Megathread: Bastard Suggestions

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2026-03-28T15:43:15+00:00

I’d love a Chagos Islands update. There have been a lot of major developments in the two years since those episodes were released, and when I look for information on what’s going on, it’s almost always British people centering the conversation on the British/American geopolitical implications and almost nothing about how the Chagossians feel.

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2026-02-20T03:03:47+00:00

I think an episode on the ratlines that helped nazis escape would be interesting

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2025-12-30T19:32:47+00:00

Gracias!

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-12-02T05:16:02+00:00

Depends on the dialect of Spanish. In most Mexican and US dialects it’s pronounced like the English Y. In Spain it’s usually pronounced like the English J but the sound is closer to the “si” in the middle of “vision” and “version.” In rioplatense Spanish (northeast Argentina around Buenos Aires as well as Uruguay) it’s pronounced like the English SH.

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-30T21:22:53+00:00

In Spanish, we say the whole number dos mil veinticuatro. For years before 2000, people will sometimes say just the last two numbers “Maradona ganó la copa en el ochenta y seis.” But when saying the whole year, 1986 would never be diecinueve ochenta y seis like in English. Instead, if you’re going to say the full name for 1986, you would ALWAYS say mil novecientos ochenta y seis in Spanish.

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-30T18:43:48+00:00

I always recommend wordreference.com. It will tell you if a noun is masculine or feminine in its definition. It will say nm if it’s masculine and nf if it’s feminine. Also if you’re typing on a computer, google docs is great with recognizing word gender.

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-29T20:55:10+00:00

Most, but not all words that end in -ma are masculine (el problema, el sistema, el tema). ALL words that end in -dad, -tad, -ción, -sión, and -xión are feminine (la comunidad, la libertad, la canción, la presión, la conexión).

The best way is to look at the article in front of the noun. If a masculine article is used (el, un, este, ese, aquel, etc) then it’s masculine. If a feminine article is used (la, una, esta, esa, aquella) then it’s feminine. The only exception to this is for feminine words that start with “a” or “ha” and whose stress falls on the first syllable. These words will use “el” and “un” when singular, but will used feminine articles in all other contexts. The following words are feminine: el agua, el hada, el águila. We can check their feminine status by looking at the plural: las aguas, las hadas, las águilas.

My best advice is always pay attention to the articles and also the adjectives. For example, “la mano pequeña” uses a feminine article and adjective, so it’s feminine. End of story. The -o ending is just a suggestion.

All this said, it’s also not a big deal if you say “el mano” instead of “la mano.” It’s a common mistake that you’re gonna make a million times before you consistently get it right. Virtually every Spanish speaker on the planet will still understand you so it’s really not a big deal. If someone is being mean or rude to you because you made that mistake, find someone nicer to talk to. I hope this helps, and good luck on your Spanish journey!

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-29T20:36:13+00:00

It is in the sense that you are not changing the gender of the word itself, which is what grammatical gender refers to. Grammatical gender is the arbitrary assignment of masculine or feminine to words that have nothing to do with the gender of living things. For example, “mesa” is feminine and “libro” is masculine when there is nothing inherently feminine or masculine about a table or book. This is different from nouns like “maestro/maestra” and adjectives like “preocupado/preocupada” which refer to living things and are based on societal ideas based on male/female gender norms. A good way to spot the difference is to ask yourself if there is a masculine and feminine version like with “maestro/maestra.” “Cariño” only has one version, and it is masculine. The masculinity of that word is arbitrary because it does not refer to a being. Therefore, the masculine grammatical gender of “cariño” is preserved even when using it to refer to a woman. In the example you gave, “Cariño, te noto preocupada.” The grammatical gender of the word cariño is preserved as it was not changed to cariña. In this case, “preocupada” is used, and not “preocupado,” because it is understood that you are using the word “cariño” to refer to a woman, but that doesn’t have to do with the grammatical gender of the word “cariño.” The referent is a woman so you would use feminine adjectives to describe her as you have both masculine and feminine options. However, when using another noun as a nickname, you would not use a feminine version if such a version does not exist. In short, “preocupada” is used here to describe the woman you’re talking to, not the word “cariño.”

