Forums > Specific Focus > Learning Spanish

mskitty

May 11, 2008, 1:55 PM

Post #1 of 10 (3345 views)

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Clarification

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I'm studying Spanish with two sources, and am getting some different information. Can someone please tell me which is the correct use of these in Mexico?

Perdone - pronounced with or without the final e?

When referring to the Spanish language, is the general use 'espanol' or 'castellano'?

I haven't figured out how to make this computer speak Spanish with accents, tildes, etc., so please forgive that lack.

Thanks!
Kitty

Ed and Fran

May 11, 2008, 2:49 PM

Post #2 of 10 (3341 views)

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Re: [mskitty] Clarification

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When referring to the Spanish language, is the general use 'espanol' or 'castellano'?

Here in Mexico I've always heard it referred to as español.

Now when I was in Venezuela some years ago, I was told, very haughtily, that they didn't speak español, they spoke castellano.

I haven't figured out how to make this computer speak Spanish with accents, tildes, etc.

Here's a start if you're not working with a Spanish keyboard:
alt 160 = á
alt 130 = é
alt 161 = í
alt 162 = ó
alt 163 = ú
alt 164 = ñ
alt 165 = Ñ
alt 167 = º (degrees)
alt 168 = ¿
alt 173 = ¡

Regards

Ed

(This post was edited by Ed and Fran on May 11, 2008, 2:49 PM)

mskitty

May 11, 2008, 2:58 PM

Post #3 of 10 (3335 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Clarification

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Thanks, Ed. I have always heard 'español [it works!], too.

Thanks for the keyboard info -- what I found in Word didn't seem to work.

Rolly

May 11, 2008, 3:22 PM

Post #4 of 10 (3336 views)

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Re: [mskitty] Clarification

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There is a much easier way called AllChars. It's a little free program that provides a quick, easy-to-remember way of creating accents like é Ü ç î æ and special characters like ƒ ² ‰ © £ ± ß ° 1/2 ¿ « » ™ „ in most Windows programs.

Look here: http://allchars.zwolnet.com/

I use it every day.

Rolly Pirate

mskitty

May 11, 2008, 3:33 PM

Post #5 of 10 (3330 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Clarification

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Wow - that's really cool, Rolly. Thanks!

jerezano

May 12, 2008, 7:49 AM

Post #6 of 10 (3301 views)

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Re: [mskitty] Clarification

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Hello,

Español, at least here in Zacatecas, Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Colima, Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Yucatán, Veracruz, México DF, and San Luis Potosí. I have never heard Castillano although in several books I have read published in Spain, that seems to be preferred on the penninsula.

The easiest way of all to enter accents on vowels, etc, is to use the International Keyboard available from all Windows operating systems since Windows 3. I have used that keyboard now for over 18 years. It leaves the keyboard exactly as we are used to and when you want an accent you hold down the right Alt key and hit the aeiou áéúóú¡¿ñ etc and when you want the ÁÉÍÓÚ you hold down the right Alt key and the shift key. The one thing necessary to remember is when you want the quote " or the ' keys you need to space after hitting them.

This works for Adobe, notepad, Wordpad, Word, for e mail, and for all other editions of word processors since it is a computer resident item not dependent on the word processing application.

I do a lot of writing in Spanish and I use Word 2000, which came free with my Windows 3? system. Later editions of Word require extra money which I don't want to spend.

If you don't know how to implement your International keyboard look in Help for that item.

Hasta luego. jerezano.

quevedo

May 12, 2008, 4:14 PM

Post #7 of 10 (3276 views)

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Re: [mskitty] What do yo want to say?

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Perdone: Forgive me.

Perdoné: I forgave.

Saludos,

Quevedo

mskitty

May 12, 2008, 4:41 PM

Post #8 of 10 (3272 views)

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Re: [quevedo] What do yo want to say?

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Thanks! My tapes say that the term 'excuse me' to use when you want to ask a question is 'PerDON'without the vowel being pronounced. My Spanish teacher says the same term is 'PerDONe', with the vowel pronounced. As you can see, I'm still in the earlier stages of this, but would rather get the proper use from the git-go rather than re-learning later.

Maybe I need a new teacher and new tapes?

jerezano

May 29, 2008, 7:44 PM

Post #9 of 10 (3178 views)

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Re: [mskitty] What do yo want to say?

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Hello mskitty,

You said:>>> Thanks! My tapes say that the term 'excuse me' to use when you want to ask a question is 'PerDON'without the vowel being pronounced. My Spanish teacher says the same term is 'PerDONe', with the vowel pronounced. As you can see, I'm still in the earlier stages of this, but would rather get the proper use from the git-go rather than re-learning later.

Maybe I need a new teacher and new tapes?

No, you don't need a new teacher or new tapes. They are both right. How can that be?

Well here in Zacatecas and everywhere else in Mexico that I have been when someone wants to cut between you and a partner walking on the sidewalk the word they use and which I use after 18 years here is PERDÓN. Just as your tapes tell you. If you accidentally bump into somebody that too is the word you use. If you need to interrupt a conversation to ask a question etc, that too is the word to use. In other words if you commit a fault of some kind or are going to commit one, say Perdón. This is short for Por favor, déme un perdón, or Perdóneme.

Now the proper grammatical term is Perdóneme. I have heard that too, but this is used when making a formal appology for some transgression. You have arrived on time for a dinner party, for example, while everybody else will show up at least 25 minutes to a couple hours late. So you find your host running last minute errands and your hostess meets you at the door wrapped in a housecoat and dripping. You need to appologize so you say Perdóneme, por favor.

Does this help? And dont worry. The idea is what you need to get across and either will get the right result.

By the way, in 18 years here in México I have never heard perdone without the me. It is either Perdón or Perdóneme.

Hasta luego. jerezano.

mskitty

May 30, 2008, 11:04 AM

Post #10 of 10 (3158 views)

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Re: [jerezano] What do yo want to say?

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Thanks for your replies -- they really help. I remember 'perdoneme' from my HS Spanish eons ago, but had forgotten it.

I still haven't figured out how to do the international keyboard, but Rolly's program helps. I'm a real wuss when it comes to making changes I'm not sure about on my computer. If I mess something up, I may not know how to fix it! I'll get there, eventually.