Re:Differences in Cadence
Sir/Madam,
encouraged by individual progress with my efforts to learn Spanish through books, CDs and above all the wonderful material available on your website, I had purchased some more books today.
Amongst my purchases, I was rather disappointed going through the material (CDs) of AULA. While I am not writing any adverse comments regarding their material (written and audio); not being in the least qualified to do so, what I had found rather discouraging / disappointing as a student of the language, was the cadence and pronounciation of excerpts from speakers ex- Cuba, Venezuela and partly Argentina as well, in that the language spoken there is rather different from what is apparently spoken in Spain and some other Hispanoamerican countries. Most of the words were so to say "' eaten up'' and notwithstanding beauty of Spanish in so far as clarity of rules regarding the spoken word are concerned, the beauty of the spoken Spanish, seemed lost in éaten words'. I, therefore, wondered, whether I am on the right track!.
Is this because the language spoken in Spanish speaking countries (the colloquial so to say) needs very attentive listening in the sense it is distorted in the normal course, or else, over a period of time; after learning Spanish in its'' classical teaching methodology ex- institutes in proper Spain(e.g, Instituto Cervantes where I have recently applied for enrollment for their distance laerning programe), an aspirant would be able to comprhend local / regional nucanes?.
Please advice. I need to your guidance to follow the correct path, in my efforts to learn one of the finest Greco-Latin languages. As one who has a diploma in advanced French, I must put on record my feelings regarding the beauty of the Spanish language...it is spoken the way it is written and within the bounds of very clear rules that make it easy for a foreigner to assimilate the same.
with best regards Ashok
3 Answers
Ashok, welcome to the forum.
I'm at a bit of a loss as to why you writing here on SpanishDict, a learning site, to complain about the CDs you purchased.
If you'd like to take some free video lessons, simply click the Learn Spanish tab at the top of this screen.
Indeed there are are many parts of the Caribbean where they "eat/swallow their "s's" (there are also portions of Andalucia where they do the same [and the latter almost certainly explains the former]). This is simply a fact of life. Spanish as spoken anywhere will seem somewhat odd to some people from other parts of the world. Spanish pronunciation is not entirely consistent throughout the Spanish speaking world but compared to many languages the differences are minor and tend to be consistent/regular.
I want to thank you both for your kind responses. My intention was neither to complain about the CDs that I had purchased and the recorded dialogues therein, nor about the teaching methodology that is exclusive to an organisation.
I had merely wanted encouragement and guidance on how to proceed further which in any case I plan to and am very clear about. The beauty of Spanish which is apparent even to a total novice like me; off which I have barely scratched the surface, is spurring me on to progress further.
Thanks once again for your kind thoughts.
Sincerely Ashokcee
