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Iflyfish
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Learning to Speak Mexican
After a long day on the leguna Enrique started to tell a story that sounded like this: “mi……secreto…..denero….encima …mi cama…el raton….cimida…e…mucho
problema….banco” Leaning forward I was entranced as he recounted his tale. Snapping me out of my spell by the voice of Dave, my traveling companion,
who is insistently asking “what is he saying!?". I really didn’t know for sure what he is saying but I have a picture in my head of this mouse eating
his well soiled peso notes and his regret at not having used the bank. I recount this to Dave who then eases back for the rest of his tequila and the
rest of the story.
I realize that I understand this like a child might understand the heated discussions of parents. There is meaning and like an uninvited drop in at a
medical convention I can grasp the basic concepts of what is being said, or at least think that I can. I am reminded of how my twin brother and I
taught each other to read by decoding our parents spelling in front of us “Do you think we should get some I..C..E..C..R..E..A..M..?”
I now know that language acquisition is first and foremost receptive and only then productive, I listen, learn and then I speak and sometimes I see
through a glass darkly and hear things that I can actually understand.
Iflyfish
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susanna
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Sorry, but Mexican is not a language. The language is spanish in Mexico.
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Woooosh
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| Quote: | Originally posted by susanna
Sorry, but Mexican is not a language. The language is spanish in Mexico. |
Go to Spain and try speaking what they speak here in Mexico. It's a different language. They will make you feel like poor trash if you speak Mexican
to them in Spain. The Mexicans and Spanish are so class-conscious that the two are very far apart.
I was surfing baja in the 80s with a friend from Peru. I didn't speak any spanish at the time. A security guard called the police because we were
supposedly on a private beach. My Peruvian friend wouldn't even speak to the cop in Spanish- he said the language here was beneath him. And that was
25 years ago.
Send a black person fromthe south speaking ebonics to England and see what language they say he is speaking- it won't be english.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by susanna
Sorry, but Mexican is not a language. The language is spanish in Mexico. |
Yes it is Spanish, but it is Mexican Spanish---very different from what is spoken in Spain and even in Central and South America. I am quite sure
IFLYFISH is very well aware of that---so probably that is why he called it Mexican.
A good friend from Spain said that when she moved to Mexico City she really could not believe that the people were actually speaking Spanish, and was
then highly insulted when they told her she spoke funny Spanish and with a funny accent.
It is the same---we speak a very different English than they speak accross the pond----Things like a fanny pack, a napkin, and slime have very
different meanings.
Having taught ESL, it is interesting to watch the acquisition of language. Understanding does precede speaking. Of course it is easier with children
--- the younger the better.
A good friend, who only speaks a couple of words in Spanish, has a two year old who has had a Spanish speaking nana for three days a week since he was
a baby. The little guy understands Spanish and in beginning to speak more, he speaks both in Spanish and in English.
However, he distinguishes between the two very well. He will not speak any Spanish words to his mother, nor will he speak any English words to his
nana.
Diane
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Ken Cooke
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Anyone listen to Reggaeton? Ebonics en Español set to rhythm!  
I'm trying to pick up Costeñol at the moment. It is the Colombian equivalent of Ebonics that is only spoken in Central and Northern South America
(Venezuela & Colombia).
Example:
Don't tell me anything.
Mexico:
No me digas nada.
Costeñol:
Oyiste! Tu No Me Diga Na!
Try speaking Costeñol in Barcelona for a real eye-opener!
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Iflyfish
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I appreciate the comment regarding the use of the term Mexican in regard to the language spoken in Mexico. It is an honor to have ones writing read
and commented upon.
It's a Mexican story that took place in Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur. My Spanish is Mexican Spanish and mostly Frontera Mexican Spanish, Mexican
Spanglish really. I understand the difference between Castilian Spanish and Mexican Spanish, though many of my childhood Mexican friends, like Dewey
and Raymond, from Guadalajara, insisted that they were Spanish.
They taught Castilian in school in California, absolutely useless to me. I first learned my Mexican Spanish from Braceros with whom I picked fruit in
the Santa Clara Valley in the late 1950’s. Later children taught me words on the beaches of Ensenada. Mexican Spanish as spoken in Puebla, where I am
barely understood, is entirely different than that spoken in the El Forte in the Sonora. In Tlaxcala I also had trouble being understood. I once
found my way to the Palenque in Queretaro by finally asking the taxi driver to take me to the Pollo Olímpico. I think I have been learning Mexican.
When we premiered our documentary film in Mexico City where I wore my suit I was frequently corrected unbidden by well intentioned people who felt my
language proficiency was below my station. There appears to be a class distinction in Mexico that is reflected in the choice of words that one uses.
This of course is also true in the USofA where the upper classes and professionals have a jargon of their own that separates them from the “masses”.
There is a sort of naïveté inherent in the use of the term Mexican in this context and it is that naïveté that I am trying in part to express. I also
anticipated that its use would grab attention. I see no offense in the use of the term and hope none is taken. My purpose is to encourage those of us
who are trying to learn a new language with a story and to have the courage to make mistakes.
I hope that this post will encourage more discussion on the topic of learning another language. I am pleased to read the comments so far.
