Sad, but True:(

[Big_Poppi2]

I am Dominican and African American also. Unfortunately, My dad(Dominicano) and My Mom divorced. So I don't speak any spanish. I have been thinking about ordering rosetta stone for my sake and my kids which are also part Filipino, cause I want to visit my family in the Dominican Republic and also speak spanish. I know that there are a lot of cultural terms that rosetta stone might not have, but is this the best way for me to learn spanish, or should I just let my children live there for a while? thanks for the info from all who can help and God bless. Oh yeah, I do know some spanish, at least enough to converse but not very fluently and I don't want to sound like a gringo! okay thanks again
Biggs

 

[Chip]

Rosetta Stone is good for tourist Spanish but if you have aspirations to have a real conversation and actually understand what you are hearing you will need to study grammar (sentence structure). You can do what I did which is buy a hs level grammar book and get started or take classes at night.

BTW, what I mean by tourist Spanish is that you can form phrases, albeit mostly simple and many times incorrect but generally not about complex topics. Also, understanding native speakers is even worse, with maybe a 10 to 20% amount being understood. For some people this is adequate to the point that they consider themselves virtually fluent, however many locals would not even assume they speak the language. Been there done that and got the tshirt.

 

[Bernard Jean-Pierre]

Personally, I would recommend that you learn Spanish through the culture, in other words, living somewhere (the Dominican Republic) in your case. Because Spanish, although spoken in many places, comes in many flavors. Dominican Spanish is completely different than say Mexican Spanish. Dominican Spanish is full of word play, cultural references and some words that simply don't exist in ANY other Spanish language. For example, 'chivito jarto e jobo' would ONLY have meaning for another Dominican.

Learning from Rosetta Stone or any other program would not teach you 'authentic' accent either. You would not learn the soft 't' or the hard 'b' or the difference between porque, and poorrrque etc, etc. On the other hand, keep in mind that Dominican Spanish is not necessarily always 'correct' Spanish. Furthermore, you are likely to be misled as far as learning to spell many things correctly - as many letters are dropped, joined together, replaced and often reflect WHERE a person lives. 'el capitar' (el capital) Or sometimes its just pure slang, 'oye manito pero ete tiguere dio un jumaso' etc. So, I would recommend that you live there to gain the cultural benefits of learning quickly, authentically and understanding the context of many words and phrases. BUT also I would recommend learning it using a program like Rosetta Stone or the like so that you learn how to say things correctly, and you will come to have a good reservoir of Spanish knowledge. You can communicate en el barrio, and in a business setting.

 

[Chip]

I would not recommend learning incorrect Spanish as it will limit your potential. If you speak grammatically correct but simple Spanish you will be understood by 99% of native Spanish speakers wherever you go, including the DR. As far as idiomatic expressions go, while they are interesting they aren't a must in order to communicate effectively. Also, learning a language just by listening will only enable one to speak street Spanish, which is hardly better than tourist Spanish. This will limit one's potential and in fact some native speakers will no doubt refuse to speak with you at all.

 

[Africaida]

I agree with Chip ! With any language it is better to learn the "standard" type first. Once you starting to master the language, you can learn slang and will pick up idiomatic expressions.
Of course, learning in the country where the language is spoken will make the learning go 10 times faster.

 

[genistar]

My experience is that there's no better way to learn than by pure immersion. Keep in mind that slang and "Dominican Spanish" will be mostly useless outside the DR. You can learn both standard AND barrio Spanish at the same time, keeping them seperate in your head. It's not as hard as most people think. Just make sure that the people you're exposed to understand that you want to learn both ways and that will avoid the confusion in the future. Unless the family members you and/or your kids will be staying with have no formal education, this will be no problem. This is how I learned Spanish. My friends have always helped me - showing me the standard way to say things, and then the "Dominicanismo". Because if you plan on spending time in the DR... you need to know barrio Spanish too. It can literally save your life. As it stands now, I can use standard Spanish to converse with other native speakers that are not Dominican, Dominicans in professional positions and situations (doctors, lawyers, educators, politicians, etc.) AND I can joke around with thugs in the hood. I've never stepped foot in a classroom. So that's MY recommendation. Good luck.

 

[RacerX]

I would not recommend learning incorrect Spanish as it will limit your potential. If you speak grammatically correct but simple Spanish you will be understood by 99% of native Spanish speakers wherever you go, including the DR. As far as idiomatic expressions go, while they are interesting they aren't a must in order to communicate effectively. Also, learning a language just by listening will only enable one to speak street Spanish, which is hardly better than tourist Spanish. This will limit one's potential and in fact some native speakers will no doubt refuse to speak with you at all.

