spanish, but i think the quality of anybody's language be it English, Spanish or Chinese has to do more with the level of education and individual communication skills than with the speaker's country of origin.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Mar 24, 2004, 21:47:

Why the slam on Mexican food, asmith? I love Mexican food and yes it is similar to Indian food. Of course I loved going to Navaho Hut when we lived in Salt Lake City. I must agree with Tinto - education and environment seem to make the most difference no matter where you are.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Mar 24, 2004, 22:32:

which was exactly my point. Many times you can make a good guess about a person's sex, background, educational level, age, racial group/subgroup etc. by just talking to this person on the phone for a couple of minutes. Sometimes you only need to read a line that he/she wrote for not feeling like ever read anything more from him/her. This happens often on these forums.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Mar 24, 2004, 23:39:

"Sometimes you only need to r "Sometimes you only need to read a line that he/she wrote for not feeling like ever read anything more from him/her. This happens often on these forums."

Word!





'livin' la vida pesca!'

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

markdeinglaterra says on Mar 25, 2004, 11:20:

tinto - terrible example!!!!! this is completely off topic (apologies all!!) but i want to set the record straight about tinto's snobby anti-working class remarks

i think you will find that the 'completely unintelligle to your ears' cockneys can be very quick witted, verbally literate and intelligent people

as for those people you see in parliament, you will find that their nauseating verbal diarroeah rarely comes to anything tangible in reality for the british people and that beyond having swallowed a dictionary they are not that much smarter than the average Englishman.

i can see the point you were trying to make, but i don't believe it was a great example.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mafalda.edna says on Apr 13, 2004, 07:15:

Don't trust Mexican Spanish I just got a job with a really small "Spanish" news paper in Nebraska, it had already been started in a small town by some Mexicans and it is growing and expanding to other cities within the state. Well I thought it would be a good idea to read one of the issues from the paper in the other town and I was extremely disappointed to see how many spelling and grammar mistakes there where. Of course all the “editors” are Mexican and let me tell you their Spanish is not good enough to write for a paper, they don’t even know where to put accents and their excuse is that most of the people that read the paper don’t know that either.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Que Onda says on Jan 14, 2005, 15:04:

-Everyone that has something negative to say about Mexicans Ok, I just want to first start with the kid that came up with the most retarded question I've ever heard - "Please tell me Colombian Spanish is different from Mexican Spanish, right?" Well, duh, claro que si, puto! two different countries in two different regions - what do you think? DUMB ASS

And to all the people "downing" Mexicans and their education levels - Ever heard of a little thing called welfare? it cost money to have an education in Mexico; a problem that many Mexicans and "newly" Mexican-Americans are facing. At least our people aren't put in check by the cartel.

Is that the greatness of Colombia?

And to the vato that's talking about 'stupid indian food' - Where do you think Colombians came from? They're not all pure Spanish. And excuse us if we don't put cocaína and coffee beans in our tortillas.

Why does everyone have problems with the way Mexicans speak Spanish? Yeah some are clear and some obviously aren't. And the slang? it's just what it is: slang. ¿Qué Onda buey? ¿Así es pinche carnal? - it's slang. Colombians don't have slang? Y tambien, ¿alguien le gusta Maná?
¿De donde es Maná? MEXICO. Dime que Maná no canta claro.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Angel_Gabriel says on Jan 14, 2005, 15:59:

Interesting Very interesting all the comments about where the Spanish is better but even more so are people saying negative things about Mexico. I wish there was a poorbuthappy/mexico & let the Colombians & Mexicans debate it. I bet the subject of Spanish being better in Gattaca, Cuba or anywhere would turn into a completely different subject, this is if it is intially brought up by a Colombian & not a Mexican or Spanish (from España). What stands out the most in this post is the negative comments about Mexicans in general, mainly their "Spanish" as the subject. At the risk of sounding ignorant, narrow-minded, this is an example of why a group of people (perhaps colombians) may get a bad rap with other Latinos. It is not the fact that yes you do indeed have got quite a good use of the Spanish tongue, the vocabulary to be percise but more the attitude & to an extent the "supremacy" that can persist, looking down on other nationalities. This is not a representation of the Colombians & those who aren't but who have fallen in love with that great country, this is just another side of it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jan 14, 2005, 18:39:

If there is one thing that drives me nuts, it is my wife's endless comments about Mexican Spanish. We were at my stepson's soccer tournament in Del Rio, Texas last weekend and she kept making comments about the Mexican Spanish that she heard. I told her that if she got into a fight about this, she was on her own. Colombians remind me of Americans - they're the biggest chauvinists in the world.

