Dominicanisms

[stewart]

I thought it would be a good idea to start a list of words that are some what unique to Dominican spanish. I can't think of everything. So anybody can add to the list.

guagua = bus
guineo = banana
bulla = noise
concho = taxi (motorcycle or publico)
biscocho = cake
menudo = loose change
acera = sidewalk
polocher = golf shirt or tee-shirt
franela = same as polocher

I got it started. I'll add to it as I think of words. I hope for all the help I can get.
let the games begin.

[Chirimoya]

Some of these are not unique to the DR.

guagua = bus - also used in PR and Cuba
guineo = banana - not very common elsewhere but also used in some parts of Nicaragua, possibly also Ecuador (IIRC).
bulla = noise - not unique, I've heard it used in this sense in South America. In southern Spain though it means 'in a hurry' - as in 'se caso de bulla' = shotgun wedding.
acera = sidewalk - this is the standard Spanish word
polocher = golf shirt or tee-shirt - Spanglish - from 'polo shirt'
franela = same as polocher - also used in Venezuela and Mexico among others

I think 'un chin' is unique, as well as other Taino/African influenced words.

[Pib]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

Some of these are not unique to the DR.

Same for menudo (anyone remember that boy band of the 80's where Ricky Martin started?)

[stewart]

I realize they aren't totally unique to DR.
But try telling a Mexican that you want "un pedazo de boscoho" and see where it gets you.
I was also thinking about words that work in DR but can get you strange looks in other countries. GuaGua in Chile is a baby. Menudo in Mexico is tripe soup, Acera is used less frequently than banqueta, bulla less that ruido etc.

[mofi]

Your right about the word for cake, I've never heard that used in mexico before, and probabley would have looked at someone like they were crazy if they told me they wanted cake..

[Chirimoya]

Stewart, you hit on a good example there.

Originally Posted by dominicancooking.com article

All over the English-speaking world, a cake is a cake. In the Spanish speaking world it can be a “bizcocho” (DR), “torta” (Venezuela), “pastel” or “tarta” (Spain), “cake” (Puerto Rico and Latinos in the US), or the hispanicised “queque” which is used by the English speaking communities that live on the Caribbean coast of Central America.

[stewart]

Originally Posted by mofi

Your right about the word for cake, I've never heard that used in mexico before, and probabley would have looked at someone like they were crazy if they told me they wanted cake..

Actually, the word is used in Mexico. It has a vulgar meaning.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by stewart

I thought it would be a good idea to start a list of words that are some what unique to Dominican spanish. I can't think of everything. So anybody can add to the list.

guagua = bus
guineo = banana
bulla = noise
concho = taxi (motorcycle or publico)
biscocho = cake
menudo = loose change
acera = sidewalk
polocher = golf shirt or tee-shirt
franela = same as polocher

I have never heard local Dominicans call a sidewalk, acera, although I have heard it in other Spanish speaking countries.
The word they use around her for sidewalk, is calzada.

When they talk about Vicks Vaporub, it sounds like they are saying "Beebaboru".

[La Gata]

I was so confused and thought it was hopeless to learn spanish because of the v/b thing! I talk to my dominican friends on messenger and its always:

vesos
saves
'ta heaby
all the reversed v's and b's ... are they taught that in schools here? or are they just GHETTO!!?!?

[AnnaC]

Originally Posted by La Gata

I was so confused and thought it was hopeless to learn spanish because of the v/b thing! I talk to my dominican friends on messenger and its always:

vesos
saves
'ta heaby
all the reversed v's and b's ... are they taught that in schools here? or are they just GHETTO!!?!?

The V has a B sound and B has a V sound but you don't spell them that way

Besos
Sabes

ta heaby ( no clue what this is )

I have come across younger people on the net that are suppose to know Spanish and they do short forms like:

q or K for que. Much like they have for English cyber typing. Me no liky