If you're going to use my native language to add emphasis to a statement, have the decency to use it correctly. Take the time goddamit; it's disrecpectful otherwise. It's not "mano y mano," like the color guy on the OSU/LSU game just said, meaning to say "hand to hand" in Spanish. The way he said it translates as "hand and hand." Doesn't quite pack the same punch, does it? It's "mano a mano." Carajo.
Obviously, joking is different. But when it is an egregious mistake like that, it gets kind of to the point where it really pisses me off.
speaking of Spanglish...god what a terrible movie...back on topic, I am always overly amused when me and my family go to a Mexican restaurant and my woman just points at what she wants....lol....
The world doesnt revolve around you. It also bothers me that Hyundai decided to butcher the hell out of the name of their cars the Tiburon, as the commercial guys constantly prounounce it as Ti-ber-on. Way to **** up a cool word *******s!
Columbia... that is a big one with me... I just can't take it that they can't make it Colombia... it is not that hard. Between that and how i have gone from Leo (lease en espaniol, leo) to Lio, to Layo, to Liaeo, to different variations, since it seems to be impossible to get an e sound out of an english speaker.
very ad hoc to this thread, i am working on this show and the narrator keeps on saying mr. Dominiguez instead of Mr Dominguez in every Voice over... It is getting on my nerves.
How about "Havana" instead of its already-shortened modern name of "La Habana"? Actual, official name: San Cristobal de La Habana.
In all seriousness though, its a common happenning for every language. Different people have different dialects and are accustomed to speaking a certain way. Its hard to grasp a new language and not want to contribute your own language into it. I know personally when someone is speaking spanish to me, what little I do know( I use to know alot more in FL., but in Indiana I have little use for it) I would be saying the words in english in my head before I said them in spanish. The English language gets butchered as well. For example, their is no "J" in yesterday(Jesterday). Their is no "Y" in job(Yob).
There is a general, and even specific acceptance of the vernacular into official English; the word "ain't" is a prime example, once reviled but now legitimized in published dictionary editions. I believe that this is part of the natural evolution of any language, and a welcome development which keeps language current and relevant as long as it does not take every fad, no matter how common the usage, into legitimacy without some evidence of longevity of pervasive use. However, English is the official language of this country; Spanish is not. Therefore, as with any minority element, care must be taken to avoid possible institutionalization of the majority's denigration of the minority or its conventions. That's where I'm coming from on this topic. If Americans want to allow their language to be butchered by abhorrent practice such as is textspeak, that's their business, however regrettable. But when Americans disregard proper usage of my proud language by carelessly disregarding its conventions - again, not in jest as in the ubiquitous Cinco de Mayo crap that goes on every year - and then compound the offense by blowing it off, saying "Whatever" when the error is pointed out - then THAT makes my café con leche boil over. I feel the same When I witness lack of respect for other languages as well, by the way; such as when people try to enhance the meaning of "a lot" or "many" by saying "bookoos", meaning to say the French "beaucoup". The point is that in this country there is a casual disregard for proper language usage in general; when applied to its own official language, one can only shake one's head and bemoan it. But when an American demonstrates the same disregard for a language not his own, then that is both rude and arrogant - and it is one of the top reasons that people in other countries dislike Americans in general, although not all are offenders in this category. A minimal effort to gain some perspective into what other people want, instead of thoughtlessly imposing their own, often simply careless, norms on the language and customs of other nations would go a long way to bridging the ever-widening rift between the people of this country and those of the rest of the world.
How bout he doesnt and we all just lighten up? Relax bro, everyone has a right to their opinion. I for one see the mispronouncing of foriegn languages as just "how it is" so to speak. The english language is a lazy language, but, its a double standard IMO to say its ok to mispronounce english words, but not another language. Its the same thing, its just different to some because we as americans are use to the slaughtering of the english language.
I don't have as much of a problem with mispronunciation, since it can be a product of many factors including a lack of education in a certain area, or simply a lack of knowledge. As long as it's not intentional nor derisive. You know what I mean. And no, I'm not saying it's OK to butcher English; I've raged about that in the past, with posters who use textspeak on one side and the old farts like me on the other. I'm only pointing out that since English is the official language of the U.S, and it is people here that are doing the butchering, well...it's not so much my battle to fight; although I feel as American as anyone else, having been raised almost my entire life here. I'm only choosing to "fight" this battle, because it sticks in my craw. That's all...it's a personal thing, like it bugs me that a lot of people don't use turn signals, or don't turn on their headlights until it is pitch-dark. In the latter two examples, people are choosing to disrespect other drivers and any pedestrians unfortunate enough to cross their paths; in the former, they are disrespecting a language that is my father's and my mother's, and their parents' before them. Before that doesn't count, since my great-great-grandfather was a thief who had to flee Ireland but had only enough potatoes for passage to the Canary Islands, where he met my great-great-grandmother. In a brothel. But hey, I'm told he learned Spanish pretty quickly.
His point that it is one thing if you where living in Mexico and when speaking spanish some mistakes came to you, well that is one thing, it is normal and completely understandable. What would annoy you is if some idiot mexican kept on seeing you on the street and saying "Gimme Fivey" or something like this, just because he is trying to use a common american expression... that would be the difference. (by the way that is considering you are indeed living in mexico) So lets all hug now and gimme fivey!!!!
