Neutral Spanish

[sabrina]

I don´t think there´s any such thing as neutral or global Spanish. I remember attending a course in London and our teachers from Spain would say "this translation is Castilian Spanish (European)", this other "is Latin American Spanish". This comment would always bring up the discussion of whether there was any such thing as Latin American Spanish considering the many Spanish speaking countries that make up Latinamerica...
Having said so, I wish the day will come when we´ll be able to translate our literary books and films for an Argentinean audicence using the "vos" as freely as when we speak...

[IUS]

http://www.english-spanish-translato...530-post7.html

I agree with that definition 100%.

[emilyb]

I agree Sabrina! "Latin American Spanish" does not make much sense. I think it may be better to classify by country, not region. Mexican Spanish, Argentine Spanish (), Puerto Rican Spanish, etc.

[IUS]

Originally Posted by emilyb

I agree Sabrina! "Latin American Spanish" does not make much sense. I think it may be better to classify by country, not region. Mexican Spanish, Argentine Spanish (), Puerto Rican Spanish, etc.

From a practical point of view, you could speak about:

Neutral Spanish, Latina American Spanish and European Spanish

From a theoretical approach, you are right:

Different Dialects of Latin American Spanish


Anyway I think that the Definition of Neutral Spanish from Julio Jaubert was great!

[sabrina]

Thank you all for your opinions! You all then agree with me that there is no such thing - in practice - as Neutral Spanish!!

[Luciano]

Originally Posted by sabrina

Having said so, I wish the day will come when we´ll be able to translate our literary books and films for an Argentinean audicence using the "vos" as freely as when we speak...

Hay algunos lugares en el continente americano, aunque pocos, que vosean en lugar de tutear. Como por ejemplo: Uruguay, debido a la cercanía que tiene con Argentina; algunos estados de México y algunos departamentos de Colombia.

Aunque afortunadamente (¿o debo decir por desgracia?), cada vez más a lo largo de todo el continente, se utiliza el pronombre "vos" en lugar de "tú".

[reminder]

You are right, Sabrina, we all come from a different country and there are slight differences that others may feel when we speak or when we write.

Reporters go through the same ordeal, because their pronounciation has to be as "neutral" as possible, meaning that it shouldn't show a distinctive regional accent. There is an Argentine reporter in the CNN and... who could tell he's Argentine?

Our customers want translations to be as "neutral" as possible because they want translators to use words that are not "felt" too regional, so that the product they are selling can reach different audiences.

But yes, you are right, roots always show and that's OK.

I am also looking forward to the day I can speak and write Argentine Spanish in translations sent to the international market!!