So reader,
Not unlike those silly, foppish, British words like boot, some Spanish words take on different connotations in different countries. It turns out that the Spanish taught in American schools is of the "Learn South American Spanish so that you'll be able to converse with South American Spanish speakers" variety. This is giving me some anxiety, because last time I checked there was not exactly a bevy of Spaniards hanging out in the nooks and crannies of Seattle, and there are some small yet important conversational fineries that I am busy learning the incorrect side of.
Take the verb "coger".
It is used to mean to get or to take here. Coger el autobus, coger su mochilla, coger... Very common, very normal. In Mexico it would get the bleep bloop treatment on TV. Now if you get super adjusted to just blurting it out, imagine what's going to happen when casually asking for someone's stapler back in Seattle.
As they say, !UF!,
Tim
No comments:
Post a Comment