Do some Dominicans play as if they don't understand or it it just me?

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Chip00

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this is a question for all of the Native Spanish speakers like Mirador, Norma Rosa, Miguelitico, Chirimoya, etc.

Do Dominicans play as they if don't "understand" at times when you ask them something in a way that maybe they aren't accustomed.

For example, yesterday I was buying a new tire for the Jipeta when I asked the fellow "Discuple, pero como se llama la vaina por donde se monte la goma, el pino o la rueda? I wanted to know what a car rim in Spanish is called and the guy just couln't understand for squat and I finally put my finger on the rim and he said - "el haro".

Is this fellow dumb or what because he doesn't know what a "rueada" or a "pino(Dominican for a motorcycle wheel rim) or was he just playing difficult to understand? The reason I ask is that I have a very good Domincan friend who tells me that sometimes they do that for some reason if something is not expressed "perfectly" according to their standards.

Also, today I had another flat tire and asked a some people in the street for a "gomeria" and they told me there was one at a gas station close by. Well I went there and asked the guy pumping gas was there a "gomeria" close by and the guy looked at me as if I was speaking Chinese. I finally said it slowly g-o-m-e-r-i-a and the guy just looked at me and finally said "Usted quiere una goma - ande hablar con tal hombre..." How in the the hell does this guy not know what a "gomeria" is when they have one there at the gas station!

Also, I know my Spanish pronunciation can be marginal at times but most of the times a more second more "serious" pronunciation of whatever word I use will usually do the trick. Is it true as my Dominican buddy tells me that this is part of being "Dominican"?

Muy attentamente
Chip
 

miguel

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Y que le pasa a este?.....

Miguelitico
Ok, once was funny, twice and you are starting to phiss the hell put of me. The name is Miguel.

See, only axxholes can call me that. I don't consider you one, YET, although I must say you are "walking real fast to achieve your goal", wahahahahahahaha!.

What in hell is "Miguelitico" anyways?. Is it a po"litico" Miguel?.

But to answer your question (ohh help me God):

It's to one's advantage to make believe you don't understand "something".

"El sonzo(?) vive del pobre y el pobre de su trabajo"
 
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Rocky

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The accent makes a big difference in Dominicans understanding us.
That combined with the fact that they never say gomeria, they always call it the Gomero.
 
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Chip00

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The accent makes a big difference in Dominicans understanding us.
That combined with the fact that they never say gomeria, they always call it the Gomero.

That would seem to make sense if for the fact that there are numeorous business in Santiago called "Gomeria ..." In fact it was a Domincan that told me this is what these types of businesses are called!
 
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Chip00

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Ok, once was funny, twice and you are starting to phiss the hell put of me. The name is Miguel.

See, only axxholes can call me that. I don't consider you one, YET, although I must say you are "walking real fast to achieve your goal", wahahahahahahaha!.

What in hell is "Miguelitico" anyways?. Is it a po"litico" Miguel?.

But to answer your question (ohh help me God):

It's to one's advantage to make believe you don't understand something.

Aha - I knew it dammit!!!!!!!

As far as the term "Miguletico" is a double dimunutive but I will stop at your request - cohelo suave por favor.
 

Rocky

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That would seem to make sense if for the fact that there are numeorous business in Santiago called "Gomeria ..." In fact it was a Domincan that told me this is what these types of businesses are called!
It might be the correct name. Santiagueros speak better Spanish than around here.
According to my girlfriend, a gomeria is where they sell tires, whereas the gomero fixes flats.
That's Sosua Spanish, of course.
 

miguel

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Un baboso...

It might be the correct name. Santiagueros speak better Spanish than around here.
According to my girlfriend, a gomeria is where they sell tires, whereas the gomero fixes flats.
That's Sosua Spanish, of course.
The Dominican who doesn't know that a "gomeria" is where they sell and fix tires is a MORON!.

