Spanish is Tricky

The Spanish language is a tricky one. Although I do enjoy listening to people speak the language, I am having a hard time speaking it.

In a middle school Spanish class I was required to watch a full 30-minute episode of a Spanish TV show and translate as best I could. Although I was not so great at translating the words per se, I was very amused by the very dramatic gestures of all of the Spanish actors. I go to school in Miami where most of the population speaks Spanish.

One thing I have noticed is that Spanish-speaking individuals seem to speak a lot louder than English-speaking individuals in everyday conversation. Also, the Spanish language is spoken a lot faster than the English language. So although I might be able to translate some Spanish words on paper, I have a very difficult time translating in conversation.

I once had a fellow classmate explain to me that Spanish music lyrics are often more pure and from the soul than music lyrics from any other language. Although I cannot say whether or not this is true, I do know that the words sound beautiful in the songs. Shakira, for instance, is a crossover English and Spanish pop artist. I have heard some of her music from both sides and I believe that the words she sings in her Spanish songs have more of a rhythmic flow to them, and allow her to better express her emotions through emphasis and flow.