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I found that in the Andean countries, the Spanish was a lot easier for an English speaker to understand. I suspect that is because so many people in Andean countries (Bolivia, Peru. Ecuador) still speak Spanish as a second language (after their indigenous language), so they speak Spanish more like I do -- slower, in relatively simple grammatical form with fewer idioms and more phonetic purity.
I found that in the Andean countries, the Spanish was a lot easier for an English speaker to understand. I suspect that is because so many people in Andean countries (Bolivia, Peru. Ecuador) still speak Spanish as a second language (after their indigenous language), so they speak Spanish more like I do -- slower, in relatively simple grammatical form with fewer idioms and more phonetic purity.
I've heard that too.
I was actually going to study my final semester abroad in Ecuador, but could not due to unforeseen medical problems.
I thought Spanish was phonetically spoken, so I wouldnt think thered be much variation in pronunciation.
It generally is, but there is a lot of variation in the pronunciation (or non-pronunciation) of consonants. For example, in Mexico City it might be /s/ but in Madrid it's /θ/ and in the Dominican Republic it isn't pronounced at all. Considered individually, they barely make a difference but summed up they do. Vocabulary terms for various things vary cross-nationally too, especially for terms coined after 1800 or so (as with English).
Despite this, I would rank Spanish as one of the easiest languages to learn and speak for first-language English speakers.
I thought Spanish was phonetically spoken, so I wouldnt think thered be much variation in pronunciation.
Oh, there's alot of variation in Spanish accents. It's easy to tell who's Carribean, Spaniard, Argentine, or Mexican as soon they speak. Especially Argentines, as they sound like an Italian speaking Spanish, lol.
Living in the LA area with such as huge Spanish speaking population. I could distinguish Guatemalan and El Salvadoran accents from Mexican accents. Mexican accents sound a bit sing songy to me.
The most neutral I'd say is the Andean countries. Those countries don't show much stigmatized features like the other Spanish accents.
Why do people talk so much about a "neutral" Spanish accent?
If you speak Spanish well, you'll understand it from any country. The only difference you're going to see is the meanings of a lot of words changing between the different countries.
Oh, there's alot of variation in Spanish accents. It's easy to tell who's Carribean, Spaniard, Argentine, or Mexican as soon they speak. Especially Argentines, as they sound like an Italian speaking Spanish, lol.
Living in the LA area with such as huge Spanish speaking population. I could distinguish Guatemalan and El Salvadoran accents from Mexican accents. Mexican accents sound a bit sing songy to me.
The most neutral I'd say is the Andean countries. Those countries don't show much stigmatized features like the other Spanish accents.
Aah... no. Guatemalans and Salvadorans talk like Mexicans but slower. They talk like the southern Mexicans in the Yucatan Peninsula, and the southern states of Tabasco and Chiapas.
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