Hmmm? I finally agree with Chip.
Learning the correct way to write, spell and speak can do no less than give you a better impression no matter your appearance than he who cannot. If you worry too much about slang you can diminish your appeal to people who dont know you. It is the same as in English. If you enter a room using a bunch of split verbs and "flibbity-jibbers" then people instanteously create an impression of who you are and how useful it would be to know you.

 

[xamaicano]

I agree with Chip ! With any language it is better to learn the "standard" type first. Once you starting to master the language, you can learn slang and will pick up idiomatic expressions.

Exactly. As a native Spanish speaker once told me, when you really think about it slang make up a small percentage of everyday speech in any language. Even for someone who use slang heavily. Also colloquial speech employ advance grammatic constructs that even an uneducated native speaker knows intuitively but can be a challenge for a non-native speaker. Speaking from experience, the more I understand formal Spanish the easier it is to play with informal Spanish. Besides, some things are best left unlearned.

 

[PeterInBrat]

If you are near a college, you can look into auditing classes. They are pretty cheap if you do not want credit. When I took a year of classes, I think they were $400 per semester. For 2 classes a week for 11 weeks, that is a pretty good deal. Avoid classes with native speakers when you are starting out.

 

[Norma Rosa]

Avoid classes with native speakers when you are starting out.

I beg your pardon?

 

[genistar]

Hmmm... I don't have the energy to get into a forum fight today. Everything comes down to why you want to learn Spanish and where you plan on using it. If you plan on using it in the DR then you should learn DR slang along with standard Spanish. Slang is used far more in the DR than most people will admit. Just remember to keep them seperated. If you're walking into a government building you should use standard Spanish.

Everyday people (including high class Dominicans) will use slang regularly in their speech - especially in social settings when telling jokes, going for drinks, etc. It would be nice to understand what they're saying.

Plus, if you're on the street, you can understand the slang... that way you'll at least see the trouble coming before it gets to you... and you can use it to make people think twice before messing with you.

Dominicanismo is much more important in the DR than most people on this thread realize.

 

[Chip]

I have lived in the DR for 5 years and my wife is Dominican and we only speak Spanish in my house so I'm aware of slang. All I will say is in my experience slang does little for you. It has never gotten me out of trouble but certainly has gotten me in hot water for using vulgar terms with Dominicans in the wrong situation. It would not be correct to assume you will be respected more if you use slang, on the contrary. Also, any gringo that speaks poor Spanish with a lot of misused slang will be criticized, but not necessarily to their face as Dominicans are generally very polite.

 

[genistar]

Well, Chip, all I can say is you've been lucky. It's gotten me out of a few jams. Slang isn't just about vulgarity. It's also words that only exist in the DR. It's engrained in the fabric of Dominican culture. Telling people to avoid learning the slang is bad advice. It should go without saying that there is a time and place to use it. And unfortunately I know plenty of native English speakers that can't seem to understand that when using ENGLISH! But hopefully those willing to learn another language will take that into account. It has nothing to do with respect, but rather a more complete knowledge of the subject matter. And knowledge is power.

 

[Bernard Jean-Pierre]

I agree with Genistar to a great degree. As I mentioned if your purpose is just to learn 'generic' or 'standard' Spanish, then there is NO need for you to have any dealings with Dominicans or Dominican Spanish. The US is increasingly becoming more and more Spanish, so there is no need to go outside the States to learn Spanish.

However, if a person wants more of a 'cultural' connection (as was expressed by the Poster) then I would recommend learning BOTH 'standard' Spanish and 'Dominican Spanish'. I personally do not feel that you have to learn 'standard' Spanish first. You can just as easily learn both simultaneously. Logically, you can get around just fine only knowing standard Spanish. But, knowing Dominican Spanish is VERY, VERY useful in every day situations. And its NOT a case that Dominican Spanish is 100% slang. There are many phrases and expressions that are not slang in nature, but have much meaning the WAY they are put together.

Learning and knowing the 'native' Spanish of the Dominican Republic will allow you to communicate MORE effectively - and THAT is the objective of ANY language. Its not about impressing someone, its not about being ghetto or uneducated, its about COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY. If you are en el barrio, knowing 'barrio spanish' WILL BE useful. If you are in a business meeting, knowing business and formal spanish WILL BE useful. So, basically the more 'types' of spanish you know, the more effectively you will be able to communicate. Knowing Dominicanismos WILL BE useful because nearly ALL Dominicans use them in some capacity. Knowing the COMMON language will allow you to be a part of the culture.

