I rather envy Maggie and her new life in Ciudad Rodrigo. Amongst other things she is going to have to speak Spanish, she has no choice as there are very few Brits to speak to there. Here in Alicante there are lots of us so I speak more English than Spanish.My struggle to speak Spanish well has been going on for three years now. I get by OK but I mutter and stumble and I still worry about "having a go".
When Spaniards pronounce Rs, particularly at the beginning of a word or when there are two Rs together they roll them mightily. I can't make the sound and my Rs are often taken as Ls. So, for instace, trying to spell the surname Martin on the phone the other day the person I was speaking to was quite sure that I was spelling Maltin and my R for Rome (R de Roma) had her asking what Loma was!
Benny Hill used to do a skit where he pretended to be Chinese and confused Ls with Rs "There's a gleat election coming up". Trouble is I don't get the laugh.
Chris no te preocupes yo llevo 20 en Inglaterra y sigo igual de burra, entiendo pero cuando quiero expresar algo mas profundo sigo sin sentirme inteligente .... y que decir de la pronunciacion ...
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Just so you know I got it this time. All well with Maggie in CR and currently in Alcala de H for a training course. The neighbours are being so friendly she thinks she is being stalked!
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