Are we advanced students? How do I know?

Question

Dilken's answer brought us this extract. Are the marked words the ones that are difficult to understand? What's so difficult here? I admit the sentences are very long. and maybe not all native speakers would use all the words that appeared here. I might be wrong and what's difficult is not my underlined words but something else. Also remember this is literature and authentic Spanish. **What's difficult here? **

Le dio la carta cuyos secretos quería llevarse a la tumba, pero ella guardó los "pliegos"doblados en el tocador, sin leerlos, y cerró la gaveta con llave. Estaba acostumbrada a la insondable capacidad de asombro de su esposo, a sus juicios excesivos que se volvían más enrevesados con los años, a una estrechez de criterio que no se compadecía con su imagen pública. Pero aquella vez había rebasado sus propios límites. Ella suponía que su esposo no apreciaba a Jeremiah de Saint-Amour por lo que había sido antes, sino por lo que empezó a ser desde que llegó sin más prendas encima que su mochila de exiliado, y no podía entender por qué lo consternaba de aquel modo la revelación tardía de su identidad. No comprendía por qué le parecía abominable que hubiera tenido una mujer escondida si ese era un hábito atávico de los hombres de su clase, incluido él en un momento ingrato, y además le parecía una desgarradora prueba de amor que ella lo hubiera ayudado a consumar su decisión de morir. Dijo: “Si tú también decidieras hacerlo por razones tan serias como las que él tenía, mi deber sería hacer lo mismo que ella”. El doctor Urbino se encontró una vez más en la encrucijada de incomprensión simple que lo había exasperado durante medio siglo.

It is mostly the vocabulary you highlighted. There is also a big difference in reading skill depending on whether one really knows the words ... able to define them by themselves...or if context is necessary to sort of figure out what is being said. - DilKen, Aug 28, 2017

Some of the words you highlighted I know, other you didn't highlight I don't know. My main point is that a passage like this is a struggle for me to understand. When it's not a struggle, then I might consider myself an advanced reader. - DilKen, Aug 28, 2017

And even then, I won't consider myself Advanced in Spanish until speaking and oral comprehension are M U C H better than today. - DilKen, Aug 28, 2017

I think a normally educated native Spanish speaker could understand all the words, but uneducated people might have problems here. - polenta1, Aug 28, 2017

The sentences are too long and flowery but it seems to me there is no difficulty in structures, is there? - polenta1, Aug 28, 2017

Answer 1

I spend about 30-45 minutes every day watching the news on Canal 24h from Madrid. At times it's almost like listening in English. I can follow much of what they are saying and most of the rest I pick up from context. If I notice a word that I don't quite understand - that I think I should lol - then I make a mental note of it and have a little look later in the dictionary. That way I pick up the vast majority of the more common vocabulary. I'm not really interested in obscure vocab if I'm honest, perhaps this will change though as I progress further.

However when I visit southern Spain (usually the Murcia or Andalusia regions) it's a very different experience! For the first day or two I really struggle to understand the spoken language. Then usually as my ear becomes more tuned in I start to understand more and my communication tends to improve. I must admit, it's a slow process though. I'm fine if I'm in control of a conversation, but I still struggle to understand groups of local people chatting together in a bar, for example.

To me everyday communication, in real time as it were, is the key driver. This is how I judge my own progress - not whether I can find and regurgitate grammar articles or copy/paste from a text book.

I don't care whether my level is classed as "lower than a rattlesnake's belly". If I can see a clear progression, demonstrated by being able to actually use the language in day to day situations then I'm as happy as a pig in shhhh, erm I mean muck!

Watching the news is excellent. Congratulations billygoat - polenta1, Aug 28, 2017

I dont watch the news often enough. - Mardle, Aug 28, 2017

Answer 2

I am not a confidant speaker nor do I make sufficient effort to write Spanish. I think I should make the effort. A few years ago I went to a C1 class, but various classes stopped so I and two friends had to drop to a lower level and it is possible this class may not run. The teacher has labeled me the one who likes grammar! My listening skills are good and my reading is good too. I passed an O level in the seventies but did not speak any Spanish for more than thirty years. I have treated lessons as opening the door to new music, books and films and other culture. I know I should make more effort.

I have not read any Gabriel Garcia Marquez but do not find the extract difficult. I have read Laura Restrepo so I am happy with Colombian writers. In general reading Spanish the problems are Word order Length of sentences Working out the pronouns and subjects.

My vocabulary is reasonably extensive, but clearly it can hold you back.

Apart from Despacito, Spanish music is rubbish --- that Shakira is a bit tasty though ;-) - billygoat, Aug 28, 2017

Congratulation Mardle on reading and finding it not difficult. - polenta1, Aug 28, 2017

but nor is it easy. I have a reasonable level of Frenh and some Latin which helps in undrstanding words. - Mardle, Aug 28, 2017