- Thread starter granca
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To mean what you say.....
Laugh as you may but you have never heard me speak. Next time your in Santiago(again) look me up and we can get together for a cold one and you can listen to my Spanish an I, your English.
Also the remark that I speak street Spanish is based on hearsay, not evidence. The only other person on who has ever spoke with me on this forum's accent is worse than mine. Furthermore, my spanish is correct 90% of the time, I admit I use a few idiomatic expression(such as the ref'd one) but then again that is how the people speak.
Also, if you don't believe me about my accent, visit Casa de Las Empanadas Restaurant on Oak Ridge in Orlando and ask for Morena, from Samana and ask her yourself. For that matter ask Ramirez of Ramirez restarant in Jax, he is from Janico and ask him if he remembers el rubio Santiaguero.
Ramirez Restaurant Home Page
Also, in my defence, even though I never studied Spanish in a classroom setting, I did buy a grammar book equivalent to Spanish 101 in college and went through it start to finish doing most of the homework in about 5 months on ave. 4 hours a day. Therefore, I know how to properly write Spanish, conjugate verbs for the various tenses and the proper use of prepositions and articles. I have continued to study Spanish and look up phrases, etc. in my 8 years of learning Spanish. Therefore, unlike most "street" speakers, I have actually put in many long hours studying and perfecting my grammar.
As far as my accent goes, it goes without saying that I do have an American accent, even though I am able to fool the occasional Santiaguero if I don't deviate from phrases that I use on a daily basis, like buying food or stuff from the ferreteria. Less if I have to discuss complicated issues. However, many second generation hispanics here in Central Florida have the same American "gringo" accent, and yet they call themselves Latinos. In fact the family I stay with in Orlando when I'm in town on business has many such examples, and they have told me when they talk to natives that they say they have a funny accent too.
Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that my American accented Spanish is good enough to pass for a second generation hispanic.
As far as my accent goes, it goes without saying that I do have an American accent, even though I am able to fool the occasional Santiaguero if I don't deviate from phrases that I use on a daily basis, like buying food or stuff from the ferreteria. Less if I have to discuss complicated issues. However, many second generation hispanics here in Central Florida have the same American "gringo" accent, and yet they call themselves Latinos. In fact the family I stay with in Orlando when I'm in town on business has many such examples, and they have told me when they talk to natives that they say they have a funny accent too.
Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that my American accented Spanish is good enough to pass for a second generation hispanic.
Thanks - just a clarification, I do speak properly but with an American accent. If speaking with an accent were improper, then a lot of Hispanics who speak English with an accent would be classified as not speaking proper english, which is not the case.
While zafacon is used in the DR, typically, estacion is used in lieu of parkeo. As far as barbarismos go I'm sure those who speak the Queen's English have said such the same thing about American English over the centuries.
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Sorry to continue the "OT" discussion but it is SO relevant to my life here.
I have had actual arguments with Dominicans about words that actually HAVE "s's" in them...for example: Huespid=guest is pronounced here as "uepid"; or Esquina=corner is pronounced here as "ekin"...Mistolin (the cleaner) Mito...I could go ON AND ON...but the funny part is that they CORRECT US when we are using the correct pronunciation (as in learned in Spain or Argentina). I have produced a dictionary on more than one account and amazed the people that there really IS an "s" in THAT word. Another example is "por la ma?ana" vs. "en la ma?ana."
To be quite honest, I have a much easier time speaking with Italians (and I don't speak Italian--that I know of) than the folks in SPM. The Cap and Santiago aren't nearly as problematic. For awhile in the orphanage clinic, one of my nurses used to translate my Spanish into what she calls "moto" Spanish and vice versa (she doesn't speak English but understands MY Spanish). I know find myself slipping into what I call "lazy Spanish" where I leave off the ending "s's" and I DON'T like it, but what can one do?
I have had actual arguments with Dominicans about words that actually HAVE "s's" in them...for example: Huespid=guest is pronounced here as "uepid"; or Esquina=corner is pronounced here as "ekin"...Mistolin (the cleaner) Mito...I could go ON AND ON...but the funny part is that they CORRECT US when we are using the correct pronunciation (as in learned in Spain or Argentina). I have produced a dictionary on more than one account and amazed the people that there really IS an "s" in THAT word. Another example is "por la ma?ana" vs. "en la ma?ana."
