# Espanol or Mexican **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 11, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291 "2003-02-11T04:36:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tcdaniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@tcdaniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcdaniel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/1 "2003-02-11T04:36:24Z")
I saw a recent help-wanted ad that proves education ain’t all it’s chalked up to be. A local company needs help in the office, applicant must speak Mexican and must have a degree. Cum laude ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/2 "2003-02-11T04:47:55Z")
Didn’t W say before the Quebec City conference that they wouldn’t be releasing the draft texts “either in English, French, or Mexican”? ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/3 "2003-02-11T04:53:39Z")
While Dubya is not one of the great thinkers of all time, I believe that statement was made in obvious jest. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/4 "2003-02-11T04:53:39Z")
I saw a sign on a business in Pico Rivera, Ca. that said “se habla gringo” ! ---
**Author:** ![Chaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Chaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chaco)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/5 "2003-02-11T05:01:38Z")
One interesting thing that I have noticed is that this changes between coasts. For example, in California, Arizona, Texas, and other states they say that you speak Mexican. If you go to New York or New England, they say you speak Puerto Rican. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/6 "2003-02-11T05:03:48Z")
I am fluent in three languages: Australian, American and English. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/7 "2003-02-11T05:05:00Z")
The countries in Central and South America do not all speak the same spanish. Each country has its own variation of spanish. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/8 "2003-02-11T05:15:10Z")
Somehow I don’t think that’s it… ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/9 "2003-02-11T06:36:47Z")
> [@](#): > > The countries in Central and South America do not all speak the same spanish. Each country has its own variation of spanish. If they are mutually intelligable, then they are dialects of the same langauge. “Mexican Spanish” would make sense. It’s rather patronizing for people who speak the same language to need translations: “We speak Australian, Mate!” ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/10 "2003-02-11T06:53:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blalron \* > It’s rather patronizing for people who speak the same language to need translations: “We speak Australian, Mate!” Until you spend enough time around Aussies to know that some of what is spoken in _Australian_ just doesn’t translate into _American_, and vice versa. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EyeballBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@EyeballBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EyeballBoy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/11 "2003-02-11T13:37:36Z")
Maybe they mean Nahuatl. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/12 "2003-02-11T13:47:34Z")
I became fascinated in languages as a young kid. As soon as possible I begged my way into the first available foreign language class. My first Spanish class was taught by a Castillian woman. The next three years were taught by a Puerto Rican. The next two by an American _gringo_. In university it was with a DA who liked to throw in German, Russian and Portugese to keep us on our toes… Helping teach English in migrant work camps I befriended a fella who spoke Mayan/Mexican. Ay caramba! Talk about confused… Living so close to Spain now we get quite a few visitors. I have a heck of a time following conversations (I know… shame on me…). Dialects play hell on my head, but it is interesting. Believe me, there are plenty of differences between Mexican, Spanish, Puerto Rican, etc. _PLENTY_. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/13 "2003-02-11T13:47:34Z")
Jesus, have **you guys** ever tried to explain ‘Waltzing Matilda’ to a two-year-old. It’s like they’re not even using real words. I had a girlfriend once who was from Spain. I knew some Spanish from growing up in LA (Sesame Street comes on in England and then the exact same show in Spanish) and she wouldn’t let me talk to her in it. She claimed I spoke ‘Mexican’ and it bugged her. Maybe it was just my SoCal surf accent at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Estilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Estilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Estilicon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/14 "2003-02-11T20:45:11Z")
Latin American countries speaks Castellano (or in english, Spanish). True there are differences but they are the equivalent of the Australian/New Zeland/America, etc variations on the english language. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/15 "2003-02-12T01:23:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* She claimed I spoke ‘Mexican’ and it bugged her. > > Maybe it was just my SoCal surf accent at the time. \*\* That’s, like, so bogus, 'mano! Dissed! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/16 "2003-02-12T02:31:50Z")
My dad grew up in Spain, and speaks it fluently. When I was growing up, I eventually learned to stop asking him for help with my Spanish homework because he’d always get sidetracked into bitching about how we were learning Mexican, not Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/17 "2003-02-12T04:56:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Estilicon \* > \*\*Latin American countries speaks Castellano (or in english, Spanish). True there are differences but they are the equivalent of the Australian/New Zeland/America, etc variations on the english language. \*\* Speak for yourself Che, in Mexico, español is taught in school. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/18 "2003-02-12T07:48:31Z")
Well, it WAS Castellano before it was Español. To me there is no difference. And yes, there is some differences in pronuntiation and different slangs amongst Spanish-speaking countries, but to the fluent or native Spanish-speaker they are intelligible. I perfectly understand anyone speaking Spanish. The funny thing is I THINK I don’t have an accent and go around saying “darn, those (introduce any Spanish-speaking nationality here) have a strong accent”. But I only have to open my mouth to be branded… Hmm, I guess the “all these people have accents but us” is not unusual. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/19 "2003-02-12T10:55:14Z")
Mighy: The “all these people have accent but us” is very usual. 🙂 I do find that other nationalities have accents, but have problem finding the Puertorrican accent others claim we have. Well, almost every other Puertorrican except I, I have an undefined accent that confuses everyone. 🙂 Most of the differences among countries are found when people are speaking informally and using slang. When speaking less casual or formally, many of the differences (except the accent) go away. And when they write (correctly), then the differences are nil, and mostly what remains are words that are synonyms but each country uses a different synonym. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2003, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291/20 "2003-02-12T11:20:02Z")
**Jonathon Chance** , back in the Dark Ages when I was in grade school, I had a record featuring Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans. The songs were all folks songs from various times and places, and one of the songs was “Waltzing Matilda” First they sang the song, then explained all the different slang, then sang the song again. So by the time I was six or seven(admittedly not a two year old) I understood the song. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/espanol-or-mexican/154291.md?page=2)