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.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ARMacleod says on Jan 15, 2005, 04:04:

Live and let live! I know zilch about Mexican Spanish, and not much about any other Spanish for that matter. My hermosa constantly giggles at my attempts to emulate her Spanish, she replies, "Well darling, you sound like a bit part actor in one of those Ami/Mex cowboy films"?

I wish I knew how I sound, I have a soft Scottish accent, and when I get stuck I regularly and unconsciously add German or even Arabic words to complete a sentence.

The other side of the coin was when I was instructing in Southampton recently, I had 4 Mexicans, 1 Israeli, 1 Russian and a few others, of mixed nationalities.

The thing that got me was this. Every time I bypassed the translators and spoke in my terrible Spanish, the Mexicans would applaud vigorously? They were all polite to a fault and would help in every manner that they could.

I know that this is only a small proportion of the populace, but what is all this negative garbage about Mexicans?

Live and let live!


Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions. ¡El diablo me hizo lo hago! But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lpdiver says on Jan 15, 2005, 05:22:

Desideria I know someone who makes their living from this skill. They sit with a person and converse with them and listen carefully to their accents and use of words. They ask certain questions and look for certain phrases. He works for the government of Spain in some capacity.

Also I can hear a paisa accent a mile away. Though my wife is paisa and doesn't have the accent. I recent ran across someone in Orlando and they were amazed that I knew their accent and ask them if they were from around Medellin. Just something about it connect to me. It aggravates my wife to no end.

"cook some rice!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jccg says on Jan 15, 2005, 10:04:

Colombian spanish is better.. If you want to learn spanish, do it in a colombian paisa city.

Mexican speek very bad spanish, not only the low educated ones... if you watch tv, you see that the communicator (journalist and presentators) use improper timing in their sentences and they use inproper words like "checar" (the correct anglisismo is "chequear").
If it is done by communicators, ¿wath can you expect from normal people?

When you watch colombian communicators, their spanish is perfect! and their accent is almost neutral.


Ps: "¡El diablo me hizo lo hago!", has not sence, the correct exprecion would be "¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!", not offence

This is just the true!!

This is just the true!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

rash9000 says on Jan 15, 2005, 10:46:

don't want to offend any mexican, but I remember once a tv show presentator refering to Colombia as "la provinvia de Colombia" Im not sure what she meant.
They say "checa" instead of "chequear"
"te llamo de pa atras" literal translation of "I'll call you back"
Not only that, the slangs are endless:
Orale, Mande?, chinge cabron, pos =pues, Andale chamaco, GUey, buey,
bato, posada, alberca.
It is sort of Spanish mixed with a NAtive American dialect.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ARMacleod says on Jan 15, 2005, 12:59:

jccg Dear friend. You will be pleased, I have no doubt to notice that I have changed my disclaimer to that which you suggest. I thank you for that, and it goes without saying that no offence was taken. I know that you are correct, but the majority of my Spanish comes from a translator, these are notoriously inaccurate.

I expect that my own grasp of the Colombian spoken word will improve in time but alas I will never know that.

I expect I might get some idea when people stop rolling around splitting their sides with laughter at my attempts.

Tolerance here is the word which would be acceptable to most people. After all, I am very tolerant that the rest of the world does not speak the ‘Queens English'. (Only joking, before the hate mail starts)

I do speak two other languages but have a problem with the Spanish, I expect it will ‘click' eventually.

Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions."¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!" But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jan 15, 2005, 17:28:

I have news for you, jccg and rash9000. The Mexicans don't think so and there's a helluva lot more of them than there are of you. When the United States has Spanish as its second language, it's going to be Mexican Spanish not Colombian Spanish that we speak. And BTW, who gives a rat's tushie! Perfect Spanish? Jesus, only a Colombian would even be saying such nonsense.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

isaactraveler says on Jan 15, 2005, 17:48:

I speak about 8 languages fluently however 6 of them are just variations of gibberish.

wait i didnt count pig latin, so I speak 9 languages.

one of these languages is fake Japanese like this:
"Tumo Ko Tawado" =runny nose

i am very successful in my own mind

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jan 15, 2005, 17:59:

With Utopia cowboy on this one I love Colombia and I love Mexico, but I have to confess I think it's a big sign of provincialism on the part of Colombians that they're so obsessed with denigrating Mexican Spanish.

Imagine, if you can, Canadians wanking on endlessly about how superior their English is to that of the United States. Would never happen.

First of all, Mexican Spanish is quite varied, just like Colombian Spanish is. But, ultimately, I think the Colombian fixation on it comes from feeling overshadowed by the sheer enormity of Mexico's influence in Latin America and to a lesser degree from racism because of the indio influence there.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

juanalejo says on Jan 15, 2005, 18:05:

Colombian Spanish Having one of the two head anchors in Telemundo and both in CNN en Español has to say something about Colombian Spanish. And about the novelas, those produced for Telemundo are mostly produced for them and are not aired around Colombia or most of Latinamerica. Most Colombian novelas are still very colloquial and are still being aired around Latinamerica quite successfully. Although I must say the ammount of foreigners on local novelas is on the increase.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jan 15, 2005, 18:10:

Colombian Spanish or...? Do you mean Colombian Spanish or Bogotano Spanish?

I think people in Bogota speak really clearly and have a neuteral accent. But Cartagena? Barranquilla? Medellin? Pasto?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ColombianoX says on Jan 15, 2005, 18:11:

"The Mexicans don't think so and there's a helluva lot more of them than there are of you. When the United States has Spanish as its second language, it's going to be Mexican Spanish not Colombian Spanish that we speak. And BTW, who gives a rat's tushie! Perfect Spanish? Jesus, only a Colombian would even be saying such nonsense"

Utopia,

Are you married to a mexican or a colombian? Because seeing how you keep rejecting the much widely accepted notion that colombian spanish is the best, anyone who reads your posts would think your wife is mexican. How about sticking up for your wife's culture?

"When the United States has Spanish as its second language"

BTW, spanish already is the second language of the USA.


ColombianoX

'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

ColombianoX 'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jan 15, 2005, 19:02:

What's to stick up for? Don't you get it? The majority of people in the rest of the world don't CARE. We see language as a tool. We LIKE the variation in form and dialect within our languages. Personally, I speak English with a West Coast American accent. But I love a good Texas twang an Irish accent and all the other great variations within my mother tongue. My English is not better, it's different.

Colombian Spanish is just as quirky and strange in its own ways as any other country's Spanish. "Me regalas"? "Que Pena"? People in other countries must look at Colombians like they're insane when they say "Give me that" instead of "I'd like..." or "What pain" instead of "I'm sorry" or "pardon me".

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Angel_Gabriel says on Jan 15, 2005, 19:11:

Question for isaactraveler....
Do you happen to know Norwegian & Swedish? How similar are these languages? I heard Norway is the linguistic center of Scandinavia (well, the countries that share similar tongue traits; Norway, Sweden and Denmark) & therefore, norwegian will be understood by the Swedish & the Danish (or danes).

0 funny, 0 helpful.

isaactraveler says on Jan 15, 2005, 19:52:

ok sure why not Hu mor du:? ya i speakin de svedish

shorin byorin ingan svingin dingalingin

ivin busted againvin

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jan 15, 2005, 20:43:

I don't need to stick up for my wife's chauvinistic notion that Colombian Spanish is the best in the world. I don't have a dog in that fight. I had to laugh at Mr. Hollywood's comments about Canadian English - the whole idea is ridiculous. Same with this thing. My problem with her ideas and I tell her this, she is not in Colombia. When in Rome do as the Romans do. Not because it's better. But because life is a lot easier if you're not getting your knickers in a knot every time you hear Mexican Spanish. The Colombians really do have a complex when it comes to Mexico that's for sure.

