I was doing my usual read of certain sections of El Nuevo Herald and I came across this interesting article on Puerto Rican vocabulary. Whenever an article like this is written about language the focus is very specific. As we all know vast diversity exists in the Spanish language however, generic vocabulary exists across all countries where Spanish is spoken. A common lexical ground per se. However, colloquialisms are what give each country its identity and distinguish it from other Spanish-speaking nations. Puerto Rico is no exception. This island has a rich linguistic history, which may come as a surprise to many but not to me or those who have linguistic knowledge. The indigenous name of the island Borinquen and the adjectival nationality Boricua are prime examples.
Its location alone gives way to a linguistic patrimony comparable to the DR, Cuba, Colombia, and Panama just to name a few other Spanish-speaking nations that have a diverse "popular" vocabulary. Having indigenous and African influences in its lexical make up combined with grammatical patterns typical of Caribbean Spanish, some may find it difficult to understand Puerto Ricans especially those from the "campo" or rural regions. However, some colloquialisms are common across the Caribbean; some are specific to one or two countries.
En arroz y habichuelas was released in December 2007 and it's a compilation of Puerto Rican vocabulary and expressions aka "el habla popular". IMO to compile a resource such as this requires knowledge of local vocabulary, knowledge of the local native culture, expressions and their correct meaning. Usually these types of references are compiled by native speakers of the land and make for good linguistic and cultural material. They are hard to find but easy to enjoy and bring to light the extended colloquial vocabulary of an island or country. Whether it's food, music, clothing etc. its vocabulary and expressions have historical and cultural significance. For example, En arroz y habichuelas according to the article means "vamos al grano".
For language lovers these references make for good reading and serve to clarify doubts about the meaning of words or the significance of expressions that are not found in a generic Spanish dictionary. One must be able to distinguish between a generic Spanish word and colloquialism or a generic Spanish word and an americanismo (vocabulary specific to Latin American countries).
Across the Spanish-speaking world there are many colloquialisms. To compare the usage and meaning to an English equivalent is not recommended as Spanish tends to be much more specific when selecting correct word usage and even more specific when the word in question is a colloquialism. It's best to learn the word and its definition in Spanish to ensure correct meaning and usage. There are examples provided in the link.
I did a search on Amazon and the book is available. Therefore my copy is on the way. I know of other similar references such Diccionario cubano de habla popular y vulgar, Diccionario de colombianismos (there is brand new release available) and surely there are references specific to other countries. The interesting part is regardless how extensive your "colloquial" vocabulary may be these references reveal unknown vocabulary even among natives of the same land.
This is an interesting branch of linguistic study. Not only does it broaden your lexical knowledge, however it opens doors to a broader cultural understanding via vocabulary as there is definite link between the two. The regional differences in Spanish spoken in different countries is not a coincidence. The first step to understanding the differences lies in the history of the vocabulary.
Vocabulario bocricua en `En arroz y habichuelas' - 02/03/2008 - El Nuevo Herald
-LDG.
Its location alone gives way to a linguistic patrimony comparable to the DR, Cuba, Colombia, and Panama just to name a few other Spanish-speaking nations that have a diverse "popular" vocabulary. Having indigenous and African influences in its lexical make up combined with grammatical patterns typical of Caribbean Spanish, some may find it difficult to understand Puerto Ricans especially those from the "campo" or rural regions. However, some colloquialisms are common across the Caribbean; some are specific to one or two countries.
En arroz y habichuelas was released in December 2007 and it's a compilation of Puerto Rican vocabulary and expressions aka "el habla popular". IMO to compile a resource such as this requires knowledge of local vocabulary, knowledge of the local native culture, expressions and their correct meaning. Usually these types of references are compiled by native speakers of the land and make for good linguistic and cultural material. They are hard to find but easy to enjoy and bring to light the extended colloquial vocabulary of an island or country. Whether it's food, music, clothing etc. its vocabulary and expressions have historical and cultural significance. For example, En arroz y habichuelas according to the article means "vamos al grano".
For language lovers these references make for good reading and serve to clarify doubts about the meaning of words or the significance of expressions that are not found in a generic Spanish dictionary. One must be able to distinguish between a generic Spanish word and colloquialism or a generic Spanish word and an americanismo (vocabulary specific to Latin American countries).
Across the Spanish-speaking world there are many colloquialisms. To compare the usage and meaning to an English equivalent is not recommended as Spanish tends to be much more specific when selecting correct word usage and even more specific when the word in question is a colloquialism. It's best to learn the word and its definition in Spanish to ensure correct meaning and usage. There are examples provided in the link.
I did a search on Amazon and the book is available. Therefore my copy is on the way. I know of other similar references such Diccionario cubano de habla popular y vulgar, Diccionario de colombianismos (there is brand new release available) and surely there are references specific to other countries. The interesting part is regardless how extensive your "colloquial" vocabulary may be these references reveal unknown vocabulary even among natives of the same land.
This is an interesting branch of linguistic study. Not only does it broaden your lexical knowledge, however it opens doors to a broader cultural understanding via vocabulary as there is definite link between the two. The regional differences in Spanish spoken in different countries is not a coincidence. The first step to understanding the differences lies in the history of the vocabulary.
Vocabulario bocricua en `En arroz y habichuelas' - 02/03/2008 - El Nuevo Herald
-LDG.