I Do Manage…

to keep myself amused. I was listening to a really fast talker in English the other day, and I started wondering if there really is that much difference between Spanish and English. So when I noticed that Hulu had the TV series Blue Bloods in both English

and Spanish

I decided to record the audio for the (almost) same segment in both languages. You might have to turn up the volume to hear them.

English:

… questions. As you all know the first hours are crucial in a case like this so I’m asking for the media’s help on keeping Teresa’s face before the public.

Our task force will respond to each and every lead and I assure you the New York City Police Department will not rest until we find this…

Spanish:

Antes de sus preguntas, como saben, las primas horas son cruciales en un caso como éste. Así que pido a los medios mantener la imagen de Teresa presente ante el público.

Nuesto personal antenderá cada una de pistas y les aseguramos que el departamento de policía no descansará hasta encontrar a esta niña.

The Spanish version did pack a few more syllables in its 21 seconds than the English did in its 22 seconds. At any rate, I will continue to work on my listening skills.

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12 Responses to I Do Manage…

  1. ok the same guy is speaking, the English spoken seems to have quiet/still hands, whereas the Spanish spoken has hands waving about… does that relate to the “spoken speed”

    we had a dude come to talk to our group this week – boy talk about stringing whole sentences together – especially when he was talking about books and other information written on his “subjects” – I got lost within a few minutes! But others loved his talk.

  2. MadSnapper says:

    i love this show, it looks odd to hear Spanish coming from the police commissioner. this is really a great way to practice your skills with Spanish. I just wish they would get the new season up… really missed it..

  3. Bruce Taylor says:

    Once upon a time I complained about Spanish spoken by native speakers, saying they talked so fast. But then someone told me that non-English speaking people say the same thing about us. So it’s that as we try to understand a “foreign” language we’re thinking in terms of individual words, rather than in phrases. Claro, que si?

  4. Ginny Hartzler says:

    Interesting!!

  5. Ann Thompson says:

    To me the spanish version sounded like he was talking way faster.

  6. Myra+G. says:

    Agree, the Spanish version makes me want to say, “Slow down.”

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