To be quite honest, I have a much easier time speaking with Italians (and I don't speak Italian--that I know of) than the folks in SPM. The Cap and Santiago aren't nearly as problematic. For awhile in the orphanage clinic, one of my nurses used to translate my Spanish into what she calls "moto" Spanish and vice versa (she doesn't speak English but understands MY Spanish). I know find myself slipping into what I call "lazy Spanish" where I leave off the ending "s's" and I DON'T like it, but what can one do?
Take advice from me when in Rome, do as the Romans(I live in Santiago, btw) - they will understand you a whole lot better to boot. When talking in the States with other hispanics, then turn on the fisnuria, that way they will think you are fisno, too.
Oops sorry, my lack of fisnuria is showing, haha!.
Btw Chris, thanks for the pc'ing my reference to you know who.
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You just don't get it do you chip? It's not about being PC it's the fact that as soon as you mention something like that not only is it not related to the thread but it invites people to go off into a whole new discussion which isn't allowed here.
Come on you're a smart guy why don't you get this?
Thanks Anna, I believe all parties should be happy now with the last round of edits.
Back to the topic please.
Back to the topic please.
Unlearning the improper "Dominican" pronunciations, and learning the proper way to speak and proper words to use, can be quite a task. It's taking me quite a bit of time and effort when I speak to try and speak a bit slower and pronouce everything the correct way.
I spoke French and English before I learned Spanish, and once I became totally immersed in Spanish, I had so much trouble speaking French again, because I would be thinking in French but open my mouth and all this (Dominican) Spanish would come out!!! lol
Now I've caught up on my French and I am fairly comfortably tri-lingual...(however still working on standard Spanish that is not immedietly recognized as "Dominican Spanish")
Alright, call me stupid but THERE'S REALLY A DOMINICAN DICTIONARY? I mean I have about 7 Eng-Span ones and I've even progressed to using a Spanish Thesaurus but DR dictionary? Are we just talking about that 6 page printout of commonly substituted words or a REAL DR dictionary? BTW, Yes, folks I'm BORED---now on week 5 of being in bed from surgery (not trying to monopolize the boards). I'm used to being overly busy and physically active so, ALL my pent up ?s are coming out now.
Next, ?: For those who've slipped into Dominican Spanish, how easy has it been for you to go back to regular Spanish? I find myself almost relieved when I'm speaking to someone from Mexico because they keep all the syllables in and speak SLOWLY.
Next, ?: For those who've slipped into Dominican Spanish, how easy has it been for you to go back to regular Spanish? I find myself almost relieved when I'm speaking to someone from Mexico because they keep all the syllables in and speak SLOWLY.
Lo mas cerca.....
The closest you are going to get to a "Dominican Dictionary" is a thread I started over a year ago.
I also believe Chirimoya had one that had a few Dominican "sayings"....Something about "aplatanado".
I'll go "wake up" mine.....Have fun reading and learning!.
Yeah right......LOL.
The closest you are going to get to a "Dominican Dictionary" is a thread I started over a year ago.
I also believe Chirimoya had one that had a few Dominican "sayings"....Something about "aplatanado".
I'll go "wake up" mine.....Have fun reading and learning!.
Thanks for the various translations offered. I?m a bit surprised the way the forum thread has gone. I decided to make the rest of my life here in the RD and I wish to be able to communicate with other locals (!), if a body from Madrid can?t understand me he is only experiencing what I?ve been going through for the last months, he/she will have to learn Dominicano. I was brought up in in the North of England and if southerners , in particular, cannot understand simple words like baggin, shippam, beck, lonin etc that?s their problem. I gave up bothering unless asked.
The closest I can get to the "mean what you say; say what you mean" translation is:
Di lo que sientes; siente lo que dices ( sientes and/or siente means feel which can be translated as " mean " for others. I would recommend to stay away from this expression. It is difficult to use it for a person who speaks Spanish as a second language. Spanish is my first language and I have trouble using this expression. FYI. I hope this helps!
Di lo que sientes; siente lo que dices ( sientes and/or siente means feel which can be translated as " mean " for others. I would recommend to stay away from this expression. It is difficult to use it for a person who speaks Spanish as a second language. Spanish is my first language and I have trouble using this expression. FYI. I hope this helps!