english and spanish comparison

Franco   Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:19 am GMT
As we all are well aware, English is not spoken in the same way in every country where it is spoken. The same holds true with Spanish. Now what I want to know, is how do the differences within English compare to the differences within Spanish? What are the differences and similarities between the variety within each language. To my understanding, English varies more in accents and Spanish varies more in vocabulary. What else can you tell me about this stimulating topic?
Travis   Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:18 am GMT
I would have to say that within the realm of phonology, there probably is far more variation in vowels in English than in Castilian (i.e. Spanish), by far, and yet English consonants seem to be more consistent across dialects than those in Castilian. Where English dialects do have significant variation in consonants, such seems to be rather limited to certain phonemes like /t/, /D/, /T/, /r/, and /l/, with most other consonants being rather stable except for variation with respect to whether certain consonants are to be palatalized or not being common.
Mark   Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:58 pm GMT
<For example, Puerto Ricans use ascensor for "elevator" just like in Spain as opposed to Mexican Spanish "(des)cansal"; Baloncesto for "basketball" just as in Spain instead of "basquetbol" (Mexico) etc.>

I think the degree of difference depends partly on the educational level of the particular speaker and whether you're talking about colloquial or literary usage. A Mexican newspaper I have read, "El Noroeste" published in Mazatlan and Culiacan, Sinaloa uses "baloncesto" for basketball. A fairly well educated Mexican speaker used the word "elevador" rather than (des)cansal or ascensor when speaking with me, but the meaning of "ascensor" should be obvious to any Spanish speaker as it is formed from the verb "ascender".
zxczxc   Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:21 pm GMT
In my experience variations in English accents to be great to the point of mutual unintelligibility, e.g. around Dundee.
Luis Zalot   Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:13 pm GMT
Mexican-spanish uses 'archaic' words of Spain. While, in Mexico they are not archaic at all.

For Example;

Platicar, which means "to chat with" is only used in Mexico nowadays, but it's been in Spanish dictionaries since the 1730's (I remember I found this verb several times in works of the golden age.)

charlar (used in Spain)

chatear (used via internet)

-------------------------------------------------------

alcancía (archaic spanish, used in Mexico)

hucha (used in spain, nowadays)

-------------------------------------------------------------

"¿Mande?" (archaic spanish, used in Mexico and central-mexico.
from mandar 'to order')

"Digame" (spain)

etc.

-->>>>

Although, I agree with Mark's message,

"I think the degree of difference depends partly on the educational level of the particular speaker and whether you're talking about colloquial or literary usage. A Mexican newspaper I have read, "El Noroeste" published in Mazatlan and Culiacan, Sinaloa uses "baloncesto" for basketball. A fairly well educated Mexican speaker used the word "elevador" rather than (des)cansal or ascensor when speaking with me, but the meaning of "ascensor" should be obvious to any Spanish speaker as it is formed from the verb "ascender".
Uriel   Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:14 pm GMT
"¿Mande?" (archaic spanish, used in Mexico and central-mexico.
from mandar 'to order')


Used in New Mexico as well -- very common.
Franco   Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:56 am GMT
That's what I though.

Also, Spanish speakers can understand anyone with ease no matter what their country, however sometimes English speakers will have trouble understanding some accents, eg south african and some english ones.
JGreco   Sat Aug 12, 2006 4:18 am GMT
Wow I didn't even know those words for elevator. In Panama the common usage is "escalera" for elevator.
tico   Sat Aug 12, 2006 5:14 am GMT
but escaler is stairs?
so whats stairs?
in costa rica we use elevador and ancensor
costa rican accent is very similar to colombian
Argentinian accent sounds like italian
uruguayan accent is just like argentinian
el salvador is similar to honduras
accent from chile is very unique i can't describe it, its weird same with peru
bolivian i've never heard before
venezuelan sounds neutral not sure
the caribean accents are vey different, especially cuban and really attractive very close to castilian
Mexican accent depends on the region you are but in D.F is very cantado
the rest i need to hear like panama, nicaragua
Jgreco   Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:01 am GMT
Colombia actually has two accents. The coast (ie. Barranquilla) is caribbean and very similar to Panamanian accent except for words such as the word for "car" which in Colombia is "coche" and in Panama its "carro". But there are other unique words in Panama such as "blond" which is "fulo-a", "kid" which is "pelao" and the word for "juice" which is "chicha" (which I understand is vulger in other countries). That is just a short list.