| It's no secret that the Spanish market is | | | | native speaker of a Spanish dialect and the |
| booming in the United States, particularly | | | | lingual abilities of someone who is a |
| the Hispanic market. | | | | descendant of a native speaker living abroad. |
| | | | |
| After several generations of people from | | | | As we know and some of you may have witnessed |
| Latin America and South America establishing | | | | personally, when people move to other regions |
| roots as American citizens in the southern | | | | or pass their mother tongue onto their |
| states and the west coast of the US | | | | children after they have emigrated, the |
| predominantly, the time has come for society | | | | purity of the dialect may not be exactly the |
| to recognize the rich contributions, cultural | | | | same or in tune with what is going on where |
| and otherwise, that our Spanish speaking | | | | they originally came from. |
| brothers and sisters have introduced to North | | | | |
| Americans, including the beautiful Romance | | | | In Simone's opinion, there are major |
| language of Spanish. | | | | differences in a native speakers' facility |
| | | | and that of someone who has been taught out |
| To give you a brief history on the two | | | | of context or has adopted a mixed version of |
| principal dialects of Spanish where we are | | | | English and Spanish, often referred to as |
| concerned, the European Spanish comes from | | | | Spanglish (remember that Adam Sandler / Tea |
| Spain and exhibits a different pronunciation | | | | Leoni movie?). |
| altogether from the more familiar Latin | | | | |
| American Spanish of soft C's that sound like | | | | Simone also insists that companies should be |
| S's we have come to know through songs like | | | | aware that fact when they plan to work with a |
| Feliz Navidad and the like. | | | | Spanish Voice Talent. |
| | | | |
| The Spanish spoken here in North America is | | | | She can think of dozens of examples that |
| by most accounts the most universally spoken | | | | feature several companies who trust in |
| because of its effortless glides and genteel | | | | Spanish speaking employees to translate the |
| delivery not to mention the exposure it has | | | | original script from English. It is perceived |
| enjoyed in the Americas. This is the gentle | | | | that having an employee with a Spanish |
| Spanish of Dora the Explorer, Sesame Street, | | | | heritage doing the legwork of translation |
| soap operas from Mexico, and the crooning of | | | | will save some money or simplify the process. |
| singers such as Ricky Martin, Enrique | | | | What an employer doesn't realize is that by |
| Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. | | | | relying on a non-native speaker to produce a |
| | | | respectable translation into the language |
| When I asked Simone Fojgiel, a native Spanish | | | | specified is a big mistake, one that could |
| speaker and voice talent, about the role that | | | | potentially risk their reputation as well as |
| Spanish plays on the world stage in the world | | | | waste resources. |
| of voice over, she revealed the following: | | | | |
| | | | "Someone who was born in the US and has |
| "Just consider that Spanish is spoken by | | | | parents who were born in Latin America, or |
| almost 400 million people natively. It is the | | | | who came to this country at an early age and |
| fourth most spoken language by total number | | | | was born in South America, isn't likely to |
| of speakers, including native and non-native | | | | speak a 100% pure Spanish, or use the right |
| Spanish speakers, which in total is | | | | conjugation of verbs. There will be a lack of |
| approximately 500 million. Considering these | | | | richness in vocabulary, too. And "Spanglish" |
| amazing numbers, plus the fact that there are | | | | will be evident in the way many words (i.e. |
| more Hispanics living in the US than the | | | | technical) will be translated. I don't know |
| entire population of Canada, which is 32.5 | | | | how other talents manage themselves when a |
| million, brings an excellent projection to | | | | script that's full of grammatical errors |
| our profession in America. In fact, I think | | | | comes to their hands. Do they tell the |
| it's an outstanding, unstoppable phenomenon. | | | | company what's happening? I do, and show my |
| | | | concern. |
| The demand for Spanish talents is increasing | | | | |
| everyday especially in the US, but also in | | | | Companies who hire Spanish voice talents need |
| other markets like Europe and Asia, although | | | | to be very, very aware of these situations. |
| with other specifications. For instance, in | | | | American people trust in others, because in |
| Europe companies look for Castilian | | | | this country your word represents your |
| (Castellano) accented talents, because the | | | | honour. But they need to know that not |
| influence that comes from Spain is real in | | | | everyone has the same ethics. So I suggest |
| their market. In America, in most of the | | | | them to work with a well educated Translator |
| cases, Latin American. Mexican or Neutral | | | | and Voice Talent, in order to get the results |
| Spanish are the most requested accents for | | | | they expect. No matter the target you want to |
| obvious reasons." | | | | reach within the Hispanic Community. Spanish |
| | | | voice talents should be native, and |
| As Simone says, Spanish is a very complex | | | | translators too. Always." |
| language to learn because of various | | | | |
| vocabulary, grammatical, syntax and semantic | | | | Today, ninety percent of her clientele is |
| rules and conjugations. It has a word for | | | | located in Canada and the United States, a |
| every feeling. | | | | hefty percentage to say the least. Simone |
| | | | has found the much of her success is related |
| From my own experience, all you need to do is | | | | to her online marketing efforts as opposed to |
| watch a Spanish opera or program on | | | | more traditional methods offline. |
| television to see the practically endless | | | | |
| flow of passion that emanates from each word | | | | Not just a speaker of Spanish and English, |
| with purpose and gusto. | | | | Simone is trilingual, adding Hebrew to the |
| | | | mix of languages offered to her clients. She |
| Simone also shared that although the language | | | | recognizes her polyglot capabilities are an |
| is beautiful and looks effortless, Spanish | | | | advantage because she was able to accommodate |
| has a two-gender system and about fifty | | | | projects with certain accents because of her |
| conjugated forms per verb, revealing "I don't | | | | extensive training and fulfilled her clients' |
| blame those who postpone taking Spanish | | | | expectations. |
| courses every year!!!" | | | | |
| | | | According to Simone, the Spanish language is |
| Another interesting fact is that although | | | | now one of the three most sought after |
| there are two main Spanish dialect | | | | languages in the voice over marketplace, |
| distinctions, even Latin American Spanish has | | | | propelled in part by recent studies in the |
| its own stream of sub-dialects. You can find | | | | United States indicating that the number of |
| obvious differences between certain accents, | | | | Spanish-dominant and bilingual Hispanics in |
| for instance Cuban compared to Argentinian | | | | America will increase by 45% over the next 20 |
| Uruguayan. They both are Spanish, but the | | | | years. |
| accent and even the way verbs are conjugated | | | | |
| is absolutely different. | | | | One of the best ways to find a native speaker |
| | | | of Spanish is to conduct a search online or |
| Case in point is the difference between a | | | | post a job at a voice over marketplace. |