accents

[Marsopa]

Speaking of accents (I was just reading the rest of yesterday's thread), do you native Spanish speakers find a particular foreign accent in your language "ugly."

I was just wondering because to me, to hear Spanish spoken with a heavily American accent sounds really bad.

Does it to you all? Or is there some other accent that is more annoying?

Thanks,

Marsopa

[Tomisimo]

I know what you mean Marsopa. I think a heavy American accent when speaking Spanish sounds bad, but that's probably because that's the very accent I have tried so hard to erase from my own speech. On the other hand, I once knew a French woman who was in a Spanish class with me and her French accent while speaking Spanish was quite intriguing. An American accent when speaking Spanish may be interesting to, say, a German.

I actually don't mind a bad accent in any language, but what I can't stand is if the person doesn't care and has absolutely no desire to improve their accent.

[María José]

Spanish spoken with a heavy American accent sounds unbelievably sweet...

[Alfonso]

I agree the point is not to erase completely your accent because it sounds ugly (it doesn't sounds ugly!), but to improve it to make yourself more fluent on the language. By the way, I've got a French aunt who's been living in Spain for maybe 40 years who hasn't lost her French accent. It sounds OK to me. If someday she spoke to me in a clear and unpolluted Spanish I will think my aunt has been taken by an alien.

[poli]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

I agree the point is not to erase completely your accent because it sounds ugly (it doesn't sound ugly!), but to improve it,and to make yourself more fluent in the language. By the way, I've got a French aunt who's been living in Spain for maybe 40 years who hasn't lost her French accent. It sounds OK to me. If someday she speaks to me in a clear and unpolluted Spanish I will think my aunt had been taken by an alien.

Estoy de acuerdo, los acentos pueden sonar bellos, misteriosos, graciosos feos, cómicos, incomprehensivos. A veces puedo distinguir un acento en el modo que una persona escribe. Estoy casi seguro que mi modo de escribir español muestra un acento. Quedo sorprendido que el accento americana suena bien, pero depende en la persona que lo usa. El acento John Wayne en español me parece muy desagradable.

[María José]

Originally Posted by poli

Estoy de acuerdo, los acentos pueden sonar bellos, misteriosos, graciosos feos, cómicos, incomprehensivos. A veces puedo distinguir un acento en el modo que una persona escribe. Estoy casi seguro que mi modo de escribir español muestra un acento. Quedo sorprendido que el accento americana suena bien, pero depende en la persona que lo usa. El acento John Wayne en español me parece muy desagradable.

I kind of imagine you as having a sweet accent .And what kind of accent do I have then?

[poli]

Imagino que hablas con un accento inglés con un mínimo susurro de
español.

[María José]

People usually say Irish or (surprise, surprise) American...

[poli]

Some people cannot identify my accent. They know it's foreign though.

[Elaina]

I love accents!! I try to imagine where people are from by their accent. Unfortunately, I have been told I don't have an accent in English or Spanish so they have to guess by my looks if I am American or of Hispanic descent. There's just no mystery to that..

I imagined Gemma with an accent but for some reason I didn't think Poli would have one..... I do imagine Alfonso with an accent though.....but I also imagine him in a smoking jacket, smoking a pipe, sitting in his library and being surrounded by stiff intellectuals. I think he lets loose with us.

Rusty....I imagine him with a slight accent when he speaks Spanish, I envision him as a down to earth kinda guy!

David reminds me of that chef that has lived in Mexico for years and has now adopted many of the customs of Mexico and its gastronomical faire...

I know, I must be rambling....I am tired but have to work another hour. Bear with me.

Elaina

[María José]

I love your ramblings, Elaina. Can you write another piece about the way you think we all look?

[Elaina]

Okay.....one at a time.

I am still rambling since I returned to work at 7:00 a.m. and only had a few hours of sleep.....

Sosia....he is my buddy! He and I didn't quite see eye to eye on some things at the beginning of my joining this Forum.

Sosia, me lo imagino con espejuelos, brusco, pero muy intelectual. Para él no existe el área gris.....es blanco o negro.

He's kind of stiff not very willing to veer off his track.

