Differences in Spanish as spoken in other countries

[bahamas]

guys i'm really into learning the spanish language and i'm also into looking at the cultural aspect of words used in spanish for example charco in cuba may mean puddle but charco in puerto rico may mean a small lake or pond. there similar but have different meanings depending on where you go that are different than the standard. This fascinates me. So i'm looking over different spanish slangs that i can find, like in cuba socio means friend or pal. in spain it means business partner.Or in DOM.REP- aposento is bed room in other places aposento means chamber.

What phrases or slangs in your country are different or may be different than ones in another.

[Rusty]

There are many such differences, and you don't have to go to a foreign country to hear variations in vocabulary.
I know four different words for a banana, and four different words for a child, because I lived in four contiguous countries. And I've since learned other words for these two objects just by participating in these forums.

The same thing happens with English. There are marked differences between the English spoken in America, Britain, Australia, Belize, and elsewhere. You may even find that your neighbor uses different vocabulary than you do.

The differences are vast and the list could go on and on. Some of these variations cause misunderstandings, much like what could happen if someone from England offered someone from the States their flat and neither was aware that the word is used differently in each country. The American would fret about how to respond to such a stupid offer, and the Brit would wonder why the Yank went on about cars and the lot.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Some of these variations cause misunderstandings, much like what could happen if someone from England offered someone from the States their flat and neither was aware that the word is used differently in each country.

It's hard to beat the Englishman telling the USian that he's going to pop out to smoke a fag.

[Rusty]

Agreed.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by pjt33

It's hard to beat the Englishman telling the USian that he's going to pop out to smoke a fag.

I'm sorry but I don't understand this last part of your post.
Because causally I did a little search about the fag meaning, I well, I'm not very sure if I'm write in this forums the meaning found, because the dictionary gave me as result a rudeness as meaning.

[Rusty]

You found the American English meaning, Crotalito.
You'll need to look in a British English dictionary to see what pjt33 meant.

An English word used in one place may have a very different meaning in another.

[hermit]

Right - in this case a humorous difference between BrE and NAme...

"To smoke" (slang), and "fag" are the important words here...

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Originally Posted by bahamas

guys i'm really into learning the spanish language and i'm also into looking at the cultural aspect of words used in spanish for example charco in cuba may mean puddle but charco in puerto rico may mean a small lake or pond. there similar but have different meanings depending on where you go that are different than the standard. This fascinates me. So i'm looking over different spanish slangs that i can find, like in cuba socio means friend or pal. in spain it means business partner.Or in DOM.REP- aposento is bed room in other places aposento means chamber.

What phrases or slangs in your country are different or may be different than ones in another.

That´s called dialects of the same language, some of those words were used in Spain centuries ago , if you say in Spain aposento now, people would laugh at you, but we understand it perfectly. And socio also has the cuban meaning in informal language. You see after all, they are not that different unless they take loanwords from their native language like in Ecuatorian etc...

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by Rusty

You found the American English meaning, Crotalito.
You'll need to look in a British English dictionary to see what pjt33 meant.

An English word used in one place may have a very different meaning in another.

Ok Rusty I got it the message, but still I have the doubt. If you consider that I can't the find the meaning in any dictionary, then in essence you can tell me a nearby meaning for identify that you are saying in that post, because as still I continue without find the meaning of the word, you know, I continue in the ignorance thus thing I don't like to be.

Please I will appreciate with you if you can give a nearby meaning of the word or phrase wrote in the last post.

[Rusty]

British English: fag = cigarette
American English: fag = homosexual

Smoke a fag.