Spanish words for silverwear
Photo and drawings originally uploaded to Flickr.com by Ryan Greenberg.
A lot of people ask me if they should learn Spanish before coming here, whether for vacation or to live because Argentine Spanish is quite different. I think it really differs depending upon your situation. I was lucky enough to have learned Spanish before coming here so I will give my personal experience and then I will also post an excellent question and a very detailed response that was in the BA Expats forum as well.
I learned Spanish in the university in Miami I learned from teachers from a variety of countries including Spain, Cuba, and Mexico. I found it to be true to learn the best Spanish possible, but I didn't necessarily need the Vos...although I kind of wish I had since I'm now living in Argentina, but I get by fine without it. Honestly, the clearest accent that I learned was when I did a course in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico - with that accent everyone who hears me speak can understand me just fine; now that I'm living in in Buenos Aires, I've started to pick up the Argentine accent as well.
This was the question in the forum:
Given that Argentinian Spanish is a bit different than other forms of the language, and that instruction in the Argentinian version isn't widely available, what would be acceptable or unacceptable alternatives? Would standard Mexican Spanish be more accepted in Argentina than Castilan form Spain? I have access to tutors who speak both Mexican and Castilian Spanish. What would you suggest?
This was the response:
First, my vote is that you start learning Iberian or "peninsular" Spanish, AKA Castellano, as spoken in and around Madrid. It's not that difficult. Even if your instructor is from México, he/she knows the difference and can easily add that extra conjugation for the pronoun vosotros. He/she can also teach the approximately accurate dialect, thetas and everything. Once you have your foot in the door of peninsular Spanish, you'll most likely find it easier to hear and interpret the multitude of dialects spoken around the rest of the world.
Second, you have posted a very good and very loaded question. Where do you plan to spend the majority of your Spanish-speaking life? If you’re only planning on hanging about Argentina there is no reason not to jump in and sample the local language schools, all of which will teach you to speak the local dialect known as Rioplatense. Rioplatense is a unique dialect spoken primarily by those who live along the Rio Plata in Argentina and Uruguay. In many ways, it’s a smooth-sounding lush dialect of Spanish that incorporates a great deal of intonation of Italian -- Neopolitan Italian, to be specific. It is also one of the many things that characterize Buenos Aires as distinct from the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. And that, in my opinion, is a good thing, for one of the five primary rules of Linguistics is there are no superior or inferior languages, just different ones.
If you plan to visit Argentina for a few weeks/months and then travel extensively in South/Central America, México, and Spain arriving armed with the ability to speak, (or at least understand the basics of verb formation), for Iberian Spanish is extremely helpful. Before everyone jumps on me it is important to note that each Spanish-speaking country has at least one distinct, if not several, dialects. Argentina is not unique in this respect. However, speculate that if you did not already speak English but wanted to learn, would you prefer to speak and hear English as it is spoken in Great Britain, Central Canada, the “news broadcast” style pronunciation of American English, or would you rather learn to speak as though you’re from rural Mississippi, Alabama, or Georgia? One might also add Texas to that list of regional dialects – say, Midland or Odessa? Porteños, though not ALL Argentines, speak the Spanish equivalent of a southern, US accent. That is, they use the voseo form, (vosotros in Spain), almost exclusively whether speaking to one person or several people. In addition, Rioplatense has evolved its own rules for conjugating, spelling and pronouncing the second person plural familiar, which is far too complicated to explain here. Basically, learning Rioplatense Spanish is similar to using “Y’all” in general conversation. I impart this information not out of disrespect for Porteños, but only to explain that on the most elemental level, that’s one of the major differences you’ll encounter when deciphering Rioplatense instead of the strong, marked dialect of urban México. It will also prepare you for several linguistic surprises as you listen, learn, and speak Spanish in BsAs.
A second glaring difference between Rioplatense and standardized Spanish is the substitution of a "sha" (voiced) or “j” (unvoiced) sound in place of the "y" sound in such worlds a lluvia (shuvia), llamar (shamar), ajer (ayer), etc. The “sha” sound lends itself to the aspiration or elision of fricatives and dropping the r sound in verb infinitives. In most of the Spanish speaking world such elisions of the final r is considered a sign of being uneducated. However, in the Southern Hemisphere this aspect of Rioplatense is recognized more as a unique accent marker spoken by Argentines and Uruguayans. It is also responsible for the more fluid sound of the dialect which many people regard as so suave and sensual. The problem occurs when trying to distinguish between “se cayo” (he fell) and “se calló” (he shut up or became silent). In standardized Spanish "cayo" is pronounced with a short y and "calló" is pronounced with a long y. In Rioplatense they are pronounced exactly the same, with a j or sha sound. So, be prepared to wrestle with the “yeismo” or blending of sounds represented by ll (the palatal lateral / ʎ /) and y (historically the palatal approximate /j/) which in Buenos Aires have fused into one. (Damn it, I tried not to be too technical, but I are [sic] a holder of a couple of them thar advanced degrees in Linguistics and Anthropology.)
And for those of you who can’t possibly stand reading any more: Rioplatense is unique enough from standard Spanish that it is viewed by many linguists to be rapidly evolving from the merging of late 19th Century criollo Spanish, (combination pidgin and patois versions of French/Italian/English with Castellano), to eventually become its own language. However, that phenomenon is not expected to occur for about another 100 years. Just observe the sinage on buses, billboards, all advertisements and anywhere the imperative is used as a warning or to grab your attention and you’ll notice a big difference between Rioplatense and standard pedestrian Spanish.
