Sofia Vergara discusses latinas in magazine article.

[Researcher]

     Sofia Vergara is in the recent issue of Esquire discussing latinas. Not a bad article.


      http://www.esquire.com/women/women-we-love/sofia-vergara-0412



       Researcher

[InnocentVixen]

Interesting article but it made me realize something...
Remember guys when I first found this board and said I did not consider myself a latina and most mexicans wouldn't call themselves latinos? this reinforces it, as much similarities as we have some points are complete opposite to what I see and some others just to me personally but we all now I am the odd one in the bunch.


It's funny I always thought she was from Puerto Rico or something like that, she does not have a colombian accent in spanish, also find it very interesting they didn't mention Luis Miguel at all since it was really thanks to him that she was able to make a career, but it makes sense she wouldn't want an ex lover mentioned.


Her views of american vs. latin men sound a lot like what most girls out there think, I have sadly discovered there are americans out there that can enjoy the drama as much if not more than a latino and sometimes that is the reason they go for latinas, better catch a unsuspecting gringo girls!


I think I might be a maid by latin standards...

[benjio]

It's funny I always thought she was from Puerto Rico or something like that, she does not have a colombian accent in spanish, also find it very interesting they didn't mention Luis Miguel at all since it was really thanks to him that she was able to make a career, but it makes sense she wouldn't want an ex lover mentioned.

I knew she was Costeña all along but I agree 100% with your opinion of her accent IV. She sounds nothing like Northern Colombians when she speaks Spanish. She does however come from a very affluent family and went to some of the best private schools in Barranquilla so that might have something to do with her not sounding like a local. From what Barranquilleros I know tell me there had been several kidnapping attempts on her family members to collect ransoms even before she was famous. The average Barranquillero doesn't think very highly of her either. When I ask them why, I get mixed answers. But I'm convinced it's because of her upper class background, as supposed to Shakira for example, who came from a much poorer family and is worshiped by Costeños.
 
I did enjoy reading this article either way.

[V_Man]

The things about planning ahead really hit home with me.

In my limited experience it is not just an inability to plan ahead but sometimes actually a refusal to plan ahead.

'Oh, yeah. Nick will say something like, "What are we doing for Christmas?" I'm like, "Nick, that's months away. You can't ask me that! How can I answer that when I don't even know what I'm doing next month?"'

Notice that it wasn't just that she had not thought to plan but that she's actually refusing to plan. It's not as if she is struggling to make ends meet. She just refuses to even prepare some options.

However I did not get the part about not talking about sex.
My experience has been that Latinas will initiate a conversation about sex when talking with me. Is that unusal?

[robert angel]

Vergara is a very pretty, intelligent lady who on and off screen projects a lot of spark. I like where she said (admits) she feels like she was born with lipstick on and how she relates to her mother getting all done up just to take the kids to school. I wonder how she looks w/o all the makeup. Pushing forty, she looks great--time and gravity has been kind to her so far.
 
I think another stunning Colombiana who has great screen presence is Carla Ossa--we might see a lot more of her in main stream media.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3HYeal9Mic

[braziliangirl]

Sofia is one of the most beautiful woman in the showbiz, in my opinion. I couldn't help myself and googled her boyfriend nick because I thought he would be super handsome. Meh... Be happy guys, if Nick can do it, you can do it too...



Now seriously, this could be in the home page of this site (blinking):

"all these American men who are falling in love with Latinas because of you (Sofia) may have no idea what they're getting into."

[V_Man]

I think another stunning Colombiana who has great screen presence is Carla Ossa--we might see a lot more of her in main stream media.

Worse things could happen.

[benjio]

Sofia is one of the most beautiful woman in the showbiz, in my opinion. I couldn't help myself and googled her boyfriend nick because I thought he would be super handsome. Meh... Be happy guys, if Nick can do it, you can do it too...



Now seriously, this could be in the home page of this site (blinking):

 
Yeah, I'm almost always amazed at who the most beautiful Latinas on Earth decide to settle down with. I guess it really isn't all about looks for you all.

[InnocentVixen]

come on guys, even the reporter made a point to mention just how nice Nick was, also he is tall, seems to be in pretty good shape (or maybe it's just the clothes!) and not bad looking... even if he was there are some men that are so charming that women forget about their looks.


I also always thought Sofia was very beautiful, I didn't know much about her other than that though, I would have never guessed she grew up in private school and came from an affluent family, I remember when she started speaking english, it was sooo terrible! it was almost embarrassing to hear her try, but since she always seem to have such a positive attitude I doubt anyone would care even if her english did not improve


Are private schools in Colombia not bilingual and include other classes public schools don't? if so, why people pay for them? just to show off and wear the pretty uniform and connections?

[benjio]

Are private schools in Colombia not bilingual and include other classes public schools don't? if so, why people pay for them? just to show off and wear the pretty uniform and connections?

