Cambios en el habla del dominicano

[Marianopolita]

Well, it's about time Listin Diario posted an article about Dominican popular speech. I have been waiting because I know every now and then Listin Diario would post an interesting article about language that's always a good read about popular speech and the current colloquialisms of the DR. Finally, today there's something on this interesting subject matter and anyone who claims to be (even remotely) interested in Spanish and Spanish spoken in the DR should find this article something to reflect upon not only from a linguistic point of view but also from the aspect of the evolution of expressions and their meaning(s).

After going through the list, I realize that some of the expressions I actually say and exactly the way it's written on there- great! Some of the colloquialisms are inevitable because it's part of informal or popular speech but a lot is slang and also has its crowd per se. As mentioned in the article many of the expressions and colloquialisms (meaning forms of speech) derived from modern music, merengue de calle and reguet?n specifically and have moved on to other sectors of speech and communication such as politics and billboard slogans. Many are pure invention BUT there's always a story behind an expression or a colloquialism that has come into use.

Yes, there is a concern about this type of speech and what it does to the spoken language. The first two paragraphs of the article state that clearly however, if I were asked the question and had to answer, I would say: language in general is not stagnant and there are many factors that influence colloquial speech. I don't think one has to learn or understand all that's heard but to certain extent if you don't -est?s quedao ('ta quedao'- and this slang phrase is used all over Latin America, I say it all the time and coincidentally it's mentioned in the article). That would be my reply (and these colloquialisms and slang are no threat to a person who speaks Spanish well and has a good command of the language from a grammatical point of view but yes has an impact on speakers who do not speak Spanish well in general).

From the article:

El llamado lenguaje de la calle est? cambiando la forma de hablar del dominicano.

Poco a poco se introducen frases y expresiones, a veces jocosas, pero que deforman el uso correcto del espa?ol.

"Muchas de las expresiones que se usan en el reguet?n y en el merengue de la calle no son enriquecedoras".

Bruno Rosario Candelier presidente Academia de la Lengua.

Some of the expressions, phrases, words are interetsing but in a general sense slang is not something I believe is necessary to learn in language because of how it changes quite quickly although picking up some words here and there by listening to people, songs, seeing commercials, billboard ads etc is inevitable.



From the list I like:

-’El efe’: Dinero (Efectivo) - I am going try this on a few people and wait for their reaction.


Ones I really don't like are:

-‘K lo K’: Un saludo entre j?venes - I would have thought that this expression would have faded out by now. This is not new.

-‘Dime a ve’: Modo de saludar para saber qu? se responde.- I don't like this one at all.


-MP.

 

[Marianopolita]

Here is the list...

Here is the list from the article of current expressions, phrases etc used in the DR. I cut and paste from the article (and added necessary spaces in between some the words or else one may not have understood that a space was needed). Some of the expressions and slang terms are interesting and have been around for a while which is surprising become slang usually comes and goes whereas expressions and colloquialisms remain in speech or a speech population for (potentially) a long time.

