Quote:
Originally Posted by columbus
When you say Spanish, do you realise just how many dialects there are in Spain?. I speak/understand/write/read Castillano. I live in Valencia province, where they speak Vallenciano. Quite how you learn this without living in the province I do not know as there are no published dictionaries. Have you ever heard a Basque speaker? to me it sounds like Russian!. In the USA you speak Latin American Spanish (Castillano / idioma de Madrid). I don't know all of them but I can think of at least seven Spanish dialects. We have only I think 4 distinct dialects of English in the UK. But correct me please.
I am sure one of our Spanish members will correct me and clarify this.
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I know somewhat about the dialects in Spain, I think this is the only case where there is such a huge gap in language. I believe el Gallego is the most dramatic of the examples. In many countries in South America they have Spanish and the original Native American Dialect (merged somewhat with either Spanish or Portuguese mainly), but this is considered as a separate language.
And you are right there are many differences now a days from the 'original' Castellano; but I know we can all manage to communicate rather well. There are many words that one person from one area calls item X and that same word can mean item Z to another, but it doesn't mean that i can't tell him good morning or something of the sort.
And as for the comprehension; I know exactly what you mean. I am fomr Costa Rica and Dominican Republic; and the family on the DR side speak SO FAST that I NEED my mom to translate. But hey I have learned little by little and it is part of my culture, and they might say things differently ( instead of saying 'puerta' enunciating the 'r' they say 'pueytah') but in the end i know what they are referring to.