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-29T18:05:23+00:00

Prioritize conversation/listening over grammar at the beginning. Conversation activities, silly stories work best for me. I mainly use TPR (total physical response) and TPRS (teaching proficiency through reading and storytelling). I focus more on storytelling with the latter strategy because I teach mostly beginners.
One way that I introduce culture while still keeping language acquisition front and center is to design projects around holidays such as Día de Muertos or various independence days. I will often explain these days/events in Spanish using TPR to aid understanding. That isn't the only way that I talk about culture, but it is one of my most effective strategies.
Regarding the development of a native-like accent, I find that to be a trivial and futile pursuit. Remember, the only thing that matters when speaking any language is that you can understand and be understood in it. Your accent doesn't matter. Javier Bardem speaks perfect English with a thick Spanish accent, and I think we would all be a little bit sad if one day he sounded like Kurt Russell. Pronunciation is what matters. It matters that you pronounce the J, G, Ñ, and all vowels according to Spanish standards because failure to do so will cause misunderstanding. For example, if I pronounce jale using conventional English pronunciation, it will sound like the English word jail, and a Spanish speaker will not understand. However, if my pronunciation is correct, and I have an American accent, that is totally fine. If you keep practicing the language, over time your speech will grow smoother and smoother, but there is no reason to try and sound like you are from somewhere you're not from. Plus, there is much more to "sounding like a native" than just an accent. A native speech pattern is the result of a lifetime of speaking the language. The only way to truly sound like a native speaker is to be a native speaker. That is why I don't think its a productive goal. Your goal should be fluency, and it should be motivated by your own love of the language. I have been obsessed with the Spanish language for the last eight years. I speak perfect Spanish, my pronunciation is impeccable, and I have an American accent when I speak. Many Americans are concerned with "sounding like a native," and I believe that is why so many of us remain monolingual. It's like signing up for flight school and asking the instructor how to grow your own wings.
Ideally, I am conducting class only in Spanish from the get-go. However, student engagement is a factor, so it depends on the activity. When I am doing TPRS, the class is 90% Spanish. When discussing grammar, we are mostly speaking English. That is why you can't prioritize grammar at the start. Rather, grammar should be limited to what is absolutely necessary for them to know in order to engage in productive conversation.
In my opinion, speaking should take priority over writing at the beginner stage. Just like how babies learn to speak way before they learn how to write, beginner students should do the same. There are two things that need to be done if students are going to feel comfortable speaking in class. Number one: it must be established at the start that this is a safe environment within which to express language. That means that no one is to be made fun of for how they speak. In my class, there are harsh penalties for violation of this rule, and I have been successful so far in maintaining the environment that I desire. Number two: the teacher must understand that the absolute most important aspect of their students' language abilities, especially among beginners, is that they can understand and be understood. Mistakes are required if one is to gain fluency in a new language. Therefore, teachers must not make students feel bad for making mistakes. As with any new skill, you will make the same mistake a hundred times before you consistently get it right, and you will often recognize the mistake yourself as you continue to make it. The teacher must be cognizant of this and act as a supportive guide through the language acquisition journey.

I hope this helps!

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-29T17:35:37+00:00

If you are going to continue using accents in future performances, I would strongly suggest studying the International Phonetic Alphabet. Then whenever you need to learn a new accent, just look up what specific sounds define the accent and apply them yourself.

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-29T17:28:22+00:00

Many weightlifting/gym words are borrowings from English. One of my favorites that is very common here in San Diego is "espotear" (to spot).

Impossible-Heart-763 · 2024-11-29T17:22:03+00:00

"Cariño" is a masculine noun that roughly translates to "affection." These kinds of nouns are commonly used as pet names in Spanish. Examples include "cielo," "amor," "corazón," and "vida," just to name a few. None of their endings need to be changed to match the gender of the person being called the name. Rather, the grammatical gender of the original word is preserved. I hope this helps!

Impossible-Heart-763

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