The Accent of South America’s Switzerland

I grew up about an hour and a half from Mexico’s border…and the border town of Tijuana.  Yes, I made desultory visits to this town when underage to, um, check out the local artisan crafts.  But the point being that I arrived speaking a Mexican Spanish with a Gringo (or Yankee as they say down here) twist.  I pronounced the double “L’s” like a “Y” sound in English (example: Calle = Kah-Yay).  This, and other Mexican-isms have started to mold into the Uruguayan ways.

Down here, and in Argentina, at times the people sound  more Italian than Spanish.  It’s definitely a more dramatic, flavorful way to speak.  I am not saying that it is better, just different.  It’s another variation such as Spain’s lisp, Colombia’s twang, and Chile’s confusing speed and shortening of words among others.

But now I am speaking with the local tongue, and my double “L’s” sound like “Jah” instead of the Mexican style.  I enjoy hearing this accent, and I enjoy speaking it even more.  I feel like I am speaking French and Portuguese along with Spanish.  Or maybe this is just in my head.  But day by day, conversation by conversation, it’s changing.  Here’s to fluency…some day.

Written by Dominic DeGrazier

Last 3 posts by Dominic DeGrazier

• In an Elephant’s Eye - June 21st, 2009
• The Real Cinco de Mayo - May 6th, 2009
• Small Town Uruguay - April 3rd, 2009

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