Affirmative. They are definitley bilingual, but it's actually more of a status symbol in my opinion. That and a very resolute attempt by rich Costenos at keeping their children away from poor people at any costs. I'm serious about that too. From my experience, along the coast of Colombia the rich absolutely refuse to mingle with the poor on any level outside of the "Master of the House vs. Maid" relationship. The richest people in Barranquilla actually VERY rarely go into the city itself. They live on the far north and the outskirts and send their maids to the city for anything they need in the household. People in communities like Playa Mendoza will go maybe once or twice a month to have dinner with friends, but that's it.
 
I observed some classes at a few private schools in Barranquilla and actually voluteered at others there and in Pereira when I was trying to land a position as an English Teacher. The curriculum is usually respectable and effective if a student is self-motivated (not exactly a common cultural characteristic there even amongst). The problem is it's just a class and there is little to no opportunity for students to immerse themselves in a foreign language. I made all A's in Spanish in High School, but I couldn't effectively communicate until I started going to Colombia for weeks at a time. I know a teacher in Barranquilla with a Master's Degree in English from UniNorte and I still would not call her fluent.
 
This is not the case in Bogota. You will find Colombians there that are fluent in English that learned at British and American Private Schools. But that's usually because they went to school with lots of Brits and Americans.

[robert angel]

Affirmative. They are definitely bilingual, but it's actually more of a status symbol in my opinion. That and a very resolute attempt by rich Costenos at keeping their children away from poor people at any costs. I'm serious about that too. From my experience, along the coast of Colombia the rich absolutely refuse to mingle with the poor on any level outside of the "Master of the House vs. Maid" relationship. The richest people in Barranquilla actually VERY rarely go into the city itself.

 
I found that a little interesting in how it compares to Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina. In these cities, the 'blue bloods'---the aristocratic families that have dominated the elite social scene for close to 300 years, typically speak without any traces of 'southern accents' affecting their speech--their speech is more like someone from the upper midwest. Many send their children to boarding schools, including miltary schools, to avoid them mixing with the local 'riff raff'.
 
 
They live in small, historic areas in the original part of their cities, in opulent, narrow town homes and down right mansions, all of which retain servants quarters---which are today upgraded from their prginal purpose--quarters for the slaves. They can speak 'traditional southern' as well, but there are at least a half dozen variations of southern accents and they usually speak with a flat, midwestern accent or sometimes (usually amongst their own society) with a very specific, genteel southern accent, typically when expressing affection. Some occasionally speak with an odd French inflection to their speech-sort of a very mild Louisianna 'Cajun' accent, but more refined. For a foreign language, French is greatly preferred and a good many of them have French surnames oddly enough, considering they came from England orginally.
 
 
I know most of these people and they are polite and friendly--quick to shake hands--because that way they can keep you at arm's length--I know I will never be considerd 'one of them', nor accepted into certain clubs and societies they embrace.
 
 
One of them is a friend of mine--a major landowner, former president of school board (although he attended private schools) and a member of many charitable organizations  and societies, both public and secret. I once discussed (briefly) "The Civil War" with him. With a quick wit and a bit of humor that still didn't disguise the truthfulness he felt was within his statement, he said:
 
 
 
"Robert: Up North, YOU call it "The Civil War"--some further South call it "The War of Northern Aggression". But HERE Robert, we refer to it as "That recent unpleasantness".
 
 
Those overly proud, inbred son of a guns will never forget or forgive....

[braziliangirl]

The problem is it's just a class and there is little to no opportunity for students to immerse themselves in a foreign language. I made all A's in Spanish in High School, but I couldn't effectively communicate until I started going to Colombia for weeks at a time.

So what's the secret in the Philippines? How does everyone, even the poorest learn English? In Brazil we also study either English or Spanish in school for years, but no one gets as fluent as the Filipinas because of it.

I would have never guessed she grew up in private school and came from an affluent family, I remember when she started speaking english, it was sooo terrible! it was almost embarrassing to hear her try,

What was so terrible about it? I'm asking because someone can be great at writing and even have a deep knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, but yet, have a bad pronunciation or a very strong accent, like Penelope Cruz. So private school could have taught her very well, she just needed some speech therapy or something...

I know for a fact that to Brazilians it's very hard to learn pronunciation. We have problems with the -ed in past tenses and it's seems like we always add and y to the words end. Like we say "andy" instead of and, "talky" instead of talk. Our Rs is totally different and we don't have anything like the "th"...

[braziliangirl]

come on guys, even the reporter made a point to mention just how nice Nick was, also he is tall, seems to be in pretty good shape (or maybe it's just the clothes!) and not bad looking... even if he was there are some men that are so charming that women forget about their looks.

Yeah... I know. I agree with the charm thing. But I've seen guys in this forum that look better than Nick. Maybe it's just my taste... 

