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Biscuit
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Quote Biscuit Replybullet Topic: Spanish Accents
    Posted: 05 December 2007 at 9:15pm
Is there a website that will allow you to hear a passage spoken by people in different Spanish speaking countries in order to hear the difference of the accent?

From what i understand, Castillian seems to sound substantially different from Latin American Spanish.  Is Castillian spoken all over Spain?

Also, as with any language spoken in various regions, many will agree that one accent sounds more pleasing than another.  Many will say that a urban-british accent is the most pleasing.  Is there a Spanish speaking area/region that can claim this?
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nesf_e_yahan
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Quote nesf_e_yahan Replybullet Posted: 19 December 2007 at 6:08am
First of all, Castillian is the name used in Spain to name the spanish language, because there are some other spanish languages: catala, euskara and  galego. Castillian is the official language of all of Spain, while the other languages are official only in the regions where they are spoken.
 
In this bilingual regions, you can speak in castillian knowing you're going to be understood. However, in some rural areas people tend to use their own language instead of castillian for everyday use. Only in a very few places people have difficulties in speaking in castillian.
 
Anyway, as in other parts of the globe, unfortunately languages in Spain have been invaded by politics and nationalism. So, speaking certain language makes you take sides within the political struggle.
 
The most pleasing accent? Some say the prototype castillian is spoken in the region around the city of Salamanca, home of one of the oldest universities in Europe.
 
I hope this help.
 
Kind regards
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pcolageorge
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Quote pcolageorge Replybullet Posted: 31 March 2008 at 8:41pm
Hello,

My father was in the US Navy, stationed in Puerto Rico.  As a member of the DOD school, we were basically required to take Spanish (no problems with that here).  So, I took Spanish for three years, got pretty good at it.  My father was transfered to Spain and I was advanced from 6th grade Spanish to 8th.  Needless to say, they kicked me back to 6th grade once I started speaking. 

There is quite a difference in the accents.  The DLPT in Spanish contains a huge variety of dialects that have to be understood in order to get a decent score.

George
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Camila
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Quote Camila Replybullet Posted: 22 April 2008 at 5:22am
Hola! Soy Camila.  I took up Spanish classes way back in college for a year and got pretty high grades.  I'm not really good in pointing out which is the most pleasing Spanish accent.  But, accent really differs from each location.  What I can say is that, the Mexican accent (as what we heard from our professor's Spanish audio tape), is indeed lively.  That is the best for me. 

By the way, online language tools are very useful to further understand Spanish.

Bueno, Hasta luego!

Cost EffectiveLanguage TranslationServices
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liddytime
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Quote liddytime Replybullet Posted: 22 April 2008 at 10:55am
Ditto with George. I grew up in SoCal and was nearly fluent in "Cali-Spanish" but when I went to study in Spain, I couldn't understand anybody!! Castillian Spanish tends to be spoken much faster and the "th"-ing of s's and z's tends to swallow up a lot of sounds.

Go to the websites of whichever country you are interested in and find their online radio and tv sites. I know Tve is the big one for Spain. You'll get an idea of the accents.   I also have a heck of a time with Argentinean/Chilean accents - very different!!!


Interesting side note. I made a Spanish friend there who couldn't understand I thing I said in English unless I spoke with a British accent!!

BL
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luzpariseiffel
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Quote luzpariseiffel Replybullet Posted: 03 May 2008 at 9:31pm
Hi, I'm mexican, I'm new in this forum, I can say you web address of Mexican TV and free!!!
 
Hola, soy mexicana, soy nueva en este foro, puedo decirte direcciones de televisión mexicana gratis!!!
 
Multimedios televisión . Channel 12 Monterrey Nuevo León.
 
Radio 102.1 fm de Mty Nl. Mex
Classical Music
 
 
Radio 102.9 fm de Mty Nl. Méx.
 
 
TV azteca . National TV.
 
 
I hope help you with these pages.
Espero haberte ayudado con esas páginas.
 
good bye
bye
En el cielo tengo una estrella que se llamó Solecito y solo brilla para mi.
I've in the sky a star named Solecito and shines only for me.
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dbzman
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Quote dbzman Replybullet Posted: 07 January 2009 at 2:58pm

Hola Todos:

 

I have traveled most of Latin America, I am close to fluent.  Some in South America consider me fluent, but I don't consider myself there yet.

There is a clear difference in the accents.  I have never been to Spain, but I subscribe to the "Spanish Package" from my local cable provider.  I recive boradcasts form Spain and Latin America.  The Castilian Accent is quite unique.  I will not claim to be an expert, but I believe most native Spanish speakers will agree with what I put together below.

 

I would classify the accents in 5 major categories (there are some subs) This list is my opinion, and there are always exceptions in every region:

 

1. Castilian (Mostly from Europe)

The z and ci are pronounced like the English "th."

 

2. Andean (Mountain regions of Venz, Colo, Ecua, Bolivia, Peru, Chile)

 I find this close to "textbook" Latin American pronunciation.  They tend to pronounce every syllable and correctly.    The ll or y (when in the middle of a word) sounds a bit more like the  “J” in English just not as hard.  The people in the large inland cities like to make fun of the way the people on the coast talk.  (see No. 4 Caribbean basin)

 

3. Mexican (Although I would say that the people of Mexico City have there own.)

      If you grew up in any state that borders Mexico, this is what you hear.  This is a cross between the Carribiean and Andian, they tend to elongate the last syllable.  This seems not to be the case of the people born in Mexico City.

 

4. Caribbean Basin (includes the islands, Central America, Northern Coast of S. A., and parts of Mexico.

If you live in the large NE cities of the US or Miami, this is what you generally here.  If a word in spanish can still be recognized by dropping the "s" then do so and speak very rapidly.  i.e.... Estoy = etoy  Pais = pai.

 

5. Southern Cone (Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina)

Like the Andian, they pronounce everything but with an Italian inflection.  (not Joking)   This is due to large Italian immigration to these parts of South America.  FYI..The population in the southern part of Brazil speak Portuguese with an Italian inflection also.

 

From these general “rules I can demine a region.   Later on I learned that each specific area uses certain words or expressions unique to them.  So from the accent and certain words I know where they are from.

 
 Regards,
 
David
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