I am wondering if native Mexican speakers are offended by the use of the term Mexican in reference to their language. I have heard non native speakers
of American English as opposed to the Queen's English refer to New World English as American.
Iflyfish
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Paladin
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Years ago my wife and went to Matzalan and she was able to converse very well with the locals and workers. She is 1st generation Californian from
Mexican parents. She is also a Public Health Nurse so she sees farmworkers as clients almost daily. No problem, speaks the same "language".
The funny thing was the place we stayed was very popular with the rich Mexicans from Mexico City. My wife missed half of what they said, very
difficult for her to communicate.
It was easier to just talk in english which they knew as well as I do.
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Iflyfish
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Paladin
I have found Mexicans in the main to be very tolerant of my Spanglish. Often after they politely listen to me for a while, they ask if I might want to
speak in English. 
Iflyfish
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Sallysouth
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Just as Diane told her story, I too , have little blond haired, baby blue eyed G-kids, ages 2 and five, speak both languages fluently.They speak
Spanish at school and to the Nanny, English and Spanish with their parents.Only English to me except when I am visiting them in Baja.Having spent many
years in Baja, I find I lose a lot of my "Spanish/Mexican" speaking capabilties when I can't get down for a good amount of time.However, two or three
margaritas and it just seems to flow freely!I have found the locals really respect you for even trying to speak the language, even if you are not
correct.I always ask if I am saying something the way it should be said and always get the response with respect. I will tell them that I want to
speak en Mexicano correcto!
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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Ken Cooke
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Can you catch what this guy is saying?
Feliz Navidad y Un Prospero Año Nuevo!
30 second video
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Iflyfish
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Ken
Something like you geta the checka checka checka and merry christmas and happy new year?
Iflyfish
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Ken Cooke
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Iflyfish
Ken
Something like you geta the checka checka checka and merry christmas and happy new year?
Iflyfish |
Costeñol is probably the funniest form of Spanish I have ever heard spoken.
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Oso
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Ningun P-nche gachupin me hace sentir menos a mi. Con sus bocas llenas de avena, todos suenan como asquerosos maricones. Me lo pelan, pues.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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Cypress
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Just spend some time south of the border. You'll learn!
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Iflyfish
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Oso
Si, si como no? Antes de P-nche "tiberones de calle wall regreso con mi denero!"
Pescadordeinsectos
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Osprey
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Flyguy, you forgot to warn about the danger here. I only speak what I hear my Mexican neighbors say. All the gringos come to me to translate for them
so it was natural they chose me to be their emissary to the delegacion. The people at the delegacion were pleased to have me in that position because
they know I don't speak Spanish. Both groups got cheated. While that's going on I'm studying Spanish now and soon both groups will ask me to go away.
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Iflyfish
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Osprey
Viva Mexico!
Iflyfish
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Miette
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Iflyfish Thanks for your post. I think your replies and a few others are right on the money regarding the version of Spanish that is
spoken in your area. Perhaps people wouldn't get so flustered and up in arms if they thought in terms of a dialect.
Two thoughts came to mind after reading your post.
My little bit of Spanish speaking ability comes from 5 years of classes in New England schools. I slowly figured out how incompetent (though,
sometimes well-intended) my teachers were when I attempted to speak with any native Spanish-speaking people.
One really sad day, the teacher informed the class to not to bother learning the familiar verb forms as we would never be using them.
The people that spoke Spanish around me when I was young were from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, etc. They would not be understood in Spain
or in Mexico - not easily, is the point.
Just as I found out when I drove across the US, traveling from Connecticut due south, and continuing through the south, eventually connecting with
Route 66 and on into California. I consider myself to be fluent in English. I was not at all familiar with the dialect of Louisiana and then, Texas.
Same sort of thing applies traveling throughout Mexico. And, we have only touched lightly on the topic of slang!
My other thought was about the many days I spent in Los Barriles. I shopped everyday at a little store and spoke my best version of Spanish that I
could manage. From all appearances the man running the store did not speak English and most of his customers were locals.
The first few days I would ask him for various items in my bad Spanish and use hand gestures and point to similar items to suggest what I was looking
for. Finally, on the fourth day, I was fairly well-supplied and I came in to look for one missing item. I decided not to disturb the man and try to
find what I was looking for by myself.
I wandered down both aisles and looked at everything on the shelves from top to bottom. On my third trip around the store, he leaned over his counter
and in perfect English said to me, "What are you looking for?"
In a single moment we both instantly understood what had been going on for the past few days and were we stood at that moment. I could be wrong as I
simply smiled and took this all in stride, but here is my interpretation.
He had appreciated that I was trying to communicate in the local language. As long as we both were happy (he smiled a lot, I smiled a lot) we both
spoke rudimentary Spanish to each other. On the fourth day, I crossed the invisible line of being a tourist/passing-through type of visitor to a more
regular customer that might be hanging around a bit longer; and I had shown respect to him and for the area that I was visiting.
In a flash, I also realized, just as the locals had no idea of how much of their conversation I understood, I had no idea of how much English they
understood and how proficient they were with spoken English.
I smiled so much that day my cheeks hurt when I went to bed.
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Iflyfish
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Mietta
A gosh mum twernt nutin
Iflyfishwhennottossinbait
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Woooosh
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Luckily EVERYONE speaks dollars. The universal language.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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