Gemma, ¿tu crees que se haya enfadado Alfonso con mi descripción de él?

Espero que no......this is all in fun.

Elaina

[Alfonso]

¿Enfadarme? I'm still laughing at it and wondering how is it possible to give a so wrong image of myself. I quitted smoking when I was six and a half years old, but never smoke on pipe. And I am not surrounded by intelectuals (they are boring) but by students (some of them are a lot of fun). Anyway, I'm sure internet changes people, and very often we offer an image of ourself very different from the truth, except Gemma, who cannot hide her epitomizing innocence...

[sosia]

I must say Elaina's version of Alfonso was not far away from mine's. My Alfonso was with a waistcoat/vest and smoking a pipe and sitting in his library, but with a computer by his side. Stiff intelectuals and internet usually don't go side by side
Tu sosia...... no has acertado nada , pero te quiero igual.
I must say im more agressive in the net, because its my alter-ego (my sosia)
My Elaina was a Salma Hayek type (in Ugly Betty) but not so agressive. "morena, bajita, guapa, que sabe reirse de si mismo y de los demás, y que consigue lo que quiere)

saludos

[poli]

Originally Posted by Alfonso

¿Enfadarme? I'm still laughing at and wondering how is it possible that I present so wrong an image of myself. I quit smoking when I was six and a half years old,and never smoke a pipe. And I am not surrounded by intelectuals (they are boring) but by students (some of them are a lot of fun). Anyway, I'm sure internet changes people, and very often we offer an image of ourself very different from the truth, except Gemma, who cannot hide that fact that she is the epitome of innocence.(or except Gemma who epitomises innocence)

(you can say "reeks innocence" significa que es tan inocente que la inocencia sale por los poros--casi la puede oler)

¿A quien enseñas--imigrantes o estudiantes de otros paises?

[María José]

El día que vea a Alfonso in a smoking jacket or a vest, me desmayo.
And how can you say I'm innocent, si soy un pingo...

[Jane]

Originally Posted by Elaina

Okay.....one at a time.


......this is all in fun.

Elaina

It´s fun reading this, and since you said one at a time, you wouldn´t want to leave some people out now, would you Elaina?
Sosia, I didn´t know you are a guy. I imagined you to be a lady, well into her 40´s, very graceful and with steel rimmed glasses at the tip of her nose...

[sosia]

Originally Posted by Jane

It´s fun reading this, and since you said one at a time, you wouldn´t want to leave some people out now, would you Elaina?
Sosia, I didn´t know you are a guy. I imagined you to be a lady, well into her 40´s, very graceful and with steel rimmed glasses at the tip of her nose...

lady
into her 40 34....
very graceful
steel rimmed glasses I wear glasses, the glass has no rimm, in order to se them less.

man, happily married (my wife cook and order ), with a 8-month super-cute baby (girl), I read anything that has letters. Engineer & programmer. Very optimistic, but I like to spoil others with my comments (altough I it's not my opinion). For example I love man jokes, although my wife controls me.
An example of a man-joke
""cuando llegará la mujer a la luna?" When will be a woman reach the moon
-cuando haya que barrerla " -Whe the moon needs a sweep.
I love the faces of the women being told that

I think Tomissimo must move this thread to "what's your opinin the other peorson looks like?"

Jane: a disco-lover, 25, sho loves reading with a swiming-pool by his side. And Gemma must be her twin

saludos

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by poli

(you can say "reeks innocence" significa que es tan inocente que la inocencia le sale por los poros--casi se puede oler)

¿A quién enseñas, inmigrantes o estudiantes de otros países?

I teach both. In Madrid a group of immigrants, mostly from Nigeria. In Toledo students from other countries, especially from USA. Yesterday I said good bye to a huge and fantastic group of Texans, from TAMU University. I had a lot of fun with them. I also learnt some English...

Thanks a lot for your corrections and explanations, Poli.

[Alfonso]

Originally Posted by Gemma

El día que vea a Alfonso in a smoking jacket or a vest, me desmayo.
And how can you say I'm innocent, si soy un pingo...

I think you are both.