Take English for example, if a person goes to a very urban and lets say 'dangerous' neighborhood, of WHAT benefit will it be for him/her to speak formally?? "oh hello sir, how are you today? Might I trouble you by asking for the directions to the nearest gas station?" If anything, it will be of MORE harm, because it will make him/her stand out as 'lost', 'nieve' and even 'vulnerable'. A simple FLEXIBILITY in language "hey my man, where can I get some gas at?" COULD BE the difference in how he/she is perceived, and that COULD BE the difference in him/her being singled out as a target. Or, imagine a person walking down a street, they immediately draw the attention of the locals as they know EVERYBODY in the barrio, they are being followed by someone from a distance by a local looking to perhaps take advantage of them in some way- perhaps taking them as a tourist, they continue to get close and then the person being followed reacts - saying "disculpa, pero como puedo ayudarte se?or?" in some strong Gringo-esque accents will automatically tell the pursuer "ah, I was right, they must be lost....easy potential target". But if the turn around and say, "pero ven aca!! pero queseto?! que tu quieres conmigo eh?! SUELTAME! oiste?!" then the pursuer will think "oh they must be from around here nearby, or they must have relatives nearby....not so easy a target". Naturally, not ALL situations are that serious or 'life and death' but it highlights the practicality and importance of being FLEXIBLE and being able to communicate effectively. How people perceive you goes hand in hand with how people treat you. So at least having the ABILITY to speak and very versatile spanish will be useful whether its in the streets, at the park or in a business meeting. So I say the more tools you have, the better off you are.

 

[genistar]

Bernard... that's exactly what I was trying to say. You said it better! Thank you!

 

[Chip]

I think it is fantasy to think that a gringo using "barrio" Spanish will save his life someday because somehow the native speaker will think they are local. Your accent combined with looks will give you away. I have also heard gringos speaking "barrio" Spanish and have never heard one that doesn't have a horribly strong gringo accent. Imagine too that what a Dominican thinks of an accent like this.

I speak from experience having learned Spanish by myself after over 10 years of being married to a Dominican women and living in the DR almost 6 years.

I appreciate that people want to fit in as I have the same ideal. However, speaking "barrio" Spanish will only make one look silly. This is not to say you can't use some of the local regionalisms/accents but totally machucando el idioma will only limit you and get one ridiculed.

 

[RacerX]

I still agree with Chip...I must be sick or something.

 

[Chirimoya]

I'm with Chip on this one. Learn the standard language and once you've reached a certain stage you will start absorbing and using slang and regionalisms naturally. Many speakers will also assimilate the local accent over time.

Learners trying to use street slang will never sound convincing: they will sound like idiots. It reminds me of the teenage Italian and Spanish students, when I was teaching English, who tried to sound cool by using slang and swear words but always got the emphasis completely wrong. A lot of advanced speakers who do this sound contrived too, IMO.

 

[jrhartley]

not a fan of old Rosetta, ive done all that was required on the discs and still can not understand anyone when they speak or hold any sort of conversation,,,I can read slightly better though

plus it costs a lot of money that could be spent on a decent text book

 

[SantiagoDR]

I think it is (a) fantasy to think that a gringo using "barrio" Spanish will save his life someday because somehow the native speaker will think they are (a) local. Your accent combined with (your) looks will give you away. I have also heard gringos speaking "barrio" Spanish and have never heard one that doesn't have a horribly strong gringo accent. Imagine too that what (Imagine also what) a Dominican thinks of an accent like this.

I speak from experience having learned Spanish by myself after over 10 years of being married to a Dominican women (woman) and living in the DR almost 6 years.

I appreciate that people want to fit in as I have the same ideal (idea). However, speaking "barrio" Spanish will only make one look silly. This is not to say you can't use some of the local regionalisms/accents but totally machucando el idioma will only limit you and get one (you) ridiculed.

Okay Chip,

I sincerely doubt that I have seen more than one or two of your posts that you have not slaughtered the English language.

Yesterday you lived 5 years in the DR.
Today ........ almost 6 years in the DR.

I have lived in the DR for 5 years .......

.... I speak from experience having learned Spanish by myself after over 10 years of being married to a Dominican women and living in the DR almost 6 years. .........

Wow, how time flies.....