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Which variety of Spanish to learn? | ||
Tags: Spanish | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| tractor Tetraglot Senior Member Norway Joined 5263 days ago 1349 posts - 2292 votes  Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, Catalan Studies: French, German, Latin | Message 89 of 100 31 March 2012 at 6:52pm | IP Logged | |||||
Usually Standard Spanish with a north/central accent.
My own impression is that Spaniards normally speak quite fast. Edited by tractor on 31 March 2012 at 6:56pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Belle700 Senior Member United States Joined 5506 days ago 128 posts - 143 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, French | Message 90 of 100 06 May 2012 at 7:32pm | IP Logged | |||||
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UPDATE: Since the discussion, I have been working diligently on my Spanish. I have even begun watching a telenovela produced here in the US (which features all Latin American actors and actresses) to help with listening comprehension. I have also been following my Living Language Spanish Course, which follows Latin American Spanish. I do have a Berlitz Phrase Book for Spanish from Spain, with an accompanying CD, so I can get used to the accent. As a result, I have been exposed entirely to Latin American Spanish.
I find after really working with both Peninsular Spanish and Latin American Spanish, I feel I really like Latin American Spanish. The accents are pleasing to my ear and I like the sound and the rhythm. I have reevaluated my Spanish studies and I think this is the right track for me. I enjoy learning Spanish from Spain too and I think it is important to be familiar with other varieties of Spanish so I will continue to learn about other varieties. Being able to speak and understand more than one variety is, I think, a helpful tool. Since Mexican Spanish is the most spoken variety of Spanish in the United States, adding to that all of the other varieties of Spanish from Latin America, it seemed logical to me that I needed to focus on that track. I like this variety and the linguistic landscape of where I live is almost entirely Latin American Spanish, so readjusting my focus seemed sensible. Incidentally, the learning materials here in the US are mostly geared towards Latin American Spanish. So, I think that by learning both Latin American and Peninsular varieties, with a primary focus on Latin American Spanish, I will be as useful as possible to the Spanish speaking population here. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Camundonguinho Triglot Senior Member Brazil Joined 4559 days ago 273 posts - 500 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, Spanish Studies: Swedish | Message 91 of 100 06 May 2012 at 10:54pm | IP Logged | |||||
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In Brazil, the official school program is based on Peninsular Spanish, but it depends on teachers too. My teachers were Argentinian, so I learned this variant. I find Argentinian movies, soap operas, tv shows easier to follow/understand then the Peninsular ones.
An Argentinian friend of mine told me many Argentinians put the subtitles on when they watch a Spanish movie on DVD. ;) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| fiziwig Senior Member United States Joined 4675 days ago 297 posts - 618 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 92 of 100 07 May 2012 at 5:22pm | IP Logged | |||||
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What I've decided to do is to learn Spanish with an American English accent, since that's how I"m going to speak it no matter how hard I try to do otherwise. I know there's no chance I'll ever fool a native speaker into believing I'm a native.
So instead of trying to sound like a native speaker from some particular place, I'm shooting for sounding clear and understandable, with an accent that is no doubt noticeable, but does not interfere with comprehension. In other words, I'm going to speak Spanish in my own distinctive way which will undoubtedly be a blend of the various accents I'm listening too as I learn. As for vocabulary, I'll stay flexible so I can adapt my vocabulary on the fly to wherever I am and to whomever I'm talking. Who says I can't know and use both "carro" and "coche" as the situation calls for? 4 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Belle700 Senior Member United States Joined 5506 days ago 128 posts - 143 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, French | Message 93 of 100 02 January 2013 at 1:52am | IP Logged | |||||
Well, another update. As you mentioned kman, I have flip-flopped again - for the very same reasons you mentioned above. Now I am back to Andalusian Spanish. I was working on Andalusian, switched to Mexican, now I am back to Andalusian. Ah, language learning, such fun and variety. All this and I just ordered a new Latin American phrase book to increase my knowledge in that area. Don't worry! I'm sticking with the Andalusian! I had been working in Andalusian Spanish for so long and got so used to it that when I really delved in to Mexican Spanish, I was having such accent troubles! I still am having some blips in pronouncing certain words. Well, I am going to be starting two new online Spanish classes soon, so I will have to let you know how that goes. One of the instructors has studied both in the US and Spain, so we'll see what kind of Spanish the class is actually taught in. I am sure both classes will be interesting. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Camundonguinho Triglot Senior Member Brazil Joined 4559 days ago 273 posts - 500 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, English, Spanish Studies: Swedish | Message 94 of 100 02 January 2013 at 4:12am | IP Logged | |||||
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I learn Argentinian Spanish.
For me (and my pocket), Argentina is closer than Spain. :) 3 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Belle700 Senior Member United States Joined 5506 days ago 128 posts - 143 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, French | Message 95 of 100 02 January 2013 at 4:13am | IP Logged | |||||
Yes, that is a good point. :) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Belle700 Senior Member United States Joined 5506 days ago 128 posts - 143 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, French | Message 96 of 100 27 January 2013 at 5:52pm | IP Logged | |||||
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The flip-flopping has contiued Kman - you were SO right when you pointed out how that happens! I have been really inspired by Latin American Spanish lately(specifically Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican), so now I am back to that - but I still am keeping an eye on the Iberian Spanish. I love both - so I will learn both. It's funny how your linguistic tastes change!
Since my last post, I started my two online Spanish classes. One is at UCLA and one is Cal State Long Beach. Both are going really well and both of them seem to favor Latin American Spanish, although which variety I am not sure. I am really enjoying the classes and am very glad that I decided to take them. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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