[benjio]

So what's the secret in the Philippines? How does everyone, even the poorest learn English? In Brazil we also study either English or Spanish in school for years, but no one gets as fluent as the Filipinas because of it.

I've never been to the Phils, so I have no idea. I was exploring the idea of wife hunting there so I've chatted with a few Filipinas online. I was not very impressed with their English Writing Abilities, but we could defnitely communicate. Nothing like you or IV. But I will admit their English was much better than your average Colombian.

[benjio]

 
I found that a little interesting in how it compares to Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina. In these cities, the 'blue bloods'---the aristocratic families that have dominated the elite social scene for close to 300 years, typically speak without any traces of 'southern accents' affecting their speech--their speech is more like someone from the upper midwest. Many send their children to boarding schools, including miltary schools, to avoid them mixing with the local 'riff raff'.
 
 
They live in small, historic areas in the original part of their cities, in opulent, narrow town homes and down right mansions, all of which retain servants quarters---which are today upgraded from their prginal purpose--quarters for the slaves. They can speak 'traditional southern' as well, but there are at least a half dozen variations of southern accents and they usually speak with a flat, midwestern accent or sometimes (usually amongst their own society) with a very specific, genteel southern accent, typically when expressing affection. Some occasionally speak with an odd French inflection to their speech-sort of a very mild Louisianna 'Cajun' accent, but more refined. For a foreign language, French is greatly preferred and a good many of them have French surnames oddly enough, considering they came from England orginally.
 
 
I know most of these people and they are polite and friendly--quick to shake hands--because that way they can keep you at arm's length--I know I will never be considerd 'one of them', nor accepted into certain clubs and societies they embrace.
 
 
One of them is a friend of mine--a major landowner, former president of school board (although he attended private schools) and a member of many charitable organizations  and societies, both public and secret. I once discussed (briefly) "The Civil War" with him. With a quick wit and a bit of humor that still didn't disguise the truthfulness he felt was within his statement, he said:
 
 
 
"Robert: Up North, YOU call it "The Civil War"--some further South call it "The War of Northern Aggression". But HERE Robert, we refer to it as "That recent unpleasantness".
 
 
Those overly proud, inbred son of a guns will never forget or forgive....

Ah yes...Debutante Land. Never ran across a more self righteous group of son's of bitches in my life. I've spent a lot of time in the Southeast Robert. I worked as a Supply Chain and Logistics Coordinator for a Chinese Company that brought containers into the Port of Savannah and Charleston from Yantian (actually quicker and cheaper than bringing them into L.A. and railing them to the East Coast). I was never called any racist names there like I have been many times in Texas. A lot of them just spoke to me like I was below them and dumb. I sometimes think I'd prefer to be respected for my intelligence while simultaneously being called the "n" word instead. In Atlanta it's even worse, because rich Black Americans treat poor Black Americans worse than white people do.
 
I did get the opportunity during one of my visits to go to a ball held at Brittmore Estates in Ashville, NC with a very select group of Old Southern "Blue Bloods" as you called them. Never felt more out of place in my life. Spectacular wine selection though!!! 

[Ray]

So what's the secret in the Philippines? How does everyone, even the poorest learn English? In Brazil we also study either English or Spanish in school for years, but no one gets as fluent as the Filipinas because of it.

  Actually BG, the Philippines has two official languages, English and Pilipino (Tagalog).
　
Practically all school instruction is done in English. Official government documents are in English. Most of the major newspapers are in English. Many of the radio and TV shows are broadcast in English, or a mix of Tagalog and English (Taglish).
　
The Philippines has about 170 separate languages with many sub-dialects within those. My wife speaks four languages fluently and also speaks some Malaysian and Spanish.
　
But many Filipinos also have trouble with pronunciation of English words. Part of the problem is that the Filipino teachers who taught them English also mispronounce their words.
　
Studying and learning a new language is difficult and requires great concentration and effort. Some people are just lazy and don’t want to put out the effort to learn a new language. Others just don’t have the aptitude for learning a language, even though they may be very intelligent and possess a strong natural aptitude for learning other difficult subjects like mathematics or the sciences. Also the difficulty in learning English, or any other particular language, depends greatly on your own native language.
　
I think "most" people can learn a foreign language if they are focused and motivated, but some just naturally learn languages easier than others.
　
I have found that those who have fully mastered their own native language, both orally and written, are much more likely to be proficient in a foreign language such as English.
　
Ray
　
　
　

[InnocentVixen]

It makes sense, over here it can be like that too but you actually get to choose from a private school that has better teachers, better lessons and were they keep more of a tight leash on the students or the private school with the highest fees and prettiest uniform that does not necessarily offers quality in education.