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.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ARMacleod says on Jan 16, 2005, 04:05:

Colombian Spanish or..... Please do not tell me that Bogotano is yet another version of Colombian Spanish? Or is it just a slightly different pronunciation of the same words?

Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions."¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!" But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 04:14:

Actually in every contry on earth you find different accents if tou travel from one city to the next.
You can clearly hear if someone if from Birmingham or from London.
if someone is from NY or chicago
if someone is from New Delhi or Chennai (here its actually a total different language)
....
So, in Bogota people have problems with y/ll, they call it yeismo, ll and y sounds the same and people even make mistakes writing the right letter. At the coast they have problems pronouncing certain s's, they swallow half of them. So, every region has its special sound.

UMM

UMM

My Forum

ARMacleod says on Jan 16, 2005, 04:51:

Yes I understand the basics... Thank you again. I have a good idea as to the variation in accent world wide and also the local euphonisms or slang. I was (and am) still confused as to some of the pronunciation, as you say ll-y-g sometimes j, also the tendency to add ita or itas on to the end of peoples names.

Mi novia says it is because you like them??

The 2.5 million inhabitants have a speech impediment, similar to the lads from Strabane in NI. It is the variations in Colombia that I am concerned about.

Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions."¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!" But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 06:29:

UC My wife is the same way. I don't have a problem with her correcting me and teaching me "proper spanish". She isn't critical of the others though.
Personally, as long as my Spanish is understood well enough to get me to a hotel or ask directions, get me to a good meal, get me laid, and get me a COLD beer, it's good enough for me. What do you need for that; fifty or one hundred words at most. I don't care if they are laughing their ass off at my stupid grammer at least they are not kicking my ass.
On the same topic this seems to be a contempt that they hold for fellow "native" Spanish speakers. In my personal experience in all countries that I have been too they seem truly appreciative that you are trying to speak in THEIR language.

Meanwhile my wife is slowly getting me there.

Tony

"cook some rice!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

umm says on Jan 16, 2005, 06:46:

The thing is, you have to have a basic understanding of the language to understand the regional versions more easily. Even with ll/y there are words which just cannot be.
A former girlfriend of mine is always confused and writes 'aller' or 'aya' instead of 'ayer' and 'alla'. Well, she grew up in Bogota and just follows the pronounciation (which is usually a good advice for spanish, unless someone speaks dialects). But also here it is too obvious that 'aller' cannot be, so it must be 'ayer'.
Imgine you follow the sound when writing english....what a mess, noone would understand that any more.
UMM

UMM

My Forum

ARMacleod says on Jan 16, 2005, 09:14:

You would think.............. In Germany I have never had a problem with my Scottish version of the language, patient acceptance and obvious pleasure when I get the message across. Egypt also, they were over the moon when I could manage the usual pleasantries. France on the other side of the coin I found to be the most arrogant and ill mannered people on the planet bar none.

The Spanish, I find laugh and at the same time correct me if they know me. If they don't know me they are well mannered and do not laugh (openly anyway)

Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions."¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!" But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ARMacleod says on Jan 16, 2005, 09:14:

You would think.............. In Germany I have never had a problem with my Scottish version of the language, patient acceptance and obvious pleasure when I get the message across. Egypt also, they were over the moon when I could manage the usual pleasantries. France on the other side of the coin I found to be the most arrogant and ill mannered people on the planet bar none.

The Spanish, I find laugh and at the same time correct me if they know me. If they don't know me they are well mannered and do not laugh (openly anyway)

Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions."¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!" But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

KirkWest53 says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:25:

No entiendo When I first began going to Colombia, I didn't know any Spanish. I learned what I could from books and tapes, then my wife taught me how to pronounce correctly. When I returned to Colorado, I was hopeful I could practice my Spanish with the Mexican population here. Jaja, I can't understand a word they are saying. My wife just shakes her head when sh hears them also. Not to be ethnically biased, I can't understand the cajuns from south Louisiana here either. jajajaj

0 funny, 0 helpful.

carldecolorado says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:32:

Colombian Spanish Just like here in the USA there are different dialects of spanish in Colombia, but it is common knowledge throughout Latin Countries that the spanish spoken in Colombia is very good and comparable to that of Spain.

