slang

Hi All

Slang is never a good idea, unless you are very sure about what you are saying. In Portuguese there are words and phrases that are okay for men to use, but not woman. When I was dating a Portuguese boy as a teen, in conversation I heard the “raggazzi” speaking. I had not heard the term before and used it in front of the dad. Realized I had said something out of turn. The dad looked at his son,  knew where it had come from.  A lesson well learned. Better to err on the side of caution. 

After that checked with someone. Now that teen is my husband and we still laugh about it. 

Luckily it was not one of the bad ones. I find it interesting that swear words have more meaning in your mother tongue. In foreign languages they often don't carry the same weight. Probably because as children we would have been severely chastised for using those words

Maxie

It's a minefield for sure!  Imagine the case in Italy where there are still plenty of dialects spoken!  Then there's colloquial vocabulary…  It's all I can do to speak textbook Italian!

Chris

Hi ChrisM108

My one daughter gave me a book one Christmas. All about how locals speak and also lots of slang. Is quite hilarious and mind boggling too. 

My Portuguese was mostly due to  with family, school friends and my Mom in law. So I got a good grounding on all fronts. I think you really have to be exposed  to total immersion, before one picks up nuances. It is quite interesting to note that soem expressions are quite similar to Portuguese. I have only been exposed to European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese a whole different world

Even in Portugal accents and dialects can be quite different. In areas near Spain it is quite different in places.

Keep well

Sharon

Ciao Maxie,

Thank you for sharing your experience and insights about slang and language usage. You make an excellent point that when it comes to using slang or informal language, it's crucial to be cautious and aware of the cultural context and potential implications.

Slang words and phrases can vary significantly across languages and cultures, and they may carry different connotations or be appropriate for specific groups or genders. It's always a good idea to be mindful of who you are speaking to and the setting in which you're using certain language expressions.

Your experience with the Portuguese word "ragazzi" is a great example of how language can have unintended consequences. It's important to seek clarification or guidance from native speakers or trusted sources when encountering unfamiliar words or expressions to avoid any potential misunderstandings or inadvertently causing offense.

Regarding swear words, you're right that their impact often differs between languages. Swear words tend to have a stronger emotional impact in our native language because we associate them with cultural and personal taboos. When learning foreign languages, those words may not carry the same weight or emotional significance because we don't have the same upbringing and societal conditioning around them.

It's always a good practice to prioritize respectful and appropriate language usage, especially when engaging with new languages and cultures. Communication is about understanding and connecting, and being mindful of the words we use helps foster positive and respectful interactions.

Thank you for sharing your story, and I'm glad it had a humorous twist in the end. If you have any more questions or would like to discuss any other topics, feel free to let me know. Buona giornata!

When I learned Spanish I often repeated things my (now) husband said in front of his parents. The word “pendejo” in Mexican Spanish is vulgar, whereas in parts of South America it is not. Also, you may use completely innocent expressions that unfortunately for the learner have a double meaning: I once told my (now FIL) that I liked his chile (use your imagination) and for heavens sake, never use that nor liking someone's huevos!