The Dominican or Dominicana

ccarabella

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Feb 5, 2002
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I've heard plenty of people refer to the Dominican Republic this way.
Dominicans and non Dominicans say it all the time.
We've heard it all our lives and even remember Milly singing the song Me Voy "Pa' Dominicana"
since I was (in pig tails) growing up in NYC.
She is a female pioneer of one of the classic merengue groups of the late 70's & 80's.

So, there you go...

[video=youtube_share;Xi1FedCtg54]https://youtu.be/Xi1FedCtg54[/video]
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Thing is that, in English, Dominican is an adjective and needs a noun to modify: Dominican Republic; Dominican food, Dominican history, Etcetc.

What has happened is that in Spanish you can say "Voy para Dominicana" and it is grammatically correct. "La Dominicana" is a reference
to the country by Spanish speakers.

Since Dominican are so numerous in baseball, the references to "the Dominican" has been brought into the usage by sportscasters
and other people connected to the sport. It is not proper English.

So, in informal speech, I suppose you can use it, but it grates on the ears of educated persons (but not Dominican bi-linguals)..
It's like saying I am flying to Great next week...(Briton? Neck? Iguana?) or "I am from North" (Dakota? Carolina? Ipswitch? Podunk?)

And I love Milly....


HB
 
Sep 4, 2012
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Sportscasters and media totally lacking knowledge of the island have a lot to be blamed for on this chapter. Is easy to say for instance, In Panama this, In Venezuela that, etc; due to this, you'd hear Dominican players saying "in Dominican we do this" for a short noun to the entire name of the country.

The same holds true for Dominicans born or raised abroad -- hence, the sample of Millie above "Pa Dominicana me voy.".
 

Luperon

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Jun 28, 2004
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And all these years I thought the country was Santo Domingo.
 

Aguaita29

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Jul 27, 2011
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As I've posted before, "The Dominican", makes no sense in Spanish. It's the kind of stuff a gringo would say, and the locals who use this term, only do it out of foreign influence.

As for it being used in a song, making it seem like a huge deal, we all know that songs are not always correct. There are dozens and dozens of songs that have incorrect expressions in them.

If anyone wants to use it, fine! I just find it extremely weird that some non native Spanish speakers want to convince you that it sounds good in your own language. It doesn't!!!
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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As I've posted before, "The Dominican", makes no sense in Spanish. It's the kind of stuff a gringo would say, and the locals who use this term, only do it out of foreign influence.

As for it being used in a song, making it seem like a huge deal, we all know that songs are not always correct. There are dozens and dozens of songs that have incorrect expressions in them.

If anyone wants to use it, fine! I just find it extremely weird that some non native Spanish speakers want to convince you that it sounds good in your own language. It doesn't!!!

you forgot the most important thing. it is as annoying as heck!!
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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It is lazy speech. With the focus of the educational system these days on areas other than the core fundamentals of the past, all sorts of idioms get introduced into every day language.

Watch any newscast and you'll see what I mean. Dangling prepositions are but one example. Rather than saying, "do you want to come with me" we end up with, "do you want to come with?" "Let's go to the Dominican", is just an extension of this trend. I am sure the dropping of "Republic" is what results in the confusion between Dominican and Dominica.

When meeting people, first impressions are something you only get one chance to make. Use of language coupled with appearance are just two factors that people use to form an initial opinion of the other person. When I was hiring for my company, applicants who could not speak proper English and committed serious grammatical errors did not get hired. If you can't speak properly (or don't care enough to use language properly) what else can't you do properly?
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
And all these years I thought the country was Santo Domingo.

THIS it what I hear many, many Dominicans in the USA say, that they are from Santo Domingo. If you ask "Which part?" they'll say "Santiago, San Pedro de Macoris, La Vega, etc.".
 

charlise

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Nov 1, 2012
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In Qu?bec, when talking between us about the Dominican Republic, let's say regarding vacations, we would refer to the country as; R?publique... Like "Will you go in R?publique for this winter"?... Everybody knows what we're talking about... R?publique Dominicaine is too long to say when used many times in a conversation...

So you see, different cultures, different names...
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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It is lazy speech. With the focus of the educational system these days on areas other than the core fundamentals of the past, all sorts of idioms get introduced into every day language.

Watch any newscast and you'll see what I mean. Dangling prepositions are but one example. Rather than saying, "do you want to come with me" we end up with, "do you want to come with?" "Let's go to the Dominican", is just an extension of this trend. I am sure the dropping of "Republic" is what results in the confusion between Dominican and Dominica.

