Excellent, just some suggestions

[snkscore]

I have just started (maybe 2 weeks ago) on the Inspired Beginners podcasts and I really like them!

My wife knows more spanish than I do (she took 2 more years than I), but I am already throwing some phrases at her that she doesn't know.

It is also interesting to hear phrases used that we were never taught in the books. I'm not even talking about the "super spanish" tips that Ben has been giving, but just little stuff like "guapa" to say a girl is pretty.

Maybe this is a Spain VS Mexico thing, but we were always taught that it was guapo for a man, and bonita for a woman. My wife laughed at me when I said she was guapa but played the podcast for her to show her I was right :).

My only wish, is that if any of the phrases being used in the podcasts were different, or not applicable in the Mexican/south american spanish, that it would be mentioned.

For all I know, you guys are doing this already, as in the one podcast, Ben mentions that "computer" is said differently in spain vs south america (computadora). So maybe there haven't been any terms that are specific to Spain, but that is my only suggestion.

I can figure out most of the other pronounciation differences "boy" vs "voy", "hather" vs "hacer" etc.

Anyway, I really am liking these, and will be picking up the next set of work sheets when 11-15 come out.

[Ben]

Hi, basically we assume that people know we are basically teaching/using Castillian Spanish unless stated otherwise. Maybe we need to make that more explicit. Thanks or the feedback!

[Brian]

It is also interesting to hear phrases used that we were never taught in the books. I'm not even talking about the "super spanish" tips that Ben has been giving, but just little stuff like "guapa" to say a girl is pretty.

In my few weeks here, I´ve noticed that it´s quite common for women to say that to one another as a greeting, such as "Hola, guapa," or "Hasta luego, guapísima."

[snkscore]

Hi, basically we assume that people know we are basically teaching/using Castillian Spanish unless stated otherwise. Maybe we need to make that more explicit. Thanks or the feedback!

I am also not sure how different the 2 are. I guess I have been under the assumption that Castillian Spanish and Mexican Spanish are as similiar as my english (American) and Ben's english (British), which may or may not be a fair comparison.

So if I were teaching someone english I might teach them to say

"Lets take the elevator up to my apartment for a beer, and we can watch the soccer game on the TV."

Without even thinking about the fact that if the person was learning english for a trip to london, it might be better to say

"Lets take the lift up to my flat for a pint and we can watch the football match on the tele."

I know you guys are focused on the Castillian side, so I don't expect you to waste time duplicating stuff in your podcasts, but if you DO find yourself teaching a phrase that would be REALLY different in one culture vs the other, for example, a consultant from Machester working with me once asked me if I had a fag, luckly I knew he meant a cigagrette, because that means something WAY different here, hopefully you could point that out :)

[Jules]

... So if I were teaching someone english I might teach them to say

"Lets take the elevator up to my apartment for a beer, and we can watch the soccer game on the TV."

Without even thinking about the fact that if the person was learning english for a trip to london, it might be better to say

"Lets take the lift up to my flat for a pint and we can watch the football match on the tele." ...

:)


:confused: Interesting translation, but unlikely that a Brit (or at least myself) would express it that way!

The same applies in reverse of course. The excellent SpanishSense.com podcast site is produced in American-English / South American Spanish.

[eldeano]

for example, a consultant from Machester working with me once asked me if I had a fag, luckly I knew he meant a cigagrette, because that means something WAY different here, hopefully you could point that out :)

Let's not go down the bum bag route again, please. :o

[ValenciaSon]

Let's not go down the bum bag route again, please. :o Do you mean "Fanny Pack"?:rolleyes:

[eldeano]

Do you mean "Fanny Pack"?:rolleyes:

Let's not go down the bum bag route again, please. :o

[ValenciaSon]

Let's not go down the bum bag route again, please. :o
Do you mean "Fanny Pack"?:rolleyes:

[eldeano]

We've both got 'Gary Syndrome'.

We've both got 'Gary Syndrome'.

[ValenciaSon]

We've both got 'Gary Syndrome'.

We've both got 'Gary Syndrome'.

[eldeano]

Reminds me of a Two Ronnies sketch about The Society For People Who Can't Stop Saying Things Twice. :D

[ValenciaSon]

I got a question regarding British English. Is it true that the term "geriatric" is considered derogatory?

[eldeano]

I got a question regarding British English. Is it true that the term "geriatric" is considered derogatory?

Probably yes, more often than not, generally out of context. As in "That Gary's a bit of a geriatric, keeps repeating repeating himself". :cool:

[ValenciaSon]

Probably yes, more often than not, generally out of context. As in "That Gary's a bit of a geriatric, keeps repeating repeating himself". :cool: I ask because ina previous job, we had a product we were selling to the UK and it contained what we called a Geriatric Module". The context was clinical but nonetheless we were strongly advised to replace the word with something else because it would likely offend.

[ValenciaSon]

Probably yes, more often than not, generally out of context. As in "That Gary's a bit of a geriatric, keeps repeating repeating himself". :cool: I ask because in a previous job, we had a product we were selling to the UK and it contained what we called a Geriatric Module". The context was clinical but nonetheless we were strongly advised to replace the word with something else because it would likely offend.

[eldeano]

I ask

I ask

I say, I say, it's Foghorn Leghorn!

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:XZduLoE9r60eKM:http://www.nonstick.com/sounds/Foghorn.gif

[tad]

I think I'm getting deja vu:rolleyes:

[tad]

I say, I say, it's Foghorn Leghorn!

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:XZduLoE9r60eKM:http://www.nonstick.com/sounds/Foghorn.gif

At last a quality cartoon. :D

[tad]

I think I'm getting deja vu:rolleyes:

I think I'm getting deja vu:rolleyes:

[eldeano]

I think I'm getting deja vu:rolleyes:

What, again?

[tad]

What, again?

BTW have I told you about the sensational new gameshow phenomenum that is somewhere on your screens right now?

[eldeano]

BTW have I told you about the sensational new gameshow phenomenum that is somewhere on your screens right now?

No. What gameshow phenomenum is that, then?

What Did Doris Lose On Her Hard Drive?

[Margot]

I think I'm getting deja vu:rolleyes:

....all over again
Again

[gary]

Reminds me of a Two Ronnies sketch about The Society For People Who Can't Stop Saying Things Twice. :D

Fork Handles anyone....
Fork Handles anyone....