Lenguaje de calle cambia forma de hablar en el pa?s - List?n Diario Digital

-?Abri? gas?: Sali? huyendo,corriendo.
-?Acelerao y pico?: Veloz, que anda r?pido.
-?Activao?: Con ?nimo, listo para una fiesta.
-?A esa le picho un juego?ara referirse a una mujer que se ve bien.
-?Ah? e? que prende?: Eso me gusta, asimismo es.
-?Amotinao?: En rebeld?a, l?os, problemas.
-?Alante, alante?: Personacon bonanza econ?mica o que est? muy bien.
-?A lo callao?: En secreto o silencio.
-?A lo que vinimo?: A la acci?n, no perder tiempo.
-?All?!: Se usa para llamar aalguien.
-?A mill?n?: Con mucho ?nimo o a mucha velocidad.
-?A nivel?: Est? bien, enbuena situaci?n. ?A toa?: Algo que est? bien, fiestas concurridas, mujeres bonitas (Ta? a toa).
-?Atr? del ?ltimo?: Atrasado, en crisis econ?mica.
-?Atra tivo?: Atrasado.
-?Ay?dame ah?: Para pedir un favor.
-?B?jale algo?: Cuando se considera que algo est? excesivo.
-?B?lbaro?: Alguien que hizo algo fuera de lo com?n o un absurdo.
-?Brisiao?: R?pido, acelerado, urgente. -?Bulto?: Exageraci?n, mentira.
-?Chovi?: Mujer gorda.
-?Con la pila pueta?: Con energ?a, ?nimo.
-?Cotorra?: Palabrer?as usadas para enamorar a una mujer, hablar mucho.
-?Cromo?: Mujer despampanante.
- ?Cu?l e el meneo?: Qu? es lo que est? pasando.
-?Dame lu? : Es como pedir informaci?n, orientaci?n, luz.
-?Dame un minuto?: Que le permitan una llamada por tel?fono celular.
-?Desacatao?: Dispuesto a cualquier cosa.
-?De lo ma que se yo?: Algo que est? bien.
-?Dime a ve?: Modo de saludar para saber qu? se responde.
-?colecu?: Exactamente, as? mismo.
-?El corillo?: Grupo de amigos.
-?En coro?: Hacer algo en grupo, encuentro de j?venes.
-?Encend?o?: Muy animado o alguien est? alegre.
-?El efe?: Dinero (Efectivo).
-?El juidero?: Correr, huir.
-?Eso no ta?: Eso no es correcto, no estoy de acuerdo,
-?Eso ta moca?: Est? raro o dudoso. ?E un chucho?: Algo dif?cil.
-?E duro? : Algo muy dif?cil.
-?El fuelte?: Alguien que sobresale.
-?En pila?: Con mucha energ?a y ?nimo para la fiesta.
-?E plotao?: Algo que ya no sirve, estar cansado.
-?En tu mente?: Cuando se est? en desacuerdo con algo.
-?Ella ta como e?: Mujer que se ve bien.
-?Frecosa?: Cerveza fr?a.
-?Full de to?: Que no hace falta nada.
-?Gustanini?: Joven que vuelve locas a las mujeres.
-?Guaremate?: Que hace mandados, recibe ?rdenes.
-?Haga su diligencia?: Que consiga dinero, empleo.
-?Hame coro:? Ponme atenci?n, haz lo mismo que yo.

-?Jangueo?: Fiesta, parranda, vida nocturna.
-?Jociando?: Trabajando en lo que sea para conseguir dinero.
-?Juntadera?: Encuentro festivo para beber y comer.
-?K lo K?: Un saludo entre j?venes.
-?La da?ate?: Cometiste un error, eso no va.
-?La macate?: Cometer un error, fallar.
-Ll?gale??: Ve hazlo.
-?Loko?: Amigo, pana.
-?Lo podere?: Tener dinero, armas, carro o buena ropa (Se dice tambi?n Lo power, en ingl?s).
-?Mangar?: Conseguir algo, disfrutar algo.
-?Manso?: Tranquilo, en calma.
-Man?n?: Hermano, amigo.
-?Menore?: Mujeres menores de edad.
-?Metiendo mano?: Haciendo algo.
-?Me calent?: Me met? en problemas.
-?Me com? lo libro?: Estudi? mucho.
-?Me hicieron un bulto?: Me hicieron una algarab?a, una bulla.
-?Me pas? como conf??: Se confundi?.
-?Me puse pa ti, pa eso?: Dedicado a alguien o algo.
-?Me sacate lo pie?: Dejar plantado, desprecio.
-?Me gutan mala?: Refiri?ndose alg?n tipo de mujer.
-?Me copiate?: Para preguntar si se entendi? algo.

-MP.

 

[ExtremeR]

You can thank "Alante, alante" "Alla" and "Atra del ultimo" to Omega.

 

[Squat]

So many new slang... I am not that old, but I miss proper Spanish... It is so much nicer to have a conversation with someone speaking clearly, with precise words, and a good understanding of the world around him/her...

Anyway, I have to live with this reality, I guess it mostly has always been like this while a new generation comes, it has new expressions.

Internet, mini-mensajes, telecable and other factors are only making it faster, and somewhat crazier...

 

[Marianopolita]

Go outside of the DR especially South America...

