Is it normal for Argentinians to tease gringos about their Spanish accent?

[camel]

Speaking from personal observation, it's also common for Argentinos to berate their countrymen about poor English skills, not recognizing their own lack of ability. As nikad said, it's (at least somewhat) humor/culture.

"Bery gud" -

 

[rickulivi]

My wife, who is from Bolivia, and learned to speak English when she was around 20, so she has a heavy accent in her English. One day, one of her friends in California made fun of it, and my wife asked her, politely, how many languages did she speak? None other than English, was the reply. Never again was she teased by this friend, and I am sure this friend felt like an ignorant fool.

 

[Aztangogirl]

I learned my Spanish in Mexico and it gets noticed. I am trying to work on Castellano. But isn't it nice to have an accent? I love an accent when I hear someone speaking English from spain, france, England etc.

 

[Rich One]

Tell them off point blank .... Say " It bothers me when you mock my accent " don't do it again..... !! End of subject. it's a form of bullying ... no reason to accept it...

 

[mc kenna]

or just mock their arshentain accent when they use words in english they can't say correctly , you know, like wiener when they think they are saying winner and so on and so forth, i can assure you , all of the sudden they will not find it funny at all....

 

[PoorSoul]

Argentine's tease foreigners as a form of flirting. Male or female if someone teases you it is their way of saying you are a hottie and you should invite them to your place for some wine.

 

[Somewhereinba]

Or am I just around particularly mean people?

I haven't really experienced it - what is your age? Is it just when you're around groups of guys? I would laugh it off - males by nature take the piss out of each other in friend/group settings.

 

[Silvie]

As a local, while I was very young, I remember other young locals teasing each other about things I didn't even find funny at all. So I think it is another kind of "sense of humor".

 

[MyArgentina]

My Spanish is intermediate and in the rare case when I was teased about my yankee accent, it was all in good fun ... Actually just yesterday in una tienda I was complimented on my pronunciation! Happens more often than not that my Spanish is complimented, because locals know, at the least, I am trying and learning. In my case I have found Porteños on the whole to be very warm and welcoming. Maybe, as 'outsiders' we need to buck up and not take offense so easily. And not to take ourselves so seriously perhaps. All part of the challenge and adventure, in my view ...

And what's even more funny is when I have 'massacred' my intended comments in a few group settings - For example, taxi driver says, 'how's it going'. My yankee reply was intended to be, 'oh, no pudo quejar'. Instead I said ,'oh, no puedo cagar'. The laughs continued for the whole ride (including at myself). Greatest hit #2 - Greg, cuantos años tiene? I responded, 'tengo 55 anos' at a table of 15 with an uproar of laughter! Great fun ... I have no problem with my errors and, as I mentioned, folks know I am trying and are very good natured about it.

Best advise - Relax, keep practicing and it comes. Little by little ...

 

[retiredbanker]

My Spanish is intermediate and in the rare case when I was teased about my yankee accent, it was all in good fun ... Actually just yesterday in una tienda I was complimented on my pronunciation! Happens more often than not that my Spanish is complimented, because locals know, at the least, I am trying and learning. In my case I have found Porteños on the whole to be very warm and welcoming. Maybe, as 'outsiders' we need to buck up and not take offense so easily. And not to take ourselves so seriously perhaps. All part of the challenge and adventure, in my view ...

And what's even more funny is when I have 'massacred' my intended comments in a few group settings - For example, taxi driver says, 'how's it going'. My yankee reply was intended to be, 'oh, no pudo quejar'. Instead I said ,'oh, no puedo cagar'. The laughs continued for the whole ride (including at myself). Greatest hit #2 - Greg, cuantos años tiene? I responded, 'tengo 55 anos' at a table of 15 with an uproar of laughter! Great fun ... I have no problem with my errors and, as I mentioned, folks know I am trying and are very good natured about it.

Best advise - Relax, keep practicing and it comes. Little by little ...

I'm always asked to speak English here in Argentina which is why my Spanish sounds so bad many I talk with here think I'm Brazilian speaking Portuguese.