What is the secret?

[tomdesigns]

I love listening to people from Cordoba speak Spanish, I find that I can't understand them, not so much for the accent but because I get lost in the melody of their speech and realise I haven't been listening to the words.

Yes I can talk with folks in Cordoba no problem too.. I hear it like that down south. Up here in the North forget it...

 

[mercjoe]

Absolutely hilarious. You must be kidding.

I those differences make our languages not Spanish, then I would really like to know what language is the one you speak up here in North america.

Cuyo: Dopeso, frutisjas, cabasjo, nocreoquetengoalgo, etc.

Chileno than Argentino - neither language is Spanish (which is the language of Spain) but languages using several Spanish words, adding/changing to a lot of locally invented words: Gafas - anteojos - lentes. Pierna de pollo - muslo - trutro, etc.

 

[DontMindMe]

Absolutely hilarious. You must be kidding.

I those differences make our languages not Spanish, then I would really like to know what language is the one you speak up here in North america.

Well, in North America we speak Spanish (Mexico), and English (U.S. and Canada.) Because North America contains three, yes three, countries. Hence the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between, that's right, Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

Absolutely hilarious, isn't it?

 

[2GuysInPM]

you forgot French

 

[elhombresinnombre]

you forgot French

Just what I was going to say

Interestingly, (or very boringly, depending on your point of view) whilst French and English are the official languages of Canada, English is not an official language of the United States. It doesn't have an official language but recognises English as the de facto language.

 

[sesamosinsal]

Just what I was going to say

Interestingly, (or very boringly, depending on your point of view) whilst French and English are the official languages of Canada, English is not an official language of the United States. It doesn't have an official language but recognises English as the de facto language.

Many U.S. states, however, do recognize English as the official language.

 

[anabeeare]

Ah, yes, when I first got to Buenos Aires, it took me a long time just to get used to the slang more than the accent. The first time a porteño friend told me to catch 'El Amarillo' (the 41 bus) and then used the word 'bondi' and to meet him at the 'chino', I had to do a double take. Pretty strange hearing the regionalisms but it's the same in any language no matter where you go.

I think a good example in English would have to be the South African word 'robot' for a traffic light. Got a kick out of that one the first time I heard it.

Although I do have one good friend from Ushuaia who I can't understand from time to time although fueguinos have a pretty similar accent to porteños. He does drop his 's' from time to time and blends his words together.

Then again, he claims he doesn't understand my accent in English (Maryland with hints of Baltimorean influence, hon) so fair is fair.

 

[genialf]

I'm from Mexico and I sometimes have a hard time understandng them. People from Mendoza speak a beautiful Spanish, though.

 

[DontMindMe]

Ugh, embarrassing, I took French for six years and forgot to add it. Sorry, Montreal! Always enjoyed that accent. And no, I know, English is not the official language of the U.S.

I just always get annoyed when people rail against the evils of the U.S. on this site and then refer to us as North Americans. People get upset when we say American referring only a person from the U.S. but then, when writing in English, it's okay to use North America to refer to one country? Pick a side god dammit.

 

[surfing]

Go to Quito and you will be amazed how much Spanish you actually know. They speak VERY slowly and clearly --- theory is it's due to the altitude!