Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Infected. Like a virus that won't go away.

"You're coming with us, no?"

"This is the house of my friend."

Well, not so negative as a virus or plague...just my English being altered by all-too-common ways of speaking in Mexico.

The tag-on no to questions. Dropping the apostrophe possessive in favor of the more cumbersome of add-on.

I find that when something mildly startles me, I say 'uy!'

What Mexicanisms have you picked up?

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

They're more Spanish-isms than solely Mexicanisms, but yes, I do that too.

One day while reading the employment pages, I heard myself say "There aren't many works in here". Shocked

I also feel like I'm losing my English some days, and there are some words that I just find it easier to use the Spanish for.

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

Ay!

I battle to complete my work.

They have to present an exam.

Dragonlady · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:57 am Post subject:

deleted

unrelated to TESOL

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

I went to the electronics store in the US to check out AV equipment and asked about a ca��n and a grabadora. By coincidence, the clerk was Mexican-American and didn't even blink as he directed me to the right displays.

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

Using aish when something annoys me.

Can you open me the door?

I'm going with the doctor.

Driving with my left arm hanging out of the window.

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

�H�jole!

I even used it on the phone to my mother in England.

Using the car horn too much.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

I love Ya!. It just sums up that so much in English can't.

How about gestures? I gesture a ton more than I ever used to, and think it brings a lot more to my communications. Laughing

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

I use my hands much more to express myself.

Whenever I see champinones, I think to myself �� CHAMPINONES�� not mushrooms.
The same for escuelas.

I use the expression MORE OR LESS more.

when in Merida I joked more about putas. This always got a big kick out of my Mexican audiences, similar to the reaction I would get from Afro-Americans living in the south when I referred to butts.

JakeJakeJake · Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Posts: 135

saying, in english, on entering a restaurant... how many are we?

notamiss · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:30 pm Post subject:

Reading some of the expressions above and wondering why they are listed in this post. �But that�s standard English, isn�t it?� Oops.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

MO39 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:13 am Post subject:

Mine is more of a sartorial Mexicanism. Though I�m a casual dresser and could never attempt to "pass" as a Mexican woman while out in public, I would never dream of wearing shorts out on the street, not even to take out the garbage!

Mrs L · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 72 Location: Rainy England

That's an interesting observation Mo. I accessorised so much more when I lived in Mexico, and I started wearing make-up every day too.

MELEE · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject:

Not sure if this counts, but I keep hearing myself say in the night.

My daughters are now reclaiming their Spanish. One has picked up all the verbs and uses them in English, but she anglicizes them.

"Mom, I'm buscing for my shoes but I no can encuent them."
"Mom, I want to mostr you something."