Squat-

I agree but you have options.


The majority of speakers in the DR do not have a good command of the language and street slang, and colloquialisms invented from songs and borrowed from other countries don't help the situation much.


Proper Spanish is heard outside of the DR namely in other Spanish-speaking countries and in countries where there is multiculturalism. Slang and colloquial speech is not the order of the day (in many multicultural cities) for various reasons. The primary one is when around Spanish speakers from different regions speaking in colloquial speech and slang exclusively is out of place (among compatriots, sure but not when among a diverse group of Spanish speakers).

Anyway the colloquialisms in the newspaper link are low grade in my opinion. One can have colloquial speech as part of one's vocabulary and still sound like a good Spanish speaker but slang puts one in a different category-‘Dime a ve’, 'K lo K’, 'jangueo' etc. It's important not to confuse slang with colloquial speech.


Examples:

colloquial speech- 'ta quedao' used in the article or 'est?s quedao' which is what I say which is colloquial but more formal in the colloquial category.

slang- the examples above 'Dime a ve’, ‘K lo K’, 'jangueo' and many more in the article.



-MP.

 

[Squat]

Indeed... I never leave the DR however... Only to Haiti every now & then...
Was in Venezuela a couple of years ago... Rubbing shoulders with high society in Caracas. Totally clean Spanish, most had a laugh at my Dominican accent, in spite of my efforts to cover it...

 

[Marianopolita]

It would be good for you to hear the spoken variety...

Since Spanish is so broad in every since of the word, if you can, I really suggest that you travel to other Spanish-speaking countries. Not only to see and compare Latin America due to its history and inevitable cultural similarities but many people forget that language in Latin America is such an important part of the cultural mosaic. I always reiterate, it's 'one' Spanish with many varieties. It would only be to your benefit to broaden your horizons and sample them.

I try to not classify as much by saying xxx country has the best Spanish because I have not heard all the spoken varieties and even within the same country there are different linguistic regions. However, trust me when I say I have heard a lot of the varieties of Spanish and there are clear similarities and differences. One can also group the language varieties by region first and an additional breakdown by country. Instead of saying xxx has the best Spanish; I always say I prefer Spanish spoken in certain regions. Having said that in terms of clarity and good grammar etc the Northern countries of South America, meaning Colombia and Venezuela and the Andean region in my opinion are where you will find Spanish spoken very close to what is considered the 'international standard' and always consider large cities when making a classification. Therefore, consider areas like Caracas, Bogot?, Medell?n (although the paisa accent is very distinct), Lima, Quito, and believe it or not even La Paz and Sucre, Bolivia. Don't forget part of Bolivia today was once 'el alto Per?' so the spoken Spanish is very similar if not identical.

The old colonial cities still rule in Spanish and this includes DF, Mexico. Many people from the large (old colonial) cities speak a very clear Spanish. Panama City, Panama is also an interesting region because it was once part of La Gran Colombia. Therefore, there’s vestige but being part of Central America today there’s influence especially in provinces close to the Costa Rican boarder however, good Spanish nevertheless.

I hope the people did not laugh at your Spanish and if they did they should only be laughing if you picked up some of the obvious Dominican/ Caribbean speech patterns that will stand out anywhere and indeed is awkward when many Spanish speakers from other regions hear it. However, in my opinion an accent is an accent everyone has one in every language. For example, in countries where dropping the /s/ in speech meaning plurality or anywhere in the word like in the examples in the link is odd for Spanish speakers who very rarely drop the /s/. Just last week in conversation with a friend of mine (Salvadorean) we were talking about the vast differences in Spanish and it never fails when he starts to imitate Caribbean Spanish. He drops all his /s/ and starts all his sentences with 'qu? t? dice'--- what more can I say! If the way you speak does not bother you that's fine but if it does my suggestion is always to go international style when you speak and people will shake your hand.

I hope you know that 'qu? t? dice' is not standard Spanish. Some features of Caribbean Spanish you can choose not to pick up.


-MP.

