laughed at for speaking like a Dominican?

[something_of_the_night]

I have few cousins in El Cibao who don't have a third grade education and have lived all their lives in the country, yet their Spanish can be considered educated.

TRUE.

My late grandmother, with only a third-grade education (Mantilla reader), would correct us:

No se dice 'casimente,' Jose?to.

Igualito no... parecido

-The Kid

 

[M.A.R.]

TRUE.

My late grandmother, with only a third-grade education (Mantilla reader), would correct us:

No se dice 'casimente,' Jose?to.

Igualito no... parecido

-The Kid

that also reminds me of my mother, she only had 3rd grade education but she would always correct us - "no digan un chin, que eso trae miseria, digan un poquito"

 

[Chip00]

that also reminds me of my mother, she only had 3rd grade education but she would always correct us - "no digan un chin, que eso trae miseria, digan un poquito"

That reminds me of what my wife would say to me upon my returning from the US:

"Que no me traiga un chininingo de regalos, OISTES?"

 

[Norma Rosa]

I would recommend always trying to speak correct Spanish, even with Dominicans. The reason being is that when you are want to speak with other people from other countries they will understand you.
QUOTE]

Buen consejo! (I just don't like your "even with Dominicans" line.)

Spanish learners: learn to speak any language correctly regardless of where you are at. Try even harder with your native language. And please, don't blame your faulty syntax on the DR.

I was born and raised in the DR. I speak "standard" Spanish, that is, the Spanish spoken by most educated individuals throughout the Spanish-speaking world. I must add, that my Spanish is not the way it is today because I am "educated" for I have always spoken the way I do. I am understood and I understand anyone I talk to.

When I visit the DR, I don't compromise my speaking style, neither my compatriotas require that I compromise it in order to be understood. When I go there I go to the batey where I lived most of my life, to el campo (en el Cibao) where I was born and the whole family is from and while socializing there, language is never an issue.

With love,
Norma

 

[Chip00]

Buen consejo! (I just don't like your "even with Dominicans" line.)

I suppose I should said some Dominicans. Most will refrain from making fun of a person in front of the person(although it has happened to me here in the DR) but it won't be uncommon for them to have a few chuckles at your expense after you have left.

Heck, Dominicans make fun of eachother about how they speak, why would a gringo be any different?

 

[Norma Rosa]

that also reminds me of my mother, she only had 3rd grade education but she would always correct us - "no digan un chin, que eso trae miseria, digan un poquito"

That was beautiful and reminds me of the fact that we always talk about dialects but never about "idiolects" (A person's own personal language, the words they choose and any other features that characterise their speech and writing.) It is difficult for language learners to detect idiolects.


Here to help and learn,
Norma

 

[El_Uruguayo]

Hell I was only there for 4 months and now I have to make an effort to revert back to my uruguayan accent, i.e instead of saying sho, shamo, esta shoviendo, I say yo llamo, esta y lloviendo. And I use the ever popular vaina, ya tu sabes, and como tu 'tas?. Hehe, but it's fun, i have friends from many different parts of latin america, and their accents will stick on me, one second I'm speaking like a Uruguayan, the next a mexican, the next a cuban. Occasionaly I would throw on a Cibae?o (because I can get away with it) Una Ceivesa poi favoi! But whenever I was in a carro publico or a guagua I would always say "tome chofel" or "tome cobradol."

The difference in words can be quite funny though, on my second day there, I was with a group of people, and they asked about a canadian collegue of mine. I was trying to explain that he had a huge, infected pimple on his face, and that he was staying in, but i used the Uruguayan words, it went as follows:
"dime daniel, y alex?"
"esta en casa, tiene un grano gigante, y muy infectado en la cara y no puede salir!"
everybody laughed, and I didn't understand why. I was later told what grano meant there, and that they call pimples "espinillas." kinda funny

Another funny one a collegue told me about when he was pulled over.
The police officer was asking if he had a weapon:
"tiene alma?"
"si"
"me lo muestra?"
"bueno, esta medio dificil de mostrartelo, que lo tengo dentro de mi" hahah.

 

[M.A.R.]

The difference in words can be quite funny though, on my second day there, I was with a group of people, and they asked about a canadian collegue of mine. I was trying to explain that he had a huge, infected pimple on his face, and that he was staying in, but i used the Uruguayan words, it went as follows:
"dime daniel, y alex?"
"esta en casa, tiene un grano gigante, y muy infectado en la cara y no puede salir!"
everybody laughed, and I didn't understand why. I was later told what grano meant there, and that they call pimples "espinillas." kinda funny

hahahahah I almost spit out my lunch, that is histerical!!! hahahah

btw: I totally agree with Norma on this statement

Spanish learners: learn to speak any language correctly regardless of where you are at. Try even harder with your native language.