When meeting people, first impressions are something you only get one chance to make. Use of language coupled with appearance are just two factors that people use to form an initial opinion of the other person. When I was hiring for my company, applicants who could not speak proper English and committed serious grammatical errors did not get hired. If you can't speak properly (or don't care enough to use language properly) what else can't you do properly?

this perplexes me. i have never heard a person from any other caribbean island refer to the DR as the Dominican. it is always either a person from the USA or Canada. it is nothing esoteric to explain. they just think it sounds cute to say that.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Ah Charlise! "Le Republique" is perfect...it is like saying 'the States' or Briton, or France....it is a noun.

Dominica----they are DomiKNEEcans
Dominican Republic----they are DoMINicans

HB
 

ccarabella

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Feb 5, 2002
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It does not bother me either way. Like I said before I've heard it plenty of times. It is no reflection of my education or ability to express myself. I understand what they are trying to say and I do not have to make anyone feel bad for saying it that way.
People here say un chin-chin, jeepeta, chofan,mapo, lonche and gasoy quite often. You won't hear me say it but
I'm not losing my hair over someone else either. Live & let live. Have fun while you're at it.
 

dulce

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Jan 1, 2002
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this perplexes me. i have never heard a person from any other caribbean island refer to the DR as the Dominican. it is always either a person from the USA or Canada. it is nothing esoteric to explain. they just think it sounds cute to say that.

What are you talking about?! Dominicans call the RD the Dominican.
It may not be perfect grammar but it is commonly called the Dominican. Compare it to the word ain't. Remember when people used to get upset when anyone said ain't? They said ain't is not a word.It is not in the dictionary. Well, now it is in the dictionary....
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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What are you talking about?! Dominicans call the RD the Dominican.
It may not be perfect grammar but it is commonly called the Dominican. Compare it to the word ain't. Remember when people used to get upset when anyone said ain't? They said ain't is not a word.It is not in the dictionary. Well, now it is in the dictionary....

Dominicans might call the RD the Dominican.

they are not from another caribbean island.
 

Africaida

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Jun 19, 2009
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Every single Dominican in the US I know call I know call it Santo Domingo or DR. Never head the Dominican (I don't watch baseball or really listen to sportcaster)

In French (France), I hear la RD ou Rep Dom, but NEVER la republique (there are thousands of republique with France being one, it makes even less sense than Dominican).
 

Naked_Snake

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Sep 2, 2008
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Every single Dominican in the US I know call I know call it Santo Domingo or DR. Never head the Dominican (I don't watch baseball or really listen to sportcaster)

In French (France), I hear la RD ou Rep Dom, but NEVER la republique (there are thousands of republique with France being one, it makes even less sense than Dominican).

Cibae?o (and more specifically, Santiaguero) butthurtfulness is what prevents the Santo Domingo name from being more widespread, which is a silly thing in retrospect, since the original name of the country from independence was "Republica de Santo Domingo". Also, most of the written Anglo sources of the epoch call it "San Domingo", for short.
 

NALs

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Jan 20, 2003
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And all these years I thought the country was Santo Domingo.
Well, it is.

The problem with the DR is that officially the country is known by the name of its government and not by the name of the country.

In Cuba they don't have this problem because the name of the country is Cuba, which also happens to be the name of the island, but the name of the government is Rep?blica de Cuba which also translate to Rep?blica Cubana (Cuban Republic).

In Mexico they also don't have this problem, because the country is called by its name (Mexico), but its government is Estados Unidos Mexicanos or something like that (United Mexican States).

Haiti herself doesn't have this problem, because people do call the country by its name (Haiti), but its government is called Republique D'Haiti (Rep?blica de Hait?) which is also translated to Republique Haitienne (Rep?blica Haitiana or Haitian Republic).

Then there's DR complicating something that is quite simple and straight forward. The name of the country is Santo Domingo, ehich outside Spanish-speakers is hardly used anymore (Americans used to call the country by its name until some time in the 20th century when it went 'out of style'). The name of the government is Rep?blica Dominicana (Dominican Republic) which also translates to Rep?blica de Santo Domingo (Republic of Santo Domingo).

Many people are oblivious that the term Dominicans derives from the Domingo after the Santo.

So, technically, those calling the DR "The Dominican" should really say Santo Domingo. Those very same people that say "The Dominican" would never say "The Cuban" for Cuba or "The Haitian" for Haiti or "The French" for France or even "The Canadian" for Canada. It sounds wrong because it is, but with "The Dominican" is a wrong thing that through repetition many people have joined the bandwagon of sorts.

I personally like Santo Domingo better. If rolls smoothly from the tongue, especially compared to Dominican Republic which in any language requires quite some effort to pronounce. Its also way too formal and way too long for such a small country.