The stories/voices of 1950-70s Galician migrants to the UK (Guardian article)

When I first visited London in 1977. I met two of them. One was in charge of my hotel in Paddington. She spoke a very fast fluent English but coudn't read it The other one was a waiter in a bar. I don' t know how she knew I was Galician after ordering a sandwich and a beer in English.

Pelegrin said:

When I first visited London in 1977. I met two of them. One was in charge of my hotel in Paddington. She spoke a very fast fluent English but coudn't read it The other one was a waiter in a bar. I don' t know how she knew I was Galician after ordering a sandwich and a beer in English.

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El acento, chico, el acento! And thanks to op, a fine piece.

peregrino_tom said:

Given that all of us who have walked to Santiago are, in our own very small way, honorary Galicians (whether in love with or mystified by the place - or both), I thought this piece might be of interest.. and the onions in tortilla question gets a mention too...
The prompt for the piece is a small exhibition As xeracións do Montserrat which is at the Kiosco Alfonso in A Coruña until 14 January

Sea crossings, cleaning, and Connery’s coffee: memories of Galicians who came to Britain

Generations of families that left Franco’s Spain for London in a half-forgotten migration are to be celebrated in an exhibition

www.theguardian.com

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Thank you Tom, a moving article

Kirkie said:

El acento, chico, el acento! And thanks to op, a fine piece.

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Interesting question. Is it possible to distinguish a Galician from a Castilian when speaking English? An American from an English when speaking Spanish?

In 1978 on my first adventure in Europe aged 14 I stayed in a hostel in Geneva. The restaurant staff all spoke Spanish and found my school boy Spanish very amusing. I remember they were all Galician and delighted to meet our group of fellow Celts. We talked about the common emigrant experience of the Gallegos and the Irish. They were very generous with our portions!

Pelegrin said:

Interesting question. Is it possible to distinguish a Galician from a Castilian when speaking English? An American from an English when speaking Spanish?

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I imagine it depends... I can tell if someone is from 'near me' ie reared in my country, even if I only hear one word when a person is passing me.
My response above came from instinct, so maybe it is my ear.
Today a kind man asked in English if he could help me when the barrier would not lift at a toll on a motorway. When I thanked him I knew that he would recognise my recognition of where he is from when I said 'Mil gracias'. I was correct, and he drove off with a smile and '¡de nada!'
As a non native Spanish speaker I could not say from which autonomy, but he was from the Spanish mainland, and most likely central or northern. He was definitely not from the south or from Galicia. I have a fair amount of practice conversing in English with people from various parts of the country. I lived in a suburb of Bilbao while learning castellano, and often I am asked by native speakers if I come from Bilbao...that doesn't last long when they subsequently hear me murdering their language! My accent is good, but my delivery is as it occurs to me while hunting for the correct usage! I did not learn in a language school, but I listened and repeated and read and read and read. So my language memory jumps into play, just as muscle memory does when working with clay. Repetition, and practice.
Sorry for the long reply. The old joke: The sermon is long because I did not have time to prepare a short one...