 

[trina]

hahahahah I almost spit out my lunch, that is histerical!!! hahahah

btw: I totally agree with Norma on this statement

I think it's inspiring how many Dominicans on this site speak perfect English. I may never speak or write in Spanish the way many Dominicans here do in English. I could never even fool myself into trying to aspire to speak Spanish the way Pib, MAR, Joseito, Norma, etc etc etc speak English.

 

[Chip00]

I think it's inspiring how many Dominicans on this site speak perfect English. I may never speak or write in Spanish the way many Dominicans here do in English. I could never even fool myself into trying to aspire to speak Spanish the way Pib, MAR, Joseito, Norma, etc etc etc speak English.

You mean spell right? For all we know they might sound like "Ricky" of "I Love Lucy fame"!!!!!

 

[Chirimoya]

I know for a fact that Joseito speaks like Manuel in Fawlty Towers

 

[Ricardo900]

I thought is was very difficult to sound like a native speaker of a country you do not belong to. I can easily say "Oye primo, como e'tan pa' alla?" Ta Jevi?? But my american accent will give it away. I noticed foreigners who are fluent in english and lived in NYC for over 10 years, will still have a very noticeable accent. I think it takes more than just repeating slang or terms used by Dominicans.

 

[El_Uruguayo]

You mean spell right? For all we know they might sound like "Ricky" of "I Love Lucy fame"!!!!!

This is very true actually, I went to a Brittish school in Uruguay. And while people would have perfect reading comprehension, and perfect grammar, the second they opened their mouths you would never know that they could write so well. It's a matter of practice that is all, once you get passed the barrier of feeling embarassed by your accent or pronunciation you will begin to improve, if you hold back you'll never get better.

 

[Chip00]

I know for a fact that Joseito speaks like Manuel in Fawlty Towers

Oh hahahhaha - that is badddd!!!! See link

YouTube - Fawlty Towers: MANUEL!

BTW - who is Joesito?

 

[trina]

Hilarious! Gotta love British humour.

Joseito is something_of_the_night, one of the girls of DR1's favorites!

 

[Norma Rosa]

I thought is was very difficult to sound like a native speaker of a country you do not belong to. I can easily say "Oye primo, como e'tan pa' alla?" Ta Jevi?? But my american accent will give it away. I noticed foreigners who are fluent in english and lived in NYC for over 10 years, will still have a very noticeable accent. I think it takes more than just repeating slang or terms used by Dominicans.

It is difficult for adults, not so for children. Keep in mind that it is not the accent what matters, but rather speaking according to the grammar that governs the target language.

 

[Norma Rosa]

You mean spell right? For all we know they might sound like "Ricky" of "I Love Lucy fame"!!!!!

On the second line of her paragraph, Trina does say speak or write but you have selective hearing, Chipo. (Selective eye?).

Trina, thanks for the complement.

 

[Pib]

This is very true actually, I went to a Brittish school in Uruguay. And while people would have perfect reading comprehension, and perfect grammar, the second they opened their mouths you would never know that they could write so well. It's a matter of practice that is all, once you get passed the barrier of feeling embarassed by your accent or pronunciation you will begin to improve, if you hold back you'll never get better.

Everybody has an accent, I think you are doing OK when upon meeting a native speaker s/he can't figure out where your accent is from.

"So... where are you from?"

 

[El_Uruguayo]

I was born in Canada, but lived in uruguay from 13-20, so I would say I'm from both places. In the DR most people thought I was either from Spain, sometimes Italy, I'd occasionly get Argentino - but never gringo! (well I never got gringo after I started speaking, being tall and white, people would assume that, hehe)

 

[something_of_the_night]

I could never even fool myself into trying to aspire to speak Spanish the way Pib, MAR, Joseito, Norma, etc etc etc speak English.

Well, thanks, but you've mistaken me for someone else, for when it comes to English proficiency by Dominicans, few are in the same league as the multi-talented and DR1 darling, the goddess Pib, a woman whose intelligence, grace, beauty, and charm intimidates The Kid, and that's no lie, and Chiri is my witness; the eloquent and extremely insightful, the estimable Mirador; and the ever-so-beautiful and multifaceted Indie.

Manuel of Fawlty Tower, much like The Kid, used his vast talents to fuse his native German into a Spanish-accented English-speaker.

Now, allow me to brag about The Kid's ability to imitate his redneck friends' imitation of him - sorta like 'making fun of you making fun of me...'

-The Kid
A.K.A. Joseito, by those who love me