 

[Marianopolita]

Follow up article: 'La delincuencia tiene su propia forma de hablar'

Here is another article today as a follow up to yesterday's. This one focuses on the language of 'delinquents' meaning those who are involved in gangs and as a result there's associated crime etc. Basically the decline of the social fabric and family nucleus among youth of really poor barrios is reflected in the street language associated with certain social groups of DR society. Their language is a combination of slang and code words, expressions associated with the world of gangs, drugs, and street crime. Their lifestyle is reflected in their speech which slowly pervades into the daily vernacular of the DR.

The article breaks down the language of delinquency into three categories:

◊ Lenguaje carcelario (jail terminology/ language/ speech)
◊ Jergas en el barrio (barrio speech/ slang) aka “tigueraje” del barrio as per the article
◊ Lenguaje delincuencia (language associated with delinquency)

I am glad Listin Diario is taking a close examination of this issue from a linguistic perspective because language is not static. Although the majority of people in the DR will not be part of a gang, the language associated with delinquency will be heard and people begin to understand it although they are not directly involved in what's associated with the words, slang, colloquialisms etc. In my opinion, to a certain extent you need to understand it to simply be aware of what's going on around you especially when it relates directly to the decline of a society's social fabric.

After going through the list, I was surprised that I knew quite a few of the words, slang etc and the meaning- scary but acquired from reading.

Here is the article for the list of words, slang, expressions:

La delincuencia tiene su* propia forma de hablar - List?n Diario Digital



-MP.

 

[Marianopolita]

Article # 3- Language and music....

CAMBIOS EN EL HABLA DEL DOMINICANO
Cantan como habla el barrio para pegar merengues y rap

Cantan como habla el barrio para pegar merengues y rap - List?n Diario Digital


This article speaks to the connection between music and language and specifically in the DR la m?sica urbana , merengue de calle, reguet?n and hip hop. There's a direct connection between la m?sica urbana (which in part is m?sica del barrio) and barrio slang/ jargon. Therefore, artists are specifically choosing and creating lyrics to attract or relate to a specific group of listeners/ followers of their music.

In my opinion, the reguet?n craze has slowed down tremendously, which was expected but it’s still around and has its crowd. Although I don't listen to reguet?n, I know there are definitely different styles meaning a genre within the genre and this quote on quote violent lyrics and barrio language that needs to be deciphered is one reason why some people don't like this type of music at all and are not even willing to tolerate it.

I think the journalist did the right thing by selecting specific words and phrases from the reguet?n dictionary to post in his article and show as examples to keep it clean and professional. Anyone who wants to know other words can consult the reference listed. The list, however, is certainly an eye-opener and I do believe one can learn a lot about language from songs ranging from how to say specific phrases in a language (thus avoiding word for word translations), idioms and expressions, colloquialisms, slang, to good and bad grammar (that will test your own language skills etc. but your own command will allow you to differentiate between the two) Song lyrics force you to listen and hear the flow of the language and needless to say some genres are easier than others.

In brief, this type of urban reguet?n and its popularity in my opinion is attributed to Daddy Yankee with his hit song La gasolina in 2004. However, once again those who know about music know that reaggaet?n (and I am purposely spelling it this way now) originated in Panama by El General and was existing long before the Daddy Yankee's of the world. The huge difference is Panamanian reaggaet?n is closer to its roots which derived from dance hall reggae from Jamaica and those who know about Panama’s history and it ties to and influence from Jamaica would understand why. The reguet?n today from Puerto Rico and DR is rooted in reaggaet?n from Panama which has its roots in dance hall from Jamaica.

In my opinion, this urban Puerto Rican genre has given it a negative reputation among those who don't like it mainly because of the lyrics and themes but the article clearly states that these artists are targeting a certain group thus the slang and expressions that need decoding and the themes of the songs. I much prefer the original version from Panama if given a choice and I actually like the music by one group Mach & Daddy. Their first cd is okay with me (except two or three songs).

When it comes to Latin music and lyrics, I like songs that tell a story (sensibly) and the lyrics reflect a situation and many artists follow this traditional way of writing song lyrics. In terms of learning and expressions and slang in Spanish via songs, one's options are endless. My favourite genres are still Cuban Salsa, salsa (in general), merengue (traditional), bachata (I have written enough posts over years on the board about my preferences, no need to repeat them here). Also when looking at a cd the song title says a lot about the possible theme of the songs and lyrics. From the titles alone one can learn new expressions in Spanish.