A brother of a friend has a "gomeria" in La 27 De Febrero and he fixes flats, sells rims, old and new tires. Actually, he sells everything that has to do with tires!.
 

johne

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I have thought about this subject many times and have come to the following conclusions:
1) I really mangled the word. He doesn't understand me. My fault.
2) I have learned a dictionary word that the other person doesn't use in his country. Or usage-Ex: guapo
3) Plain and simply not all people you are speaking to hear well or are listening to you.
4) Not all people are smart or can put it together like "Oh, that's what you mean!"

john
 

Rocky

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when you're dealing with people day to day, and especially people with a limited education, they will frequently have a problem understanding what you are asking.
I call that the gringo face syndrome.
They see my gringo face, and decide ahead of time that they will not understand what I am saying.
I get someone (Dominican) else next to me to repeat the exact same thing I said in the same accent, and all of a sudden they understand.


Example, "Do you know your pants are on fire?" "Si Si" with a big smile, then you point, they look down and see the flames....
Way too funny, and true.
 

CFA123

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"...they don't understand or it it just me?"

Chip, I'm sorry, but I'm having difficulty understanding your question...
 

Chirimoya

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Chip00 said:
Native Spanish speakers like Mirador, Norma Rosa, Miguelitico, Chirimoya, etc.

I'm flattered but I'm not a native speaker. It's my mother's mother tongue but my second language, if that makes sense. :)

Having said that, as a non-Dominican living here I know exactly what you mean. Some people, especially the not-so-intelligent, and/or people who are not used to communicating with foreigners go into total gringo panic and assume they're not going to understand you no matter how well and clearly you address them.

Even Mr C who is Dominican but sometimes mistaken for a gringo also gets it, and friends from other Spanish-speaking countries whose accent is different have also reported that it happened to them.

Mr C has to overcompensate his Dominican-ness to get treated as a Dominican sometimes, and another Dominican I know (who looks Nordic but is 100% Dominican) says she has to really lay it on thick so she isn't treated like a foreigner in certain situations. It's very galling for them to be spoken to V E R Y S L O W L Y A N D C L E A R L Y by people who don't bother to listen, and just make instant conclusions based on their appearance.

People who know Mr C, when introduced to me for the first time, sometimes refer to me in the third person in my presence: "Does she speak Spanish?"
 
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Chip00

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I have thought about this subject many times and have come to the following conclusions:
1) I really mangled the word. He doesn't understand me. My fault.
2) I have learned a dictionary word that the other person doesn't use in his country. Or usage-Ex: guapo
3) Plain and simply not all people you are speaking to hear well or are listening to you.
4) Not all people are smart or can put it together like "Oh, that's what you mean!"

john

1 - I speak advanced Spanish as I stated in the original post and repeated the word more than once correctly, and had just asked a couple of Domincans the very same thing down the street and they understood me.

2,3,4 - As Miguel put it the guy was being difficult to understand because that's what many Dominicans do. The guy knows what a gomeria is - everybody does. They are many businesses in Santiago with that name and it is in the phone book as well.
 
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Chip00

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"...they don't understand or it it just me?"

Chip, I'm sorry, but I'm having difficulty understanding your question...

So funny - but why don't you take the time to really learn something as I did - see Miguel's post #2 and #7. Dominicans purposely will play at not understanding at times if it is to their advantage.
 

Mirador

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Actually, Dominicans tend to never admit they don't understand. Just ask any typical Dominican if he can fix something or other, and he will invariably say, "yes, of course I can", and then ask him to install your new water heater, and hear him boast that he has "installed all the electric water heaters in the neighborhood". Then sit back and watch him connect the heater and switch it on without any water in it!.
 

M.A.R.

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Bingo

Actually, Dominicans tend to never admit they don't understand. Just ask any typical Dominican if he can fix something or other, and he will invariably say, "yes, of course I can", and then ask him to install your new water heater, and hear him boast that he has "installed all the electric water heaters in the neighborhood". Then sit back and watch him connect the heater and switch it on without any water in it!.

