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Spanish wins hearts south of the border
http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/localnews/ci_284224...
NOW THAT I am sending you to a great weekend in Tijuana, Mexico, I thought I'd give you a couple of Spanish lessons.
Even a little bit goes a long a way. When President Kennedy visited Latin America back in the'60s, he uttered a few simple phrases that won people
over. It showed he cared enough about them to learn a little bit of their language.
When I was in Italy, I used a bit of the Italian I had learned at Santa Barbara. It worked. Smiles everywhere.
Do not rely on dictionaries or pocket translators too much. They are good for word-for-word translations, but not for phrases or sentences. At a
restaurant, when you need the bill, you might want to ask the waiter, "How much?" In Spanish, the dictionary will tell you "how = como" and "much =
mucho," which is "como mucho."
If you tell that to the waiter, you're telling him, "I eat too much." He might not be interested in that bit of information.
Most important are the five vowels. We love our vowels clearly and cleanly enunciated. Each has its own personality. Open your mouth more when
speaking Spanish, especially the vowels. Vowel-ending words end at that vowel. Don't add anything to it, Hawaiian style. Numero uno is "numero uno,"
not "numerou unou." Just like that.
An "a" should be said "ah," not "eh" or "eigh." An "e" is always spoken as "eh," not an "ee." An "i" is always an "ee," never an "eye." An "o" is not
an "a," never. The "u" between the "q" or "g" and the "e" or "i" is silent.
"G" before an "e" or an "i" is like the "h" in "he" or "hi."
The "h" is never pronounced. The double "ll" is like the "y" in "yellow." "Mexico" is "MEH-he-co," not "MECK-see-co."
Practice a bit with these words. Say them out loud: Quesadilla, taquito, queso, enchilada. Buenas tardes. Hola. Read the menus out loud, nice and
crisp.
Errors are fine; that's how we learn.
Socks. Socks are important in Spanish when visitng. If you are looking for something in particular, and after several attempts the clerk finally shows
you what it is you are looking for, then spell out "socks," with a little excitement ? you are actually telling him "That's what it is!" ("Es o ce k
es!")
If you want some beans, think about "less free holes." For directions, an easy question, "Don day s ta ?" turns out to be "where is?" so just add
whatever it is you are seeking.
If you want to meet someone at a certain hour, "Alice" will help you out. So, "Doctor at 2" becomes "Doctor, Alice 2."
You know the numbers, right? "Uno, does, trees," etc. At a restaurant, not seeing any butter on the table, tell the waiter, in an interrogative tone,
"I meant to kill ya?" You'll be asking, almost in perfect Spanish, if there is any butter. A "yellow con" can help you get ice, but please, only in a
restaurant
? as in "Pepsi con yellow, por favor," which really is "Pepsi with ice, please." Pretty easy, huh?
In your car, in the trunk, you have a jack, but in the Spanish world, you have a "cat" (gato).
"Mande." If you hear this word in Mexico, it's not that they are telling you it's Monday, no. They are telling you to repeat what you have just said.
If you become embarrassed about something, you will immediately think "embarazado." Don't! You are telling them that you are pregnant! Instead, say
"me da pena."
A very common mistake is "another" in Spanish. You think of translating "an" and "other" into "un otro."
Actually, this just translates into "otro" or "otra," if feminine.
Love, in Spanish, is reserved for people or animals, not objects. So, the "I love this hat" is not "yo amo este sombrero," but rather "me gusta este
sombrero."
Don't talk too slow; folks will think you have a mental problem. Talk fast, even if it comes out wrong. In English, things like "caricature" or
"Massachusetts," if said slowly can make you look dumb. Same in Spanish. But, please, don't raise your voice ? it's a sign of discourtesy. If someone
doesn't understand you, it's not that she or he is dumb or anything. They just didn't catch your word. So, yelling will not help. Just repeat.
Patiently.
Use your hands and arms when speaking. This means that your whole body is communicating with the other person, not just your mouth. Don't jump or
anything, just be alive.
A "shot," as in "shot of tequila" is not a "disparo," which is a "revolver shot." But rather, it is a "trago." By the way, a "shot glass" for tequila
is called a "tequilero" or "jarrito" (with the "ja" being pronounced as "ha"). I am telling you this because I will be doing a column on tequila soon.
You might as well start your tequilero collection. It will come in handy.
There are many little pitfalls like these. However, don't fret over them. Just as Mexicans and Latin Americans try out their English when touristing
here in the States, what is important will be your attempt to speak their language, in their country. That is invaluable. There could be no better
ambassador than you.
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MrBillM
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Registered: 8-20-2003
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Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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JFK
JFK also went to Berlin, Germany and said "Ich bin ein Berliner" which translated to: I am a Jelly Doughnut".
A little knowledge can go a long (wrong) way.
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