I think this glossary of reguet?n vocabulary is worth glancing through and it speaks volumes about "urban" Spanish and the way it continues to transcend informal/ colloquial Spanish among the youth. However, in simple terms I will say - esta forma de hablar tiene su p?blico.

Here is the article. In my opinion, it’s hard to believe that this vocbulary has filtered into everyday speech but then again it’s a certain crowd, certainly not my vocabulary at all. Many are Puerto Rican words crossed over to the DR barrio slang. The reasons are obvious.

EL ABC DEL REGUET?N
-A Fuego, A Fueguillo: Algo que es bueno. En el idioma de la calle ser?a algo “cool”.

-Acicalao: Alguien que est? bastante arreglado y bien vestido, a la moda.

-Afincarse: Acercarse a alguien hasta llegar a pegarse, cuerpo con cuerpo.

-Al Callao: Se dice esto en un concierto para que el p?blico se anime.

-Al Garete: Hacer algo sin control. Situaci?n fuera de control. (Aparece en la canci?n de Daddy Yankee - Al Garete).

-Alicate: Alguien que es utilizado (Don Omar lo menciona en su canci?n - Intocable).

-Anormales: Se denomina as? al corillo de Nicky Jam, formado, entre otros, por Don Omar o Daddy Yankee.

-Arquitecto: Creador o compositor de las pistas musicales -Backeo: Respaldo.

-Babilla: Coraje, valor.

-Bellaco: Persona que desea tener sexo.

-Blin Blin: Joyas, lujos, cadenas, pulseras, sortijas, brillantes, utilizados, adem?s, normalmente por los cantantes y seguidores del Reggaeton.

-Blinblineo: Prendas, lujos. referido al Blin Blin.

-Buduska: Chica gorda.

-Burlish: Cuando alguien se burla de otro.

-Cangri: Se dice de la persona que es jefe, atractiva o que va bien vestida (“te ves cangri”).

-De Cora: De Coraz?n.

-Dembow: Baile con movimientos sensuales .

-Feca: Mentira (fequeo, que miente).

-Flow: Estilo, corriente, electricidad en el cuerpo.

-Gasolina: Se refiere a una mujer que le gusta mucho salir de fiesta. (El gran ?xito de Daddy Yankee se titula as? - La Gasolina “a ella le gusta la gasolina!! dame m?s gasolina!!”).

-Gato/a: Muchacho/a. Chico/a.

-Girlas (‘Guirlas’): Chicas.

-Grillete: Se dice en el compromiso amoroso, o a alguien con quien se tiene que ajustar cuentas.

-Guasa: Mentira o falsedad. Persona que habla mucho pero que despu?s no act?a. (Tego Calder?n ...T? eres guasa guasa.

-Guillao: Persona que est? muy cre?da. Creerse que es algo que no es.

-Guillaera: Actitud de tener la autoestima muy alta.

-Ir hasta abajo: Normalmente se utiliza esta expresi?n para referirse al baile del “perreo”, cuando se baja sensualmente.

-Janguear: “Hanging out” en ingl?s, salir, ir con el corillo, con el grupo de amigos.

-Mala m?a: Culpa m?a, fallo m?o, como para disculparse.

-Motora: Moto, motocicleta.

-Nebula o nebuloso: Algo extra?o, que no est? claro.

-No tener guasa: No tener valor, no atreverse a hacer algo.

-Pariseo: Viene del ingl?s espa?olizado: Party-seo, ir de fiesta.

-Pasto: Marihuana.

-Pantalla: Piercing o pendiente.

-Parquear: Anglicismo de “parking”, aparcar. Reunirse en un sitio.

-Patrulleo: Velar, vigilar, observar.

-Pegado: Ser famoso en el g?nero.

-Perreo: Baile muy sensual, casi er?tico, normalmente el chico detr?s de la chica, y ?sta roz?ndole con su trasero de forma sensual.