You are so correct, Dominicans rather look stupid than admit that they are wrong.

now I know why my father would have to ask the repair guy to come like a thousand times a year to repair the refrigerator or the washing machine because the STUPID REPAIRMAN DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK HE WAS DOING!!!!!! AND my father would believe him everytime......why didn't my father get someone else!!!????
 

miguel

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Algunos.....

So funny - but why don't you take the time to really learn something as I did - see Miguel's post #2 and #7. Dominicans purposely will play at not understanding at times if it is to their advantage.
"SOME" Dominicans Chip00, "SOME".

Btw: it's not a "SOME" Dominicans "thingie".

A little while ago, I supervised a computer department here in "Alaska" and one of the guys under me (a very smart guy, I may add), from Ireland, was so slow that he NEVER, EVER finished his job on time. Always left everything for "tomorrow".

I gave him a choice: 1- finish on time from now on or 2-I will fire you on the spot, take your pick!.

After that, he always finished his work on time, most of the times ahead of time!.

He said to me: "you know, I always worked slow and it was not because I was slow, it was because nobody ever confronted me about it and I thought I could get away with it". To which I replied: "well, I know your potential and I also know that some people, if not told, would try to take advantage of any situation. In your case, it just happens that your supervisor is a "tiguerazo" who has seen it all.

Then he wanted to know what "tiguerazo" meant, hahahahahahaha!!.
 

CFA123

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So funny - but why don't you take the time to really learn something as I did - see Miguel's post #2 and #7. Dominicans purposely will play at not understanding at times if it is to their advantage.

Chip, I've spent several years in DR, so I know it's a constant learning process & I related to your original post immediately. I've likewise been in situations where I'm convinced that if nothing else, from context, it's known what I'm saying - but you still get that blank look.

Interestingly enough, a little later this morning I was asking a friend the word for 'tape' in Spanish (as I need to go find some to wrap a gift). He gave me the translation, which I mangled with my poor accent, then he said "or just say 'tapie'". Then... he paused and said "no, don't do that, it's slang and they won't understand 'tapie' if they hear a gringo say it." Reminded me immediately of this thread. :tired:
 
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Chip00

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"SOME" Dominicans Chip00, "SOME".

Btw: it's not a "SOME" Dominicans "thingie".

A little while ago, I supervised a computer department here in "Alaska" and one of the guys under me (a very smart guy, I may add), from Ireland, was so slow that he NEVER, EVER finished his job on time. Always left everything for "tomorrow".

I gave him a choice: 1- finish on time from now on or 2-I will fire you on the spot, take your pick!.

After that, he always finished his work on time, most of the times ahead of time!.

He said to me: "you know, I always worked slow and it was not because I was slow, it was because nobody ever confronted me about it and I thought I could get away with it". To which I replied: "well, I know your potential and I also know that some people, if not told, would try to take advantage of any situation. In your case, it just happens that your supervisor is a "tiguerazo" who has seen it all.

Then he wanted to know what "tiguerazo" meant, hahahahahahaha!!.


Yes Miguel - you are right - I meant to say some. Remember, I live in the DR and have many family and acquaintances here, none of which know the slightest English, and for the most part I don't get treated like this. Even in my normal daily excursions I typically don't have this problem, but at times I do, and now I know why.

Also, what in world is a Dominican doing in "el polo norte" where the sign don't shine 6 mos. out of the year?
 

CFA123

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...where the sign don't shine 6 mos. out of the year?

Chip,
I'm sorry, but I'm having difficulty understanding what you're saying :cheeky:

Don't worry, though. When I was living in Santiago for an extended period, I found myself going blank on some of the most common English words at times. Or, the word would simply sound odd. I guess it happens when you aren't as immersed in your native language as you are at home.

ps: see my post 19 above in case you missed it.
 
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