...at least he's trying...
Irene: @ElBloombito mimics Michael Bloomberg (BBC)
Spanish New Yorkers affectionately poke fun at their mayor for his funny Spanish
A Twitter feed set up by one New Yorker has become a surprise hit by caricaturing New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's efforts to speak Spanish.
Rachel Figueroa-Levin, a stay-at-home mum, created El Bloombito to entertain friends stuck indoors while Tropical Storm Irene hit New York.
The feed soon went viral and has attracted a large online following.
Mayor Bloomberg frequently answers questions at press briefings in broken Spanish.
'Miguelito'
@Elbloombito captured the mood of the moment, with tweets offering public information in a mock-Bloomberg style.
Highlights include: "Los trainos y el bussos son muy operationo. Go to worko. No excuso!" and "No looto el bodega. Esta es Nuevo Yorko!"
New York has a very large Spanish-speaking population and the mayor's earnest effort to learn the language has been seen as an attempt to positively engage with the Latin community.
Start Quote
Los librariotequas del publico somos opening at el 12pm. Returno sus bookas! Que mucho fines!”
End Quote
Miguel Bloombito
@Elbloombito
However, in an interview with the New York Observer, Ms Figueroa-Levin said that while "it's great that he wants to speak Spanish", the mayor's Spanish is "laughable".
In the days before Irene hit New York, Mayor Bloomberg issued warnings and press statements, often in basic, un-accented Spanish, to prepare New York City residents for what was expected to be a category one hurricane.
In response, @Elbloombito began tweeting in "Spanglish" on the topic of hurricane preparations and advice for New York city residents from a fictional mayor called Miguel Bloombito.
"I think that if he really wanted to get a message across to the Latino community he should have stepped aside and had someone who speaks Spanish fluently deliver the message," Ms Figueroa-Levin told the New York Observer.
She added, though, that she thought the mayor's administration had handled the approach of the the storm "very well".
Ms Figueroa-Levin said that the inspiration behind the name @Elbloombito was Gerson Borrero, a journalist and prominent Latin political commentator in New York.
He likes to call the New York mayor "Miguelito".
...majestically enthroned amid the vulgar herd...
Originally Posted by tomcat
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My alternative universe...
Así pues, aquí estamos.
Does/did the idiot have/had a teacher? Erm...native speaking Spanish teacher, 1-on-1, to come to his office once in a while at least. I erm...think he could have found one in NYC. And to speak so badly publicly, it shows he might not really be sincere.
Why call him an idiot for his efforts to learn and speak Spanish? What do you know about his method and his efforts?
The article alluded that his efforts to learn Spanish are in earnest. I would assume that he does more than add "-o" to the end of English words.
How well do you speak Thai?
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For a public announcement that is short, he could have had a teacher. What do I know about his method? I know it isn't a good one. His efforts? Obviously not much effort, as of now.
I picked up Thai quite well with the Benjamin Boomsan Becker tapes, GFs, and expanded my vocabulary and practiced a lot to build fluency. But ya see....that was some time ago. I ain't livin' there no more. So I have been studying another Asian language. I expanded vocab on my own, practiced for fluency, and have studied with 2 brilliant teacher one-on-one. I've completed 2 textbooks, but I have a long way to go. I will return to study with my teacher when I return to Asia.How well do you speak Thai?
I studied Spanish for 2 years in high school, and 5 years later studied the language at the Spanish language academies in Antigua, Guatemala. I studied one-on-one, 4 hours per day, M-F. Then for fluency and listening, practice at night with cold beverages. I still have close friends in Guatemala and love the country, despite some of its problems.
Habria ido Guatemama si hubiera tiempo
I want to study again, down there. I am currently in the USA and I watch and listen to two Spanish language TV channels.
I studied Greek and Georgian but that was only minimal, and for minimal purposes while I was in Greece and Georgia.
OK, I just answered yoouuur questions, now may I ask you.
What languages have studied? Do you speak Thai.
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