Differences in Spanish as spoken in other countries

[explorator]

The meaning of the word "socio", has in Cuba and in other spanish speaking countries near to the United States, interesting links with the english language. So the "canonic" spanish meaning for socio can be tranlated into english as partner, but partner is close in pronuntiation to the spanish galicism "partenaire", meaning pareja. From this two coincidences you arrive easily to the refered meaning. Anyway, in general, from the point of view of the spanish speakers from Spain the words in spanish-american have lots of meaning different from the european one, that have been made to close it to the english. In fact, the spanish-american is changing even it structures in grammar making them day after day more and more close to the english ones. So, here in Spain, we find strange hearing "estamos esperando por ti" (we are waititng for you) en vez de "estamos esperándote a ti" or "te ves muy bonita" (you look pretty) por "te sienta muy bien" or "estás muy guapa". There are lots of examples but to summarize I just wont to tell that the nearer are the spanish speaker countries to the cultural influence from the United States, the more similarities in words meaning and grammar structures has the language spoken.

[poli]

Originally Posted by Rusty

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

Smoke a fag.

cuídanse con la palaba faghomosexual porque es una palabra despectiva y homosexual es neutral.
Se compara con la palabra nigger para los African-americanos o blacks una palabra que se usa solamente con mucha cuidad si no quieren ofender.

[CrOtALiTo]

The fag word is very offensive in this case homosexual and fag are quite the same and they are a rudeness in English right.

[flamencoguy]

In many states in the United States, the word "fag" is legally considered hate-speech, which makes that word as bad as any horrible thing you can call a person of a different race, religion, ethnicity, gender, etc. in the eyes of the law. I'm not a lawyer, but I have heard that if someone is assaulted and hate-speech is used, it turns the crime into a much more serious civil rights violation. I used to say that word all the time as a youngster, calling my friends that when they did something stupid or silly. I regret that behavior and that word is pretty much erased from my vocabulary.

Now back to the original question and a little more lightheartedness:

En México, "Coger el autobús" significa algo muy diferente que en España. jajajaja

Also, in Andalucía, especially in the flamenco community, the word "prima" (cousin) is also used as an affectionate word for girlfriend, or any girl that is a friend. A lot of flamenco lyrics talk about how much the guy loves his "prima" and her kisses and he's so sad that she left him... Sometimes when the songs are translated into English, it sounds a bit odd and incestuous.

[poli]

One of the things you will find if you speak with people from different Spanish-speaking communities is that word meanings change from country to country and these changes sometimes cause misunderstandings which
on occasion may lead to fights.

[CrOtALiTo]

Yes Poli.

I'm agree with you, there're different countries where is spoken the same language but with different accentuation in the language although the language always will be the same at this case, for example here in Mexico always you will find the same language but with severals idioms or slangs, but well I think that result good for the person already you can learn more choices and add them in your vocabulary, in essence you can speak or learn wherever only you need to follow the Spanish rules.

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by flamencoguy

Also, in Andalucía, especially in the flamenco community, the word "prima" (cousin) is also used as an affectionate word for girlfriend, or any girl that is a friend. A lot of flamenco lyrics talk about how much the guy loves his "prima" and her kisses and he's so sad that she left him... Sometimes when the songs are translated into English, it sounds a bit odd and incestuous.

"Prima" doesn't mean "novia" in any part of Spain, not even in Andalucía. The question you are talking about is that many gypsies marry with their cousins and many flamenco singers are gypsies, but it has nothing to do with the meaning of "prima" in Spanish, which means "cousin", in Andalucía and everywhere. Another thing would be the meaning of "primo", which can mean "sucker", too.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

"Prima" doesn't mean "novia" in any part of Spain, not even in Andalucía. The question you are talking about is that many gypsies marry with their cousins and many flamenco singers are gypsies, but it has nothing to do with the meaning of "prima" in Spanish, which means "cousin", in Andalucía and everywhere. Another thing would be the meaning of "primo", which can mean "sucker", too.

I'm quite agree with your commentary, because inclusive here in México prima is your cousin.

Greetings.

[flamencoguy]

I completely understand that "prima" means "cousin" in all accepted Spanish. Also, I agree that there was a lot of marriage between cousins in the gypsy community, due to them being a very closed society. That obviously led to its use in traditional flamenco lyrics talking about an amorous relationship between two cousins. There is no disagreement there.

I know I've definitely heard "prima" used in Granada, Spain for "close friend (that wasn't a cousin)" and I only know the amorous connotation from flamenco lyrics. The last time I spent a significant amount of time in Granada was 2003, so maybe it was a passing fad.

While urban dictionary isn't the model academic source, I found similar meaning in the most accepted definition that includes a Spanglish sentence.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=prima

There are a lot of newer flamenco lyrics to be found that also use "prima" as a term of endearment or pet name. Some of them are just original poems/lyrics that people post on the internet. I have to imagine that some people actually use that language in real life and they are not talking about being in love with their cousins...

For something we can all agree on, "tío" in Spain, means "guy" or "dude" in a generic sense as well as meaning "uncle" as it does everywhere else. De acuerdo?

[poli]

Yes tío means guy/bloke in Spain. Tío in Peru means old man.