by Julia Vargas
ConsumerFraudDefense.org
There are so many different Spanish dialects that choosing which dialect to study and focus on for a non native speaker can be very confusing.
Here's a quick breakdown: Mexican Spanish is most prevalent in certain parts of the United States as a result of the influx of large numbers of Mexicans into los Estados Unidos. Colombian Spanish is considered the most accent neutral (many Colombian-born actors and actresses star in Mexican telenovelas). Argentine Spanish sounds very similar to Italian and is considered by many to be the "sexiest" Spanish because of the way it flows off the tongue. Spanish from Spain is the "pure" form, although it typically sounds the worst because of the strange Spanish pronunciation of the "t" sound (hint: It sounds like a "z").
Each country has it's own unique language characteristics. Think about some of the most famous countrymen (and women!) from each of the following. Perhaps that can help you decide which type of Spanish to focus on and how you'd like to speak!
Diego Maradona is Argentine. Shakira is Colombian. Vicente Fox is Mexican. Fidel Castro is Cuban. Don Quitoxe is Spanish. The way each of them hablan will give you an idea as the accent and intonation that each region of Latin America brings to Spanish.
My personal favorite is Argentine Spanish. Supestamente, Argentines are the most romantic and sensual of all Latinos. Their language certainly reflects such sensuality as the words and intonations of Argentine Spanish simply flow off the tongue. I know that if I were learning Spanish again I'd choose to learn Argentine Spanish since it is admired throughout Latin America and Spain.