BG I know where you are coming from, I didn't even attempt speaking english until I met one handsome american man and that was all the motivation I needed!! I could read and understand english since I was a child, grew up going to private schools where I would often make english class my lunch break because I was bored, straight 10's or 100's or A+ or however you guys want to put it and you have heard my accent in person when I am relaxed and just talking about anything.


I get rid of as much of my accent as I can when I am giving english lessons, takes more effort but it's my job to teach my student proper english, just like it's Sofia's job to look pretty and be comfortable speaking in front of the camera in spanish or english, she did spent years in some show about traveling so it was obviously needed and had the chance to practice, I guess high expectations resulted in shock when I heard her first attempts, it is great she didn't give up, she obviously improved if she managed to get an important part in an american show.


PS. depending on your accent (as in regional accent not language) it can be harder or easier to pronounce english, in my opinion people from Spain have a really hard time speaking decent english even with neutral accent from their country, so Penelope is excused to me Salma had an awful accent as well at first, but if you notice now she pronounces better than Penelope.

[braziliangirl]

  Actually BG, the Philippines has two official languages, English and Pilipino (Tagalog).
　
Practically all school instruction is done in English. Official government documents are in English. Most of the major newspapers are in English. Many of the radio and TV shows are broadcast in English, or a mix of Tagalog and English (Taglish).

Thanks for the explanation, Ray. Do you know why English? Wouldn't Spanish make more sense?

[Ray]

Thanks for the explanation, Ray. Do you know why English? Wouldn't Spanish make more sense?

BG,
 
The Spanish language was spoken widely in the Philippines while the Spanish occupied the country. Spanish is not widely spoken by Filipinos today but many of the old-timers are still able to converse in Spanish. My wife was required to take two semesters of Spanish in college but I believe most colleges and universities no longer have that requirement today.
　
After about 375 years of Spanish rule, the Philippines came under American rule for some 45 years. During the period of American influence, schools were required to teach the English language and many of the teachers were Americans. The Philippine form of government is also closely patterened after that of the United States.
　
The previous administration in the Philippines made some suggestions that the Philippines should have closer ties with Spain and go back to teaching Spanish in schools, but I haven’t heard much on the subject recently.
　
During the time of the Spanish galleon trade in the Far East, there was a regular trade route between Manila and Acapulco. This resulted in the sharing of the respective cultures between the Philippines and Spanish colonial Mexico. I understand that there are still descendents of transplanted Filipino sailors in the Acapulco area today. Many foods and clothing items for example are common between the two countries. There is even a sizable town in the Philippines named "Mexico".
　
There are also quite a large number of words in the Filipino language directly borrowed from the Spanish. The Spanish methods of telling time and counting money are still widely used in the Philippines today.
 
There are still a couple of areas in the Philippines where a form of Spanish, called Chavacano (or Chabacano), is still a predominant language after 400+ years.
 
　
Ray
　
 

[Jeff S]

I discuss the Manila Galleons extensively in my shipwrecks book, and yes, Ray, for 300 years from the mid 1500s til the early 1800s the Spanish shuttled Asian cargo, especially valuable Ming Dynasty porcelain from Manila in the Philippines to Acapulco on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, across Mexico by land to Veracruz, then through the Spanish Main (the Caribbean) to Spain. At that time the Spanish ruled the sea (Cortez, Balboa, deSoto, and even Columbus, financed by Spain,) and laid claim to the Philippines. They were wise not to mess with Zaipango (Japan) and the Portuguese got their butts spanked trying to dominate Japan like the Spaniards were able to in the Phils.


In any event, in spite of quite a few Spanish words finding their way into Philippine languages, and very old Filipinos being able to decipher some Spanish, English is far more a part of the modern history, and so a more recognized contributor to modern Philippine language

[Ray]

 
What's the title of that book Jeff? Sounds interesting...
 
 
Ray
 
 

[thekfc]

I would like to read that book too.
"W & R"?
Is it on Kindle?

[beginthebeguin]

I_V said

BG I know where you are coming from, I didn't even attempt speaking english until I met one handsome american man and that was all the motivation I needed!!

Yes, I_V motivation is such a great factor I agree. I had no use for learning spanish where I live when I was younger, the area where I was born here in the States is very parochial and rather closed off to anything new. I was at best only a C+ student grade-wise, there was no underlying motivation at the time.
Had I know then what I know now? Welllllllllllllllllllllllll. Matters now would be vastly different. It is a pity that many young Anglo men see latinas only as stereotypes if they have little contact with them. Of course, the opportunity for contact these days is much greater, and that is encouraging. 

[braziliangirl]

Thanks, Ray and Jeff! It makes sense to me now.

[aconcepts]

I just read the Vergara article. I am telling you don't do as I do. Do as I say; Go East young man! Stay away from south. If you value sanity you will take my advise. You may also live longer = if that's your goal.


I have one friend divorced and she said "My husband always new he married Miss Right. He just didn't know that her first name was "Always!"




I am telling you......