-Pichaera: Cuando tratas de hablar con alguien y la otra persona te ignora.

-Presea: Como en el baloncesto, presear, meter presi?n, estando cerca del contrincante.

-Rankiao, Rankea’o (a): De “rank”, tener rango, fama, ser l?der, jerarqu?a, ser persona de gran respeto dentro del g?nero.

-Rap: Elemento musical perteneciente a la cultura del Hip Hop. Se compone de dos partes principales: MC que son los raperos o vocalistas de rap, y DJ o disc jockey. Estos dos elementos, junto con el Breakdance (una forma de bailar) y el Graffiti (tagging), forman los cuatro elementos del Hip Hop.

-Rebuleo: Pelea o discusi?n.

-Reggae: Estilo musical de origen jamaicano.

-Sandungueo: Forma de denominar el baile del Perreo en Puerto Rico.

-Saoco: Se refiere a algo que fue o ha sido muy bueno.

-Te Rankiaste: Te saliste, con lo que hiciste, lo hiciste muy bien.

-Tiraera: Guerra musical, ataque verbal musical.

-Tripear, Tripeo: En ingl?s ser?a “tripping” y significa estar de broma, relajado, bromear.

-Va Sin Jockey: No hay quien lo detenga.

Yakiar: Bailar muy sensualmente.

-Yales: Mujeres (Don Omar - Dale Don Dale “pa’ que se muevan las yales”).

Fuente: mundoreggaetonweb.com

-MP.

 

[Squat]

Indeed it is of no surprise to me that this new slang & newish music (merengue de calle & reggaeton) are simply sounding vulgar to my ears...
Anyway it is interesting & relevant to be well informed about it... It feels like "Street Dominican slang" is becoming some sort of a "Cr?ole", or "pidgin"... One needs to be on top of things & understand those dialects...

 

[Hillbilly]

While I might be able to comment on most of these expressions, I want to point out just 7 of them:
Atra tivo: This is the word "atractivo" or attractive...just broken into two pieces and poorly pronounced
Balbaro: Nothing strange here. The word is "b?rbaro" or barbarian and used to mean super great or wild. The 'l'for the 'r' is just the Sto Domingo accent.
Chovi: The use of the English word "chubby".....written their way...
El juidero: This is not new folks. I have heard it for more than 40 years when the cops come it's every man for himself....from huir to flee; but using the aspirated 'j" as in Huye!( JUYE!).....Old old. (Aspirated J -like the hoo in hoorah!)
Jociando: An old, old baseball term, well known by all youth=Hustling is what we say in English: "Way to hustle!" Hocea, (jocea) hombre! (Hurry up!)
La macate: Just poor pronunciation of the word to chew: masticar. Ergo if you "macate" you chewed something up, or screwed up...
Mangar: Oh my God!! This has been around for 60 years. It is an Argentinean term for mooching. There used to be a cartoon in the old (maybe the new) El Caribe....called Avivato. Avivato lived by mooching. Nobody was exempt!! Only people like Pichardo and Bachata will remember that one...nothing new at all.

Just so's you know..


HB

 

[Marianopolita]

Pidgin, creole, dialect-----

Indeed it is of no surprise to me that this new slang & newish music (merengue de calle & reggaeton) are simply sounding vulgar to my ears...
Anyway it is interesting & relevant to be well informed about it... It feels like "Street Dominican slang" is becoming some sort of a "Cr?ole", or "pidgin"... One needs to be on top of things & understand those dialects...

Although I know what you mean, I don't think that this slang (argot/ jerga) and colloquial speech is anywhere near being a pidgin anytime soon based on the definition. You listed three linguistic terms: pidgin, Creole and dialect. A creole comes from a pidgin and creole is a minimum a mixture of two languages, one being the hierarchy. Using Haitian Creole as an example it's a French-based creole. This argot, street slang, colloquialisms presented in Listin Diario in the past three days clearly indicate that the language is Spanish, with some borrowed words from English and most have been hispanicized to incorporate Spanish phonetics. At best it remains at the dialectal level as per the definition of dialect (which incorporates slang, colloquialisms etc.)

dialect- a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language <the Doric dialect of ancient Greek> Source: Merriam Webster

Some of the examples definitely reflect 'a regional variety of language' and colloquialisms. The slang are words that are 'language peculiar to a particular group' and have been evidenced in the second article Lenguaje carcelario, Lenguaje delincuencia etc. or as simple as an example from today's article, Gato/a= Muchacho/a. Chico/a and I have actually heard this used.

