A Conversation for Spanish Pronunciation

American equivalent needed

Post 1

Sea Change

I am pretty sure the American pronunciations of aw and saw do not match the correct sound for Spanish vowel o.


American equivalent needed

Post 2

Researcher 188007

No they don't. I did put a refinement below mentioning Northern English and Scots, but there is no North American equivalent of Spanish 'o', so I had no alternative really. Thanks for the interest.


American equivalent needed

Post 3

Quille the cynic...TC

*not familiar with castillian accent but it shouldn't change the 'o' vowel*
So, if it's just the normal vowel 'o' in spanish it is pronounced long o... as in boat? or is it a different 'o' that I'm not currently classifying in spanish?
Quille the smiley - elf


American equivalent needed

Post 4

Sea Change

I am stumped by this, too.

Here in LA there is mostly Mexican Spanish. It has a decidedly Andalusian bias, so I am supposing the sound Mr. Naples is proposing is a different one than that I am used to hearing and speaking in my everyday life.


American equivalent needed

Post 5

Quille the cynic...TC

I'm one of those American students that sort of butcher the language, so I am always unsure (don't hate me!). Well, if it confuses you I have no clue! Perhaps I can ask my spanish teacher if she knows about castillian -o's?
smiley - elf


American equivalent needed

Post 6

Sea Change

The sister of a good friend of mine teaches singing elocution and she has an amazing ear for separate vowel sounds that are represented in the International Phonetic symbol-set. It's also possible that the author of this article can hear similar small distinctions that neither you nor I or any ordinary person we speak to would misunderstand. LA doesn't just have the Mexican accent, we have immigrants from all over South America, depending on who one is eavesdropping upon in the bus, one needs a forgiving ear to grasp what's being said even though one might know the words.


American equivalent needed

Post 7

Quille the cynic...TC

Good point. You smart people never cease to amaze me smiley - biggrin. Aww well I think I'm being taught 'Spanish' spanish..
smiley - elf


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