I also agree with Kirk, the spanish you hear in Colorado is horrible. But not to sound snobby, you also have to look closly at the type of Mexicans you are hearing speak spanish. They are not exactly the cream of the crop, most come from very small towns in Mexico and from a type of poverty very difficult for most people to imagine.

Carl

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:38:

For me, it really depends on the individual person. I still can't understand much of what one of my stepsons is saying. On the other hand, there is a woman from Spain that I can understand easily and some locals who speak Mexican Spanish that I can also understand. My wife is the only person I can understand 98% of the time.

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.

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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

oldbongo says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:42:

try putting... a newfie fisherman and l.a. hood member in
the same conversation....

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dan says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:43:

Same here... I can understand my girlfriend fine, but get me listening to one of her friends or family... I get lost. Then have my girlfriend repeat what was said and then I can understand it.

very strange.

God Bless America!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:53:

and then again there are people who speak very clearly in any given language and you understand all the words separately but yet end up not having the slightest idea of what they just said...
Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

oldbongo says on Jan 16, 2005, 11:59:

thats me... it's called....%# at $&%^$

0 funny, 0 helpful.

lpdiver says on Jan 16, 2005, 12:32:

Cajun Have done to the French language what Mexicans have done to Spanish. I don't care. I feel pretty confident that I can get what I need with the language skills I have so far.

My Maslow's heirarcal pyramid is very truncated.

"cook some rice!"

0 funny, 0 helpful.

utopiacowboy says on Jan 16, 2005, 12:39:

I grew up in Quebec and the French from France always acted so superior about their French in comparison to ours. Needless to say they did not make many friends in Quebec with this attitude. One more reason to despise the French. One more reason why I don't like the snooty attitude that the Colombians have about their 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.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jccg says on Jan 17, 2005, 09:01:

utopiacowboy... is not a matter of accent but grammar The problem is not the accent, you can have a funny accent for someone else, but if you speek properly, (and you speek slowly to someones) they would understand you.

When I speek english, any one can realize that my accent is paisa, but they will understand me perfectly.

If some one said "what pain", this guy never learned english, it has no sence, if you waht to translate "que pena" you wuold say "what a shame". Besides, probably the colombians that you know in the USA are not so learned, the ones that said the kaind of examples you give are probably part of those third-world-mainded people that go to USA by "el hueco" (the hole) to work as slaves (washing toilets and so on). They never learn proper english (I have been studing for a long period and my english still not so good).
Ps: I do not want to offend anyone (one of my uncles is working as an slave there).

I just remember that I saw a movie translated in Mexico last weekend (I usually saw them in english but...) they said "le prometo que no es asi", it is completely non-sence!! you can "prometer" something that comes in the future, NEVER in the past, or present cotinuous, in that case they must said "le aseguro"... that is what I seid last time, they mix times in a sentece.

This is just the true!!

This is just the true!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

ARMacleod says on Jan 17, 2005, 10:50:

jccg I have the problem....... It is I who is somewhat mixed up in this. I would like to read, write and speak perfect Spanish. However, listening to my novia, I don't particularly want her to speak perfect English, Selfish? I do not think so.

One of the more endearing things about her is her accent and those little imperfections endear her to me even more. I would miss that side of things.

I suppose I could have fallen in love with anyone, accent or not. having spent a lot of years in Germany, I got to know the language very well. Unfortunately whereas the Spanish language, Italian and Portugese for example are graded as 'romantic' German is regarded as 'Guttural' They should all speak Spanish or English.

I suppose what I am trying to say in a roundabout way is, I love the language, the people and the country. I don't want to change anything except the way that I speak Spanish.
Being of unsound mind and dubious disposition, I cannot be held legally liable for any indiscretions."¡El diablo me hizo hacerlo!" But don't worry, be happy.

The brain is like a parachute, it only functions correctly when it is open. Pax vobiscum.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

riomagdalena says on Jan 22, 2005, 22:24:

Castillian Spanish....... Can any of you tell me some spanish words that Colombians use but that Puerto Ricans or Mexicans would not use? Like: How are you, What do you mean, I care for you, My name is.......words like that. I have heard that many Colombians speak Castillian spanish. Is this true?

0 funny, 0 helpful.