[Tango-L] Spanish

[Erika Hilliard]

Perhaps someone has already mentioned this and I missed it, but a great
interactive web site for learning Spanish (and any number of other
languages) is www.livemocha.com. It's amazing that it's free. It contains
learning, reviewing, reading and writing exercises complete with colorful
photos depicting the meaning of the words or sentences. A network of
language-learning pals from all over the world correct your writing and your
pronunciation. You return the favor by correcting short compositions written
in your native language. Another site is www.mangolanguages.com. However, I
had trouble getting beyond the first sample lesson. 
Hope you enjoy livemocha as much as I do. Erika 

-----Original Message-----
From: tango-l-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:tango-l-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of
larrynla at juno.com
Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2009 5:24 PM
To: tango-L at mit.edu
Subject: [Tango-L] Spanish

Perhaps the most noticeable and easiest adjusted-to difference of north 
Argentine Spanish is how y and ll (which sound to English speakers like 
the y in yes) are pronounced. It sounds like zh (the French j). This is 
what you hear on the radio and TV and movies. But in Buenos Aires the 
zh sound often becomes sh.

The singular you in many Spanish dialects is usted if formal, tu if 
informal or familiar. In Rioplatense tu is replaced by vos. The verb-
form used with vos is different than in most other Spanish dialects, 
but don't ask me how. I'm still struggling with verb forms in general.

Some commonly used nouns are different in Argentina, but you simply 
have to get used to hearing them. There are too many to list and 
memorize.

If you speak another variety of Spanish you may notice that the flow of 
northern (Rioplatense) Spanish is different. It was heavily influenced 
by southern Italian immigrants.

Another complication to getting along in Spanish in Argentina is that 
there are a lot of immigrants, especially from nearby neighbors.


Larry de Los Angeles
http://ShapechangerTales.com - website of the Immortal Shapechanger 
series




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