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Old 06-04-2007, 10:15 AM
 
1 posts, read 3,824 times
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Hi all --
I have my rosetta stone spanish tapes (still unopened); I have learn-in-your-car tapes... listened to -- at least the beginning. Took a term in college.
In other words: I don't speak spanish or understand it when it's spoken. Will this make my transition to the Tularosa/Alamogordo area harder? more unpleasant? frustrating for the people already there?
If you live/d there, how much did you know?
THANKS!!!!
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Old 06-04-2007, 10:51 AM
 
8,317 posts, read 29,373,837 times
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A favorite column in New Mexico Magazine is "One of our 50 States is Missing," which highlights the experiences that New Mexicans have with people who can't quite grasp that New Mexico IS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

I have spent time in New Mexico for over 40 years (I lived near farily near to New Mexico in Colorado for much of that time) and I never have run into anyone in the state (except for some very recent immigrants from Mexico, which can be found just about anywhere) who didn't speak English. True, many New Mexicans are bi-lingual (which I admire), or even tri-lingual (when one counts the Native American languages--Tewa, etc.), but it is not necessary to speak Spanish to live in New Mexico.

Over time, you will pick up a lot of the language (maybe the cuss words, first?) from osmosis. Depending on the region, New Mexico spanish can be very interesting in itself. In northern New Mexico, the dialect is still Castilian Spanish, because that area was isolated from the rest of Spanish-speaking Mexico for so long. I have a dictionary of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico spanish that was authored by a professor from the University of Southern Colorado at Pueblo several years ago. It's an interesting reference.
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Old 06-04-2007, 10:52 AM
 
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You don't need to know Spanish. It won't hurt, but you'll get along just fine without it.
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Old 06-04-2007, 11:14 AM
 
Location: McKinney, TX
271 posts, read 1,122,955 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by garand View Post
You don't need to know Spanish. It won't hurt, but you'll get along just fine without it.
I most agree, I'm bi-lingual and so far I haven't needed to speak Spanish in my many visits to Las Cruces or other NM cities. .
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Old 06-07-2007, 10:07 AM
 
Location: Hell
606 posts, read 694,524 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tito View Post
I most agree, I'm bi-lingual and so far I haven't needed to speak Spanish in my many visits to Las Cruces or other NM cities. .
by the way,how to learn Spanish for beginner? I wish I could speak Spanish but I don't have lots of time and I don't know how.
I used to think it is a good idea to stay in New Mexico for a while to study Spanish language.
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Old 06-07-2007, 11:36 AM
 
Location: McKinney, TX
271 posts, read 1,122,955 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksburg View Post
by the way,how to learn Spanish for beginner? I wish I could speak Spanish but I don't have lots of time and I don't know how.
I used to think it is a good idea to stay in New Mexico for a while to study Spanish language.
You can study Spanish or any other foreign language anywhere, there are many learning resources such as books, tapes, CD's and DVD's. However, my personal opinion is that foreigners are the ones that have the obligation to learn English, after all this is The United States and English is the language spoken here. If the locals learn Spanish to communicate with Spanish speaking foreigners, they will never have the incentive to learn English. If you want to learn a foreign language for the fun of it, that's great. I taught myself Italian and French in CD's that you can play while driving, they usually are accompanied by a booklet which you can complement with a dictionary. I bought my CD study program at Barnes and Noble.
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Old 06-07-2007, 11:57 AM
 
Location: Tejas
7,599 posts, read 18,354,988 times
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Best thing to do is hook up with someone who speaks it and dosent mind working with you, its easier to learnwhen somebody is speaking to you,

Only place ive run into people that cant speak English is Bernallio, 4 different business had nobody that could speak English, ill never go back again.
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Old 06-07-2007, 06:12 PM
 
13,134 posts, read 40,512,374 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mam44 View Post
I don't speak spanish or understand it when it's spoken. Will this make my transition to the Tularosa/Alamogordo area harder?
Throw the tapes out as absolutely a none issue in this region.
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Old 06-08-2007, 09:43 AM
 
Location: Maine
22,844 posts, read 28,072,415 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by harry o View Post
Throw the tapes out as absolutely a none issue in this region.
True. Speaking Spanish anywhere in NM is a big help. Learn it if you can. But it isn't necessary. Everyone you'll need to talk to speaks English.
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Old 06-09-2007, 01:50 PM
 
Location: Missouri Ozarks
7,394 posts, read 19,281,478 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tito View Post
You can study Spanish or any other foreign language anywhere, there are many learning resources such as books, tapes, CD's and DVD's. However, my personal opinion is that foreigners are the ones that have the obligation to learn English, after all this is The United States and English is the language spoken here. If the locals learn Spanish to communicate with Spanish speaking foreigners, they will never have the incentive to learn English. If you want to learn a foreign language for the fun of it, that's great. I taught myself Italian and French in CD's that you can play while driving, they usually are accompanied by a booklet which you can complement with a dictionary. I bought my CD study program at Barnes and Noble.
I agree with you Tito; this is the U.S.A. and English is the main language. Good to know but it shouldn't have to be spoken in the United States.
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