I know that I, an American, sometimes have a difficult time understanding speakers of other English dialects; particularly if they’re speaking quickly, using a lot of local colloquialisms, etc. I’ve had to turn on the subtitles on more than one Australian, British, Kiwi, etc. DVD rental.
Here in this clip, beginning at 10:44 is a Colombian character (played by a Colombian actress) translating Spanish into English, and back, with a handful of characters that I assume are Mexican (based on the premise that it takes place at a hospital in Calexico).
In real life, would these folks have been able to understand each other pretty clearly without having to ask each other to slow down? Are there different regionalisms between the two dialects?
You forgot the link to the clip.
Colombian Spanish, especially from the Caribbean coast, is quite different from Mexican Spanish (recognizing that there are also regional dialects in Mexico). It’s faster, and word endings may be slurred or left off. There are also differences in word usage and slang.
Panamanian Spanish is similar to coastal Colombian (and to Cuban and Puerto Rican Spanish) and is particularly fast and slurred. At my job we work with an American who learned her Spanish in Mexico, and the Panamanians are continually amused by her Mexican accent.
While the problem would be less for native speakers, I find some varieties of Spanish much more difficult to understand than others. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mexicans might have some difficulty with a thick Colombian accent. I might compare it to someone from Colorado trying to understand someone from Brooklyn.
Oops :smack:
Here it is: http://www.hulu.com/watch/364214/modern-family-baby-on-board#s-p1-so-i0
The Colombian and the [I presume] Mexicans begin speaking to each other at 10:44
Nava are you able to understand everything that’s being said? Are you able to pick out two distinct accents/dialects?
Unfortunately I can’t access Hulu from here so I can’t comment on the clip.