Travel Guru
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My favourite is a BBC publication, 'Spanish Grammar'. It's clearly explained plus it's small enough to take around with you. However, it's not aimed specifically at L-A Spanish, also my copy was published in 1995 so I don't know if it's still available.
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Traveler
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Get yourself a fun book called, Spanish In 10 Minutes A Day. It was published by the Cliff's Notes people, but I believe now it is by Sunset Books. I could be wrong about the Sunset Books. It has various sections about common situations in which you will find yourself, like ordering meals, buying bus tickets,using the phone, etc. It has a cutout page for taking to restaurants to help you order. It also has interesting comments about culture. It has flash cards, and is just plain fun. Learning the language should be fun. It is a great overview of the language. Realize the Spanish In 10 Minutes A Day is just a Primer. For example it does not cover past and future tenses. Next get the book Spanish The Berlitz Way from the same fellow who originated the Berlitz Language Schools. The book becomes progressively more complicated and involved, but has plenty of side notes explaining the connections between culture, the language, and how the people think. Its strength is each line of Spanish has anothe line below it of the English translation and Spanish pronounciation. This is the way I learned Spanish. Also get a Spanish/English Dictionary. Take all your books and travel to Mexico or Latin America with them to use as a resource for when you are confused (and you will be confused often.) Travel to practice, and let the people help you learn it. My experience is that they love to see you try their language. They are very nice about it. Do not be too afraid to get on a Mexican bus or train. They are cheap and a great way to practice. |
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| Posts: 6 | Location: Fort STockton, Texas, USA | Registered: February 13, 2002 |  |
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Traveler
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I began thinking, and the Berlitz book has been published under the title, Spanish Step by Step, and that is probably the title you'll find. One more item. Latin American Spanish is very little different from any othe kind of Spanish. There really is no such thing as "Latin Spanish." Often you hear Spanish referred to as Castillion Spanish, and as being different and more correct in form from American Spanish. This really is not true. Just as there are differences in English spoken in various areas of the world, there are regional differences in Spanish. However, English has much more variation throughout the world than does Spanish. I have no idea what many of the English words spoken in the UK mean, words like loo and roundabout. Many of the words used in the UK I understand, but I have no idea why those words are being chosen and used, because I would never talk like that simply because in this region we never use those words. But,I am able, however to understand and be understood throughout the English speaking world, just as you are able to do the same. We English speaking people are accustomed to this great regional difference, and I believe that is why we think Spanish is the same as English and also has wide regional variation and differences. Spanish is remarkably the same everywhere in the world with only minor differences. To master the learning of Spanish is to be able to speak and understand Spanish in all the worldwide Spanish speaking countries. Spanish is also much more connected to the culture than English is connected to our culture. We often have trouble, because of our own experience with our language, understanding how enmashed Spanish is in the Spanish cultures. When learning the Spanish language, you really learn much about the culture. This is kind of nice. |
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| Posts: 6 | Location: Fort STockton, Texas, USA | Registered: February 13, 2002 | |
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Traveler
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quote:
I have no idea what many of the English words spoken in the UK mean, words like loo and roundabout.
A loo is a toilet, or john, as I believe Americans say. A roundabout is a type of junction where you drive part of the way around a circular mound before turning off onto your chosen road. I'm sure that you have at least some of them in Texas.  |
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| Posts: 7 | Location: Crystal Palace, London, England. | Registered: March 17, 2002 | |
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