Dominican word abbreviations

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wildnfree

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Hola a todos

I was wondering if those familiar with the Carribean dialect if they would help me out.

I would like to know which words are commonly shortened and how so in everyday speech. For instance, in my Adventura CD, to say "Quien es esta loco?" it is said "Quien e 'te loco?".

Other abbreviations i've heard are:

"toy" for "estoy"

"Pa" for "para".

Any more to help me out?
Also, is the speech common throughout the island or just in a few circles ? (i.e middle - lower class?)

Gracias
 

Marianopolita

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Wildnfree

Is it really written like that? I hope not.

LDG.


wildnfree said:
For instance, in my Adventura CD, to say "Quien es esta loco?" it is said "Quien e 'te loco?".
 

windrifter

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abbreviatons.

:classic: I too would like to know the meanings of these abbreviations. My native tongue is english and I sometimes find it difficult to understand both the spoken and written word in the Domincan vernacular due to their use of many abbreviations. I am aware that we also do the same in my own language but, it would be extremely helpful to those of us trying to learn "Dominican Spanish" to have a list of commonly used ones.
My thanks to "wildandfree" for bringing this problem to the forefront. I am sure Lesley D and others could contribute much to our knowledge.



windrifter
 

Marianopolita

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Part I -a bit of theory

I was not planning on participating in this thread but since my name was mentioned sure why not I can give a little insight.

-----------------

I think this topic is too big for a message board and not discussing certain aspects in its entirety could lead to misinterpretation. I declined discussing one of the Dominican dialects in the thread I started on Dialectology for the same reason. However, I will say a few key points just to shed some light.

Linguists who have studied all Spanish dialects classify Caribbean Spanish and its many sub-dialects as the most radical of all for several reasons (both grammatical and phonetic). However, I will only mention a few key ones (for simplicity):

1) the suppression of the final in plural forms (both nouns and verbs) and between letters.

-many Caribbean Spanish speakers 'comen la '. It's a fact. In other Spanish speaking countries the is clearly heard but this does not impede communication between speakers of different countries.

2) 'asimilación a la consonante siguiente'- when pronouncing words like 'algo' it will sound like 'aggo'.

-this phenomenon is quite common too. Doubling of the consonant in words like 'algo' to sound like it has two [g]s.

3) change of the [r] to [l]. For example 'mejol' (instead of 'mejor' ), 'amol' (instead of 'amor'). This is called lateralización.

- 'Nueva Yol' is a perfect example as well.

4) shortening of words and contractions - to, tá, pa, pal etc.

-IMO this phenomenon is common but also instinctive. The shortening of words and contractions stem from 'vocalization' concepts and the combination of certain letters. The common French phenomenon of 'liaison' is similar in Spanish. Contraction of words occurs as well etc.


For example- the other day I was in a store (in Montreal) and a young boy was bothering his Mom for something he saw and she said to him:

-¿qué quieres?-

and he replied:

-e'to-. (suppression of the in between certain letters).

- Right away I thought to myself not only is this young lad going to be trilingual (Span/ Eng/ French) because most people in Montreal are but he will even speak a dialectal form of Spanish by choice and that made me feel so good.

5) lack of concordance in plural sentence structures (due the suppression of the when speaking).

-this aspect is very difficult to correct among speakers who don't differentiate between written and spoken Spanish. Since the suppression of the in the plural occurs when speaking some people also omit the when writing which is incorrect and not debatable. Grammar rules clearly define the usage of plural forms with nouns, verbs, adjectives and those rules are inherent. If you see a phrase like this:

- Mucho latino en los Estados Unidos viven en Nueva York. (incorrect= plurality not followed. The verb is in the plural but the noun and adjective are not)

Correct: Muchos latinos en los Estados Unidos viven en Nueva York.

In a phrase like this the in mucho and latino is suppressed when speaking but it MUST be written.


-I know this was brief but as I said dialectology on its own is a discipline in Linguistics. Attempting to go into more details would be too extensive (for me).

-IMHO dialectal Spanish should be second choice to academic Spanish. The other way around will make it difficult to break the dialectal speech patterns. Use my example number #5 as a guide.

- Hopefully another poster will do Part II (examples as requested by the OP).

-BTW- the meaning of the short forms could depend on what is being said. A full phrase helps to clarify the meaning. However, to (could be 'todo') pa (para), pal (is the contraction of para + el).

Go to the thread on dialectology. It was recent (2 weeks ago).


LDG.


windrifter said:
:classic: I too would like to know the meanings of these abbreviations. My native tongue is english and I sometimes find it difficult to understand both the spoken and written word in the Domincan vernacular due to their use of many abbreviations. I am aware that we also do the same in my own language but, it would be extremely helpful to those of us trying to learn "Dominican Spanish" to have a list of commonly used ones.
My thanks to "wildandfree" for bringing this problem to the forefront. I am sure Lesley D and others could contribute much to our knowledge.



windrifter
 
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wildnfree

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I have read the above. However, I am not fluent in spanish yet, so if anyone could contribute some examples it would be greatly appreciated.

I have also heard "bonita" pronounced as "banita".

wildnfree
 

Marianopolita

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How about this .....

