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Differences in Spanish as spoken in other countries

 

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  #21  
Old January 14, 2011, 11:33 AM
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When I was doing the military service I realized the gypsi soldiers used to call each other "primo". So if you was talking to them and you said "tu primo ha dicho esto o lo otro" they understood you was talking about another gypsi. Apparently this is a widespread custom among the Spanish gypsies because they consider themselves as part of the same family.
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  #22  
Old January 14, 2011, 11:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by explorator View Post
When I was doing the military service I realized the gypsi soldiers used to call each other "primo". So if you was were talking to them and you said "tu primo ha dicho esto o lo otro" they understood you was talking about another gypsi. Apparently this is a widespread custom among the Spanish gypsies because they consider themselves as part of the same family.
That's because they almost certainly are.

Gypsy, not gypsi
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  #23  
Old February 22, 2011, 10:41 PM
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Toque = A joint of marijuana in many countries, but a "moment" in Costa Rica.
Mae = From "maje". Means "friend, guy" in Costa Rica.
Churro = A pastry in many countries. Means "handsome" in Colombia.
Corrongo = handsome in Costa Rica
Rumba = A dance in many countries. "Fun, party" in Colombia.
Chiva = A goat in many countries. A type of rural bus in Panama and Colombia. In Panamanian and Colombian cities, a chiva is often a mobile party-nightclub-bar, a bus without seats so people can dance and drink as it races around corners. Means "fantastic" in Costa Rica. "Chivas" are belongings in Mexico.
Bomba = A bomb or pump usually, but a gas station in Costa Rica.
Tuanis = "Far out" in Central America.
"Porfa" = "Por favor" in Central America.
"Reu" = "Meeting" in Costa Rica.
"Porsiaca = "Por si acaso" in Costa Rica.
"Pipa" = A smoking pipe in most countries, or a water tank, but the outer shell of the coconut in Costa Rica.
"Coco" = The inner hard shell of the coconut.
"Machete" = A large knife used in rural areas in most countries. In Costa Rica it is a very specific type of knife. What we call "machete" elsewhere is merely a "cuchillo" in CR.
"Navaja" = A knife or a razor in most countries. In Costa Rica the word is "cuchilla".
"Chunche" = Thing, gadget, belonging, gizmo in Central America.
Tuctuc = Three-wheeled taxi or delivery vehicle in Guatemala. Elsewhere the usual word is "motocarro".
Ruana = Colombian term for a thick poncho. A Colombian "poncho" is very thin and found in the northern coffee growing areas.
Tinto = Usually a wine. In Colombia, it is black coffee.
Pericos = Usually parakeets. In Colombia, around Bogota it is a type of coffee, outside Bogota it is a type of scrambled eggs.
Mazorca = In Peru the word is choclo.
The fruit called "pejibaye" in Costa Rica is called "chontaduro" in Colombia. Regardless of the name, the date-like fruit tastes like a raw potato. Yuck!
"Bicho" is usually a bug, but in some areas it is a bad word.

And the list could go on and on....

Last edited by Rusty; January 24, 2012 at 09:50 AM. Reason: added more comments by the OP, included in a later post
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  #24  
Old February 25, 2011, 10:26 AM
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Quote:
British English: fag = cigarette
American English: fag = homosexual
Then I must to be careful when I say that word.

For example in this phrase is a rudeness.

Montero is a fag, because he always is afraid.
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Last edited by AngelicaDeAlquezar; February 25, 2011 at 01:35 PM. Reason: Removed spam link
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  #25  
Old December 18, 2011, 09:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
It's hard to beat the Englishman telling the USian that he's going to pop out to smoke a fag.
Or, the Englishman asking his USian date what time he should knock her up?
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  #26  
Old December 19, 2011, 12:35 PM
pacomartin123 pacomartin123 is offline
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Get in BrE and AmE

When comparing British English (BrE) to American English (AmE) people tend to concentrate on the phrases that are vulgar in one dialect, and not vulgar in the other. The phrases "knock me up" and the word "fag" are vulgar in AmE, but not in BrE. For an example going the other direction, the word "fanny" is vulgar in BrE, but not at all vulgar in AmE. The two dialects use the word for different parts of the human anatomy.

But the most commonly used word that differs is the verb "to get". In AmE, the past participles "got" and "gotten" are used with different meanings. In BrE "gotten" is old-fashioned, and only "got" is used.

In AmE, the "past participle" is used as follows:
"I have got to get up earlier."
"I have gotten up later than 10 o'clock every day this week."
For BrE you would use "got" in both cases.

Interestingly enough, in Spanish the equivalent verb, "coger" has the problem that it has a vulgar meaning in some cultures, and a neutral meaning in others.

While in English you can say "I have to get some of that", it does have sexual connotation, but it is only mildly risque. However, the verb is still primarily neutral, because it is very clear when an English speaker means to use it in sexual manner. In Spanish , just using the word can be provocative (depending on the country).
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  #27  
Old December 22, 2011, 03:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
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.
I bought a English book in the supply store and I had a weekend homework for me and that was to search the fag for work, because I'm puzzled with the word, I wanted to use it before in other place but as I'm not very sure what does it means, then I don't tend to use it soon.

The result was the same that I found surfing in internet the result is very rudeness if you let me to write what I found in the book, then I think you can orient me with more focused in the understand of the true meaning of the word.

For me that word is a enigma for the moment, then I'm wondering to go other place for example I'd like to go a bookcase and well just I'll ask some book related with the British language, I'm gonna check other result of the book such I can give other chance to understand clarify the word.

What do you think about it?
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  #28  
Old December 22, 2011, 05:57 PM
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In American English, the word 'fag' is a pejorative slang term for a homosexual. If you're speaking with folks that speak American English, that is what you should expect them to understand if you use the term.
In British English, the word 'fag' is a slang term for 'cigarette'. If you're speaking with a bloke from England, you should expect him to understand it that way.
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  #29  
Old January 15, 2012, 09:07 AM
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  • Maletero; in US = trunk, UK = boot.
  • Capó; in US = hood, UK = bonnet.
  • Capota; in US = tonneau, UK = hood.
  • Parabrisas; in US = windshield, in UK = windscreen.
  • Gasolina; in US = gas, in UK = petrol.
  • Acera; in US = sidewalk, UK = pavement.
  • Chaleco (con botones); in US = vest, in UK = waistcoat.
  • Tirantes; in US = suspenders, in UK = braces.
With all the anti-smoking legislation in the UK it's quite normal to hear someone say "I'm just going outside to have a fag" and nobody bats an eyelid - however if you say that in the US, well I'll leave that to your imagination...!
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Last edited by Sancho Panther; January 15, 2012 at 09:14 AM.
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  #30  
Old January 15, 2012, 10:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sancho Panther View Post
...
  • Capota; in US = tonneau, UK = hood.
...!

I've never heard "tonneau" before. From on-line dictionary searches I've figured out several possible meanings that it could have, but I've always heard and used other expressions for all of them. To me, capota = "[convertible] top", which a convertible has instead of a roof.
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