For some reason, many native Spanish speakers have great difficulty telling the difference between the letters "B" and "V". They sound very similar but, to me, there's a very obvious difference between the sounds. In all my time learning, butchering and now speaking the Spanish language, only one word has caught me out (the verb
caber, if you must know). It's not a class or education problem-i've seen well educated and rich people make the mistake as much as poor and less-educated people.
Happily, the error sometimes results in comedy...just around the corner from my house in Valpo is this sign:
It should read:
Por Favor No Botar Basura, which means "Please don't throw your rubbish here". What is actually says is "Please Don't Vote Rubbish". Why is this funny, i can hear you ask...well, look in the background of the next photo.
The same house has a poster of President Michelle Bachelet. Perhaps not the kind of support she really needs right now...
1 comment:
:-) Pretty funny!
My experience w/ the B vs. V thing is that different people in different countries will swear up and down that there is/isn't a difference and how can you hear/not hear it?!
But clearly, for some it's totally interchangeable.
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