It will be interesting to see if there's an article tomorrow.



-MP.

 

[Marianopolita]

Dominicans' abroad perception----

Lenguaje del barrio impacta a dominicanos que viven fuera

-article #4

Lenguaje del barrio impacta a dominicanos que viven fuera - List?n Diario Digital


I think this article is interesting but presents nothing new in terms of what the journalist is trying to point out. Not only is the slang, barrio and street language constantly changing (and faster than most people believe or prefer) and is a reflection of the social decay from a linguistic point of view but it also is an eye-opener/ reverse culture shock per se for Dominicans abroad who return to the DR after years to visit or live. The way people speak has changed. Of course they have aged but the youth definitely have their own way of speaking and preferences.

I agree with the commentary by the journalist for the most part and this happens with many people who return to their homeland, and the language is different from where they currently live or even if it's the same language people take note of new expressions, which in my opinion stands out first and then the new way of speaking among the youth which includes slang, vocabulary, and selective vocabulary (also usually associated with a specific social group). The article comments on the observations of a Dominican living in Argentina and one living in Spain who got a taste of the change in the DR street/barrio vernacular compared to when they lived there. It can be surprising how language changes and the way people change the way they speak. People sometimes do not take notice of it because they are so detached from it. In many cases, maintaining communication with family members and friends in the DR is not enough especially if they don't speak that way (slang, street language etc) and if it's a long period of time of absence from the DR (or any country) Many are surprised how the language is evolving.

The only aspect that somewhat puzzles me about the article is the role education plays in this language issue. Education has been failing in the DR for decades, at least the public education system which is the option for the majority. Therefore, their role in "saving the spoken language" per se and spelling is null and void. It comes down to the parents and the role they play in their children's education and needless to say there's a huge problem in that area too in the DR. The decay of language in society is inevitable and will be for a long time so long as education does not play a role in it. In my opinion, the fix is on an individual level and when it comes to school age children, the parents own that responsibility. The examples in the first article are a prime reflection of the decline in language/ speech related to the main theme this week in Listin Diario -Cambios en el habla del dominicano. I think the journalist has to realize that change in language is inevitable and for the most part the articles and the point of view of many in the articles is that it has a negative effect on language in the DR but I think that it's to a certain extent. There are groups of people who speak this way and each article this week focuses on a select group or groups and then you have the general population of different age groups and social groups who are aware of the changes in the DR vernacular today and may use, understand and incorporate some of it in their speech but not to the degree as indicated by the examples.

LAS EXPRESIONES M?S USADAS EN ESPA?A
Desde Espa?a, el periodista Vicente Sobrevela, espa?ol que fue tra?do ni?o por sus padres al pa?s, y tras m?s de 40 a?os regres? a su naci?n nos env?a esta lista:


-No me toques las narices: No me molestes.

-Tienes narices: Es una persona cara dura.

-Mogoll?n: Algo que te gusta o gusta mucho.

-Ni?ato: Una persona idiota.

-Me mola: Algo que bueno.

-Jilipolla: Es un insulto colosal que implica todo lo malo.

-Flipar: Sorprendido de algo o acci?n que se hace o se dice.

-Tronco o Nano: Un sobre nombre que se utiliza entre amigos.

-Co?azo: Una actividad que tu tienes que asistir y no te provoca gracia alguna.

-Acojonao: S?ntomas de miedo, susto por algo que te puede pasar.

-Cutre: Objeto de mala calidad o malos modales.

-Cotilla: Persona que comenta y se interesa por la vida de otras personas.

-Friqui: Es una persona que act?a de forma rid?cula.

-Cortado: Cuando una persona mantiene un comportamiento t?mido.

------very different from the DR examples (from a linguistic perspective, not the meanings)



-MP.