Lebreke: Si Tu Quieres, Mangamos Letras :)

Real low class stuff... you need a dictionary of Dominican street slang

These kind of lyrics make Daddy Yankee, Wisin y Yandel, Tito 'el bambino' and Calle 13 seem like 'pr?ncipes' and leaders in the genre in comparison to this artist and the others you posted in the past.

I believe song lyrics compliment language learning tremendously and as one progresses in their learning one sees the liberties in language that is exercised to accommodate the song, level of education of the song writer(s)- i.e. grammatical rules are broken if need be etc. However, when I read the lyrics of these songs, it's really interesting maybe even mind boggling that people create this kind of music and people listen to the songs too.

I think when regguet?n reached it's peak in 2004-2007 the music by the artists I mentioned above was considered low class or typical of the artists themselves who produced it but these lyrics surpass these artists and are in whole different (low) level. Their language is usually very street, colloquial, slang, vulgar etc. What you need is a dictionary that caters to this in Spanish and there are a few on the market but they probably won't have all the words you need because it changes so fast. It's hard to keep up with it especially if a person does not speak that way. I have one that's quite thorough and exhaustive that came out in 2003. It's a dictionary of Spanish slang (argot) but specifically el soez which means vulgar language. It's not Dominican specific but it will still help you.

Here is a picture of the dictionary. It's a available at Barnes and Noble or Amazon online:






As well to get the meaning of these words you could also ask people who listen to this type of music, or people who speak with a lot of colloquialisms, slang, etc. The lyrics even have 'menol'. Do you know about the switch of /r/ to /l/ in Dominican speech? Also the usage of jaiba in this song is not the literal meaning. Did you know the generic meaning is crab? A type of crab (fresh water) found in the Caribbean but in the song it does not mean that. It means two possible words and both are very disrespectful.


Anyway I just wanted to comment because all the songs you ask about have this type of vocabulary and lyrics. I just find that these artists are quite daring but typical of genre/ class of artists/ groups who produce this music.

Do enjoy. Music is diverse and there is something for everyone.


~Marianopolita.

And someone PLEASE tell them that is NO "S" on the tu form of the preterite past tense.............That always gets me hot under the collar (NOT that I speak perfect Spanish, nowhere near it.)
SHALENA

That's difficult to correct...

Shalena,

You may have to let that one go or turn a deaf ear because it's a very hard speech habit to break by those who add the /s/ on the preterit form 2nd person singular. Also many don't know it's incorrect. Believe it or not it crosses all speech levels and university graduates both undergrad and post graduates degree holders say dijistes, hablastes, comistes, pensastes, venistes etc. I used to think it was primarily the lesser educated but over time I have noticed it's an across the board error albeit very random, not a country specific grammatical error in Spanish.

The key aspect is you know it's incorrect so don't adopt it but those who insist on speaking that way doubt and will continue to doubt that they are wrong as they hear others around them speaking the same way and also in songs you hear the flaws. To keep this related to song lyrics etc. Daddy Yankee came out with a new album in 2007 and it was a good come back album. I think comparable to his first one and one of the songs that was a hit (I even find it contagious) is titled Ella me levant? and look at the chorus:


T? me dejastes caer
Pero ella me levant?
Ll?male poca mujer
Pero ella me levant?
T? me dejastes caer
Pero ella me levant?
Ll?male poca mujer
Pero ella me levant?

-when I heard the song I thought it had a great rhythm, catchy etc. but jeez he just perpetuated a grammatical error that's already almost impossible correct and the fact that it's part of a song forget it!

This error occurs because it's the only tense in the 2nd person singular that does not have an /s/. Therefore, out of force of habit speakers add the /s/ BUT education and proper schooling is supposed to address these grammar issues in Spanish and any language. However, worst yet in the DR and PR where the incessant /s/ dropping occurs and adding /s/ where it does not belong is also common.


~Marianopolita.

This is exactly where I first heard it (Daddy Yankee) and it caught my ear instantly so I began to listen more closely to the people that were speaking to me. This is an error that not only Dominicans make, as I have a Mexican friend who cannot change it because she was taught as a child that these words are said that way. I disputed it and disputed it, and of course when they cannot win you over they resort to the "who is the native spanish speaker here?".
Even after seeing some Spanish grammar books, she will still dispute you. She always hated that I did (am still working on it) leave the "S" out of some of my words and would not answer me until I pronounced the word to her satisfaction...so now I just look at her if I go to her house and she asks me "Ya comistes?"...and then when she yells "Tu No Oyes!?!", I just say "Oh, I didn't understand you" and she gets ****ed.:cheeky::cheeky:
But I give that fight up....there's no winning
SHALENA

Sorry, can't help you with your lyrics..
SHALENA

Suggestion: make your own dictionary too...

p3arliaga said:

Hey everyone. The reason why the songs I ask about are urban and not proper Spanish is because if they were proper, I could just look them up in a dictionary if I didn't understand. And thanks for the book suggestion, there's also diccionariolibre . com. Listening to songs with slang and fast lyrics helps me because that's the way most people talk around where I am. Also, I'm desensitized in a way because these lyrics are not that bad compared to US rap that I used to listen to a lot.
OK, can anyone help me? Lol

Click to expand...

You may want to add this dictionary of dominicanismos to your list of links. It was posted in the forum a few months back and it's quite good- spelling, definitions, accents etc. It will surely help you down the road.

jose.llibre - Diccionario Dominicanismos


Also, you may already have this popular urban dictionary that people use. It's mostly English and Spanish urban lingo. It may also be helpful. I don't like the style and definitions as much but it is what it is.

Urban Dictionary: Popular words in A


Otherwise, someone may post some responses soon. Weekends tend to be slow on the forum. Don't forget PR street slang is very similar to the DR. In many cases the same word is used. If you have PR references check them as well. Why not ask those people around you that you mentioned what these words mean. Surely they know. I just looked at them again... Just two I am curious about.

You may also want to start making your own diccionario sui generis. Start documenting words, phrases, terms you hear on a word document. Good practice for you since you are into the street slang.

SKing said:

This is exactly where I first heard it (Daddy Yankee) and it caught my ear instantly so I began to listen more closely to the people that were speaking to me. This is an error that not only Dominicans make, as I have a Mexican friend who cannot change it because she was taught as a child that these words are said that way. I disputed it and disputed it, and of course when they cannot win you over they resort to the "who is the native spanish speaker here?". Even after seeing some Spanish grammar books, she will still dispute you. She always hated that I did (am still working on it) leave the "S" out of some of my words and would not answer me until I pronounced the word to her satisfaction...so now I just look at her if I go to her house and she asks me "Ya comistes?"...and then when she yells "Tu No Oyes!?!", I just say "Oh, I didn't understand you" and she gets ****ed.:cheeky::cheeky:
But I give that fight up....there's no winning
SHALENA

Click to expand...

Shalena,

Usually people who don't admit they make errors in their speech are not good speakers in any language. All speakers err but some people have much better grammar and a superior command of a language than others. Perfect speech is tough and who would strive for that anyway. I think proper speech is important especially in certain scenarios or situations but a person who can't admit basic errors in their own dialogue is not worth the discussion about language. Next time your friend says to you 'who is the native speaker here' respond by saying 'all the more you should speak properly then. I should be learning from you and not the other way around'. You'll see she will change her dialogue fast. Some native speakers are scary and the worst examples.


~Marianopolita.