I'm putting this video up mainly for two reasons:
- To show that one can indeed sing complex rap lyrics in an adulthood-acquired second language.
- To show how memorizing song and rap lyrics is infinitely more fun than memorizing flash cards and conjugation charts.
- Vocabulary retention - Since music has such a mnemonic power, I will never forget any new words I learned from this song. More importantly, I am much more likely to incorporate these words into my speech since I've already practiced saying them so much in song. I often find myself using words I've learned from songs without any conscious effort.
- Grammar incorporation - I am already familiar with most grammatical subjects in Spanish as a result of being a linguist, but there is no limit to the variation in ways of expressing things colloquially. Aside from learning the meanings of the specific slang expressions from the song, I've increased my general ability to infer meaning from new expressions in general. In other words, next time I hear a new slang expression, I will have some framework for guessing its meaning and thus be able to more easily mimic it and incorporate it into my speech.
- Dialect-specific comprehension - I'm sure a lot of readers who already consider themselves fluent in Spanish will have a very difficult time understanding the Pacific-Colombian accent. Not only are words pronounced differently than from other parts of the Spanish world, but they are manipulated more in rapid speech, as in rap. Once you learn the song, however, your general ability to make out words in this specific dialect increase dramatically. I now have little problem understanding thick, Pacific-Colombian accents.
- Speech fluency - I've already learned several Spanish songs, but with each one I learn, I can physically feel my Spanish ability taking a noticeable leap forward. This is because the act of rapping is more demanding on your language production abilities than speaking normally. This is especially the case with rap songs, since they are rhythmically more complex the melodic singing AND normal speech.
If you're interested in learning the song's meaning. I've attached the lyrics and a personal translation below, along with the original music video. If you wish to learn this song on your own though, be careful using the actual lyrics. As I've written in a previous post about the evils of written word, using these lyrics will only confuse you, since the artists rarely pronounce things as spelled.
I actually create my own Rhythmic Phonetic Lyrical Guides when learning foreign language songs. To find out what that is, sign up for The Beta Tester Program.
| Somos pacífico, estamos unidos Nos une la región La pinta, la raza y el don del sabor Somos pacífico, estamos unidos Nos une la región La pinta, la raza y el don del sabor Ok! Si por si acaso usted no conoce En el pacífico hay de todo para que goce Cantadores, colores, buenos sabores Y muchos santos para que adores Es toda una conexión Con un corrillo chocó, valle, cauca Y mis paisanos de Nariño Todo este repertorio me produce orgullo Y si somos tantos Porque estamos tan al cucho Bueno, dejemos ese punto a un lado Hay gente trabajando pero son contados Allá rastrillan, hablan jerguiados Te preguntan si no has janguiado Si estas queda’o Si lo has copiado, lo has vacilado Si dejaste al que está malo o te lo has rumbeado Hay mucha calentura en Buenaventura Y si sos chocoano sos arrecho por cultura, ey! Coro Unidos por siempre, por la sangre, el color Y hasta por la tierra No hay quien se me pierda Con un vínculo familiar que aterra Característico en muchos de nosotros Que nos reconozcan por la mamá y hasta por los rostros Étnicos, estilos que entre todos se ven La forma de caminar El cabello y hasta por la piel Y dime quién me va a decir que no Escucho hablar de San Pacho Mi patrono allá en Quibdo, ey! Donde se ven un pico y juran que fue un beso Donde el manjar al desayuno es el plátano con queso Y eso que no te he hablado de Buenaventura Donde se baila el currulao, salsa poco pega’o Puerto fiel al pescado Negras grandes con gran tumba’o Donde se baila aguabajo y pasillo, en el lado del río Con mis prietillos Es del pacífico, guapi, timbiquí, tumaco El bordo cauca Seguimos aquí con la herencia africana Más fuerte que antes Llevando el legado a todas partes de forma constante expresándonos a través de lo cultural música, artes plástica, danza en general acento golpia’o al hablar el 1,2,3 al bailar después de eso seguro hay muchísimo más Este es pacífico colombiano Una raza un sector Lleno de hermanas y hermanos Con nuestra bámbara y con el caché Venga y lo ve usted mismo Pa vé como es, y eh! Piense en lo que se puede perder, y eh! Pura calentura y yenyeré, y eh! Y ahora dígame que cree usted Por qué Colombia es más que coca, marihuana y café. | We are Pacific Colombians, we are united The region unites us The (colors), the race and the gift of "flavor" (x2) Ok, in case you don't know There's a lot to enjoy in the Pacific Singers, colors, great flavors And many saints to worship It's all one connection with one group- Chocó, Cauca Valley and my countrymen from Nariño All of this repertoire gives me pride And yes, we are so many Because we are so marginalized Okay, lets leave that point aside There are people working but they are few There they dance, and speak a lot of slang They ask you if you're not hip with the times If you are behind the times If you copied someone else's swag, you messed up If you stayed in the corner of the party or got down There's a lot of action in Buenaventura And if you're Chocoano, it's part of your culture to have a good time. Chorus Forever united by blood, color and the land. I'm not losing anyone With such a strong family connection The characteristics we share are so apparent That we can recognize our relationships through looking at our faces and mothers. You can see all kinds of ethnicities and styles In the way we walk In our hair, and in our skin And tell me who is going to tell me otherwise I hear the words of Saint Pacho My patron saint back in Quibdo. Where people greet and look like they are kissing Where all meals have plantain and cheese And I still haven't talked about Buenaventura Where they dance Currulao, and salsa a bit close A port faithful to fish Big black women with big butts Where they dance 'aguabajo' and 'pasillo' Along the river with my black brethren. This is from the Pacific- Guapi, Timbiqui, Tumaco El bordo Cauca We go forth from there with our African heritage more stronger than ever. Carrying the legacy with us everywhere constantly Expressing ourselves through the cultural Music, plastic arts, dance and in general A broken accent when we speak The 1,2,3 when we dance And I assure you there is even more than this This is the Colombian Pacific A race and sector Full of brothers and sisters With our lineage and our spirit Come and see for yourself So you can see how it is Think about what you could miss out on Pure energy and African spirit Now tell me what you believe Because Colombia is more than just Cocaine, Marijuan and coffee... |
