A
note on dialects
A language is a dialect with an army and
a navy.
--Max Weinreich
We recognize variations--dialects--of our mother
tongue, and whether we like it our not we have gut-level reactions
to them. Usually we feel most comfortable with the dialects we
heard as children. Others sound exotic at best; at worst, alienating,
off-putting, even incomprehensible.
There is considerable variation in the Spanish-speaking
world, hence the documents presented here and elsewhere will likely
require revision to suit your patrons.
I think the best way to get this done is to rely
on native speakers familiar with the Spanish spoken locally, not
forgetting to pay your consultants fairly for their labour--er,
for their trouble, as we like to say back home.
If that isn't possible, then pay attention to
your Spanish-speaking patrons. Ask questions and observe to discover
what sounds good and what sounds odd to them. For example, if
a certain question on one of your forms generates unexpected responses,
you need to revise the wording of that question (regardless of
how "correct" the local Spanish teacher says it is).
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