In Honduras, do they speak proper Spanish?

Question

When I say proper Spanish, I mean like the Spanish you learn on this website.

Thanks for all your answers! I just suspected that there might be a variation in dialect, and as you say, slang. But if its textbook Spanish then no problem!

Answer 1

I have been living in Honduras on a permanent basis since 1994. I learned Spanish here. My teacher was a professional Honduran educator with 26 years of teaching experience. She taught me how to speak Spanish correctly, so now I can speak with doctors, teachers, lawyers and professionals without any problem. When it comes to average Honduran, they speak what is called "caliche", or slang. I was never taught anything about that, so I am at a loss. Campesinos speak something that I will never understand.

I found the same thing in Venezuela. I could speak Spanish with some people, had to learn the local slang to speak with others, and the people outside Caracas could not speak with the caraqueños. Just like the U.S. - KevinB, Nov 14, 2010

Hmm, I only know three 'average' Hondurans and they speak Spanish. I wonder how that happened? - Jack-OBrien, Nov 14, 2010

Jack - It's all Spanish. It's just accent and slang. When I was a kid I moved from Michigan to Mississippi. I couldn't understand a word the locals said. It certainly wasn't "proper English". It was much worse in the early '60's than it is now. - KevinB, Nov 14, 2010

Thanks Kevin. I guess I'm confused, why does Spanish 'slang' have names. - Jack-OBrien, Nov 14, 2010

My Hispanic friends here in South Georgia love the way English is spoken here, nice and slow. They say "it's so easy to understand". - Jack-OBrien, Nov 14, 2010

Maybe because we have too many different regional slangs to name? I don't know. - KevinB, Nov 15, 2010

because ´slang´ is not a Spanish word?? :-) - mediterrunio, Nov 15, 2010

Answer 2

Those who have gone to school and received a proper education, of course! Why shouldn't they?

Answer 3

Reasonably well educated (completed high-school) Spanish speakers (like their English speaking counterparts) have little trouble understanding one another, despite their countries of origin. If they've completed college/university, so much the better.

Answer 4

What do you mean by proper. Spanish fromSpain? or good level of language?