I am not sure why you are trying to learn dialectal speech before you master academic Spanish. The more exposure you have to the language the more the forms will come instinctively both usage and comprehension. There is no list per se because these short forms are dialectal forms of words- nouns, prepositions etc. If there is a list you will most likely come across these forms in books that specialize in dialects or colloquial speech. As mentioned in my post above the formation of these short forms really don't have rules but rather are based on phonetics and instinct.

You are on the right track though in my opinion because you referenced an Aventura cd. Songs are full of colloquial speech. If you watch TV in Spanish and read newspapers you will hear and see these forms especially if the newspaper article is an interview with a person who is very laid back in their speech.

However, to make this a worthwhile learning exercise you just gave me an idea. I will post some titles of songs or lines (lyrics) of a few songs that have dialectal forms or abbreviated short forms of words and you can try to decipher the meaning. You will see how easy it is to understand in the right context.

BTW- I am not trying to frustrate you but I think this could be a good way for you to learn via seeing how the forms are used in everyday colloquial speech. I think you can make your own list very easily.

1) Song title: Ojalá que llueva café en el campo (Juan Luis G)

-Pa' que en el conuco no se sufra tanto
ojalá que llueva café en el campo
Pa' que en Villa Vásquez oigan este canto

2) Song title: El Costo De La Vida (Juan Luis G)

- ah ah es verdad.. ah ah e' verdad. ah ah e' verdad .

-ay el costo de la vida
ya va pa'riba tú ves

3) Song title: Amor De Conuco (Juan Luis G)

- no tengo na' que ofrecer
un conuco, un gallo y un lucero

4) Song title: La Cosquillita (Juan Luis G)

-tengo una tierrita
allá en el Cibao
y los tamarindos
están entusiasmaos

5) Song title: Voy Pa'lla (Antony S)

- voy pa'lla
aunque llueva
o aunque se hunda la tierra


These five songs that I selected to use as examples have many abbreviated 'dialectal' forms. I will list them:

1. pa' que = para que
2. pa'riba= para arriba
3. e' verdad = es verdad
4. na' que ofrecer = nada que ofrecer
5. están entusiasmaos = están entusiasmados
6. voy pa'lla= voy para allá


-I started your list so now you can continue. Use song lyrics and titles. They are full of abbreviated colloquial forms.


LDG.
 
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HOWMAR

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Lesley D said:
I am not sure why you are trying to learn dialectal speech before you master academic Spanish.
LDG.
Maybe for the same reasons that we in the US learn American English instead of the Queen's English.
 

mkohn

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I never really thought of differences in pronuncuation as a dialect.
Like "roof" has the oo sound or the uh like sound. Or when the president of the US says "nucular" instead of "nuclear." Or how in the south, there is a drawl, and in the east is the New York or even Boston accent, ie. "pahk the cah" for "park the car."
My ESL students spoke many versions of Spanish, and even enjoyed variations in vocabulary, but we understood the Spanish everyone spoke.
Jeff Foxworthy even does a comedy bit on how we speak like: "d'ja'eetyet" asking if someone has eaten ... Did you eat yet?
I will agree that when you don't hear the s's in the DR it can be a trick to spell the words. But I'd be more inclined to think that the pronunciation of "la capitai" or "aguaita" started out being physically easier on the tongue for pronunciation.
In phonetics class, I learned them as variations in pronunciation. Like the "rr" in Puerto Rican pronunciation.
I hope you just enjoy learning Spanish. And an alternate point of view.
mkohn
 

britishgirl

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I don't really bother with learning "dominican" abbreviations to be honest. I just say it how I learn it. I'm happy with my spanish how I've learnt it, and sure sometimes I might say "Como Tu Tas?" instead of "Como Estas?" but, as long as its understandable I wouldn't be too worried. Don't bother learning "carribean" dialect if you're not carribean.;) lol, or just say it as you hear it. xxx
 

MoReNiTa GuApA

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It takes getting used to...

but I learned to understand my friends when they talk (as I like to call it) "con tigre". My friends speaks so fast and when she does she uses words like Na' pa' ka' or phrases like k lo k (that is how she spells it on MSN) and 'orita (for ahorita). I found that I had to learn what they were short for otherwise I was lost in the conversation.

MG
 

Tordok

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-Dónde está el señor Taco? (Where is Taco?)
-No, Taco no tá, ta'cotao

Say the whole notaconotatacotacotao real fast and tell me if that sounds like Spanish to you..more like Japanese to me...yet plausibly a Dominican way of answering.:lick:

- Tordok
:bandit:
 
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wildnfree

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Can we have a translation for the answer?

I think i know what it is, but could be wrong...

thanks
 

mkohn

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-Dónde está el señor Taco? (Where is Taco?)
-No, Taco no tá, ta'cotao (No, Taco isn't here, he's sleeping) [No, Taco no esta, esta acostado.]

Makes me feel like I'm home again.
:)
mkohn
 

Tordok

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Sorry wildnfree for not putting down the translation. Thank you mkohn for taking care of that. I had been away.
- Tordok
:classic:
 
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