Dominican dialect Exception list.

GringoRubio

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Oct 15, 2015
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What would be the usual word for t?guere? I went with el gamberro.

Also, I saw bodega for the first time yesterday. Winery in common spanish, but I think it's a blow back word from New York meaning colmado. I was listening to a podcast 'Latino USA' that said it was Dominican which was news to me. I'd never seen it before in use here.

Any opinions on if it's sufficiently Dominican or it's etymology as meaning colmado?
 

Rafael Felo Perez

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Oct 4, 2016
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Torta is another word for cake - in Venezuela and elsewhere

In Mexico torta is a type of sandwich

In Spain torta also means a slap, like galleta in Latin America which also means biscuit (UK) or cookie (US).

Tarta can also mean cake as well as tart.

There is a wonderful symmetry to all this :)

Here's an article I wrote about this several years ago. Marianopolita may recall that she helped me with it.

http://www.dominicancooking.com/1277-twenty-one-nations-divided-by-a-common-language.html

Yea, Torta is used in DR as well referring to a Cake made from Corn flour, and thus ultimately looks like cornbread. Keep in mind, that torta comes in sweet, and non sweetened versions.
 

GringoRubio

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Oct 15, 2015
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"In Mexico torta is a type of sandwich"

I remember a Calimexicana girlfriend that raved about these tortas from a certain store ran by these Mexican brothers. I was game with a "cake" firmly placed in my mind as I drove 40 miles out of my way. I was a wee bit disappointed when I was eating an open faced sandwich that was a round cornbread thingy topped with meat, lettuce and tomato. I tried my best to hide my disappointment while girlfriend relished the experience. She was obviously reliving past memories.
 

Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
Dec 26, 2003
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There weren't major errors. E.g. one that I remember was the English and Latin names of the tree known as amapola in the DR. We also made additions to the list of countries/regions where bananas are called guineos, which was more common than we realised.



In terms of vocabulary, though, when addressing a Latino audience in the US and you want to talk about a cake, which word do you use and what are the criteria for using it? I would guess pastel rather than bizcocho or torta.
It makes sense that Iberian Spanish is not taken into account, but are words in Mexican Spanish, for example, more commonly used than say, Caribbean or Argentinian Spanish?


Glad to hear the corrections were minor. I would not even classify those changes as errors per se.


As I mentioned, knowing how to address an audience of varied speakers is based on experience and how much exposure to the language one has. I'm in that situation almost everyday and no complaints as far as I know. Depending on the academic components of one's acquisition of the language, it really is not an issue. You will know. When people study Spanish formally there is no customization of the grammar text book by country. The text books used in Peru are the same ones used in Mexico. The regional differences in grammar and vocabulary may be discussed but if one is learning Spanish in an academic environment the same text books are used throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Think about the journalists on CNN en espa?ol they just speak in a neutral way (they have the knowledge and vast vocabulary through their studies in journalism to be able to do so) without thinking who their audience is because there is no need to. Now sometimes when they are chit chatting they will say amongst each other 'en mi pa?s decimos xxx' just for comparison sake but not because they did not understand each other.

If you ever get chance watch the morning show from 6AM-9AM the hosts are: Carlos Montero (originally from Argentina), Alejandra Ora? (originally from Venezuela) and Elizabeth P?rez (Venezuela). Carlos still has the typical Buenos Aires pronunciation of /zho/ but not as strong as it could be. I am sure his friends and family tell him he does not sound authentic anymore. Alejandra is 100% Venezuelan which is absolutely phenomenal and a delight to listen to. They are great ambassadors of the language and the aspect of being neutral (in vocabulary usage) comes from exposure and having a strong command of the language.

The Dominican local vernacular is obviously non standard. You would know not to use that vocabulary or even grammar in a diverse crowd of Spanish speakers. It's the same concept on a broader scale.

BTW- I went to the supermercado nearby and pastel is used for cake in Panama. As I said before I think it is the most generic of the words for cake. As well, when you look up a word in the dictionary always look at the one that is presented first. It is not coincidence.

Cake- pastel.

http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=cake


Talking about being generic and neutral, I went to a bookstore today and had an interesting conversation with two ladies working in the store. Then they asked me so what part of Panama are you from? This is what I mean people will understand you without the localization and consider your Spanish authentic. The more you speak and exposure you have to the language, the neutrality is a non issue.



-MP.
 
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Marianopolita

Former Spanish forum Mod 2010-2021
Dec 26, 2003
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Oh, I agree. As somebody pointed earlier (DerFisch?), the objective is always to communicate effectively. So I always recommend breadth over depth and learn the phrases that get you through the day. Enjoy the moment, and don't take your Spanish to seriously; certainly, no one else does and thankfully Spanish speakers are good natured and quick to laugh.

I've always enjoyed languages even though I can safely say that I lack natural ability. Even in English, I'll hunt down meanings and etymologies and learn several new words a week. I often discover words that mean different things to different people even in the same community. It's part of the inaccuracy of language that I find fascinating.

A stack of flash cards with the Dominican variations (ie, the very thing that I'm asking for) would ruin my fun.


Yes, I understand what you are saying.

Just to clarify localization is important but it should not be a priority when learning Spanish is what I am saying. Learn the grammar and the structure of the language and the fact that you are in the DR (or anywhere) will allow you to customize with specific vocabulary.


-MP.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Here is one for you. We call it tippex in English English, no idea what they call it in the US. It is the white stuff than comes in a bottle or pen that you put on top of something to write a new word. Here is called licky paypee - liquid paper.

Matilda
 
Aug 6, 2006
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china is short for naranja china, a variety of orange someone thought came originally from China.

Guineo is similar. bananas are originally from SE Asia, and there are many varieties of them, but guineos were thought to come from Guinea, hence the name.
 

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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Here is one for you. We call it tippex in English English, no idea what they call it in the US. It is the white stuff than comes in a bottle or pen that you put on top of something to write a new word. Here is called licky paypee - liquid paper.

Matilda

The brand name - the original - is Liquid Paper. I think the mother of one of the Monkees invented it.

PS Looked it up, appears the Dominicans are calling it the right thing, with an accent :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_Paper
 
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Aug 6, 2006
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Here is one for you. We call it tippex in English English, no idea what they call it in the US. It is the white stuff than comes in a bottle or pen that you put on top of something to write a new word. Here is called licky paypee - liquid paper.

Matilda



White out is the most common name for this. Tippix~ I have never heard that one.

The brand name is spelled Wite-Out, I think.
 

Ezequiel

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Jun 4, 2008
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Sep 4, 2012
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By short hands how many of you have ran into the word "diantre."
Pure, 100% Dominican as far as I know, never heard it anywhere?
 
Sep 4, 2012
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Seriously?
No once a Bori has expressed it in front of me yet and I have many PR folks as friends and no even during my time living in PR?