Latino Spanish verses Euorpean Spanish

Question

I am finding that pronuncations of certain words and sounds are quite a bit different between the Euorpean Spanish and the Spanish spoken in South and Central America; the s sound and the d sound. Is it preferred that the Castile Spanish be followed'

Answer 1

Look at this web site. It is a good guide. Also, I'd just learn one "accent" and stick to it. Later, when you travel to a specific country, you will pick up some of that accent too.

Answer 2

Steve,
Regarding your post, "Latino Spanish versus European Spanish," it's not a case of one being better than the other. They're just different. But different is good.

Follow Manutd's advice to pick one accent and stick with it. Which accent(s) do you prefer? Where are the Spanish speakers you will most frequently come into contact with from?

Speaking from my own personal experience, one thing I'm paying attention to is saying the vowels properly in Spanish. So many English speakers become so focused on trilling their r´s and whether or not to pronounce the letter z with the "th" sound, that they neglect pronouncing the vowels properly in Spanish, a dead giveaway of a non-native speaker of Spanish.

Answer 3

¡Hola!

Take also into account that there is not just one Latino standard. The pronunciation of, say, Argentinian Spanish is quite different from the Mexican standard. For instance, it is quite funny for non-Argentinians the way they pronounce the "consonant y" and "ll" sounds. We make a lot of jokes about it!

I should say that Voces' advice is sound. Pay special attention to last-syllable vowels. The vowel system is quite stable all over the world: we all use five vowels, whereas you have twelve in English (in spoken English, of course)

Saludos

Answer 4

Thank you one and all for your remarks regarding my question concerning variations in pronunciations among Spanish speaking peoples. Another question I would like to throw out por favor is: how do you break a spanish word into its' syllables in order to practise its pronunciation'

Answer 5

they are different because of the places thats what i think and it dosent matter which one you speak
it is almost the same just some pronunciation and coloquial words vary but its basicly the same!!

Answer 6

I love the Argentinian y/ll. Es macho =)

Answer 7

It's similar to English. For example, take the word apredizaje.
Break it into syllables using a clap or any other standard English method:
a-pren-di-za-je. Then apply the pronunciation:
uh-pren-dee-za (tha)-hey

Answer 8

HI thyere,

As you have indicated there is a difference in pronounciation but there is also a difference in vocabulary. Pretty much like the difference between English English and American English.
For example the word Hembra (female) may be used colloquially in some countries for a woman but would be offensive in others. Or the pronounciation of a z as th or like an s, or the x as a j or as an x in English.
As to slang, the differences can be so great that speaking in the slang of one country may not be understood by people of other countries.
Stick to one pronunciation and you'll be all right.

PS I never thought of my pronounciation of the ll and y as being macho Manutd... mmm

Answer 9

Hola

As far as I know, "x" is nowhere pronounced as a "j" except in a few placenames that have preserved an outdated system (i.e. México). Note that the old spelling of "Don Quijote" was "Don Quixote".

The sound of "j" and "g" (in "ge" / "gi") is pronounced differently in different places: basically in Andalucía, Extrremadura and the Canary Islands it sounds like English "h"; in the rest of the peninsula it sounds like "ch" in Scottish "loch". As far as I know it sounds like English "h" all over Latin America. Both sounds are pretty similar so there is no possible confusion.

In some parts of Southern Spain (even sometimes in Madrid) you get the sound of English "h" in places you wouldn't expect, as in "este" (pronounced "ehte") or "langostino" (pronounced "langohtino").

You may read an excellent explanation of why "México" has an "x" instead of a "j" here.

Saludos

Answer 10

Buen informacion. Me gusta ese sitio web.

Answer 11

Y/LL when it sounds like a soft J in English? I also do that because it adds a bit more power to the word, although many Spanish teachers hate it, it's something I've picked up from my parents and I can't help it.

Answer 12

Yes, very peculiar reply, manudt. So I am Spanish and ...not macho then (if I were a man, of course, jejeje)'?

saludos

Answer 13

Jaja! No, ambos acentos son elegantes. Pero, aprendí el acento argentino mientras empezaba a aprender los básicos de la lengua, y por esto, me lo gusta más.

Answer 14

Steve, it's really a matter of your personal preference than a matter of right vs. wrong or better vs. worse.
Is that what you wanted to know, or did you want to know about some of the specific differences?
ME