Máxima's Voice, Accent and Languages

[Princess Robijn]

I'm Dutch so ofcourse it is normal for me, but I have friends from all over the world and some of them are learning Dutch and they told me it's a very difficult language to learn.

 

[Her_Majesty]

BTW, I don't think Dutch is really that difficult, I can understand quite a lot, but maybe that is because I speak German.

I think that's the point!
The two languages are really similar. I have two friends who make a Dutch-course right now and they learn it quite easily (compared to Frensh or Spanish).
But I think Dutch and German are both hard to learn. At least that's what a friend from Norway told me. Grammar-wise.

 

[carlota]

To learn Italian, for Spanish speaking people, is extremely easy...since both languages are very similar...In fact, Spanish derives from Italian. Now, people that speak Spanish and Italian run with great adventange when it comes to learn French.

spanish doesn't derive from italian. they in fact derive from the same root (latin - which, while it started in italy, it's NOT italian) but none of them is first to the other one, but rather two different branches of the same root.

however, i would have thought maxima was taught french at school, but school french isn't that amazing so as to pronounce a speech. even if it was, i would have assumed she would have forgotten most of it during all these years (use it or loose it, as they call it for languages).

 

[ashelen]

germans and dutch are ver similar becasue it i am not wrong isn't dutch a mix with german?
it took me 6 months living in italy before i started to speak italian, even there are similar until you get use to the accent and listen a lot it is not so easy, and it depends how it is easy for each person , my husban who is british start to speak italian before me, he pick up languages very easy, he speaks 7 languages, so it depend of each person, maxima, probably like languages, and she is interestd in learning them and willing to do thebest, and of course with her money sitation that helps her to have tuttors, make it more easy for her to learn but overall it has to be in you the desire to learn , otherwise, you can not lear even if you have the money to pay private tuttors!

 

[Empress]

No, Dutch is not a mixture of German. But they do have quite a few similar words, and at the borders you will often get a sort of dialect of the two.

Dutch is much more slow in the speech patterns and less guttural.

 

[lucien]

Thank you, thank you so much for posting these videos! She sounds a little strange for an Argentinian, maybe it´s the influence of Dutch. Let´s not forget she studied Economics, but she has obviously prepared herself on this particular subject..

Our Crown Jewel sounds a little strange?I dare say,her english is better then one can expect,not the nasal nagging yankee sound,but wonderfull english.Ofcourse there's a little accent to it,it only adds to the charm wouldn't you think?See,so do I.

Prepared on this particular subject??My dear,HRH is an Internationally acclaimed EXPERT on the subject.No harm done if posters
are as well prepared on what they think they know,than HRH is in her own field.

Just a slight hint after hundreds of posts everywhere on the subject.
Nespresso anyone?

 

[rosana]

"Our Crown Jewel sounds a little strange?"

Strange for an ARGENTINIAN, who is supposed to have a slight Spanish accent. I didn´t mean she speaks a strange English. She doesn´t sound American nor British to me, but something else.

"No harm done if posters are as well prepared on what they think they know,than HRH is in her own field."


Sure, if i´d live day and night on the forum i would be an expert on Princess Maxima´s activities, but as i have so many other important things to do i only come from time to time. You should ignore the repeated posts and not bother to answer.

 

[lucien]

"Our Crown Jewel sounds a little strange?"

Strange for an ARGENTINIAN, who is supposed to have a slight Spanish accent. I didn´t mean she speaks a strange English. She doesn´t sound American nor British to me, but something else.

"No harm done if posters are as well prepared on what they think they know,than HRH is in her own field."


Sure, if i´d live day and night on the forum i would be an expert on Princess Maxima´s activities, but as i have so many other important things to do i only come from time to time. You should ignore the repeated posts and not bother to answer.

grinning......Retirement comes with many perks,one of 'm being to classify matters previously important to a non-importance of sorts...

 

[Princess Maxima]

but i might be wrong does she has an accent when she speaks english, like can you listen her argentinenan accent?

Yes indeed. I think her english is wonderful, but its quite obvious Spanish is her mother tongue.

 

[di-fan72]

but of course maxima's english is quite good, she worked and lived in new york so it should be good shouldn't it?

I do not like her dutch speaking actually, she still has a lot of trouble with speaking it fluently.

 

[Regina]

but of course maxima's english is quite good, she worked and lived in new york so it should be good shouldn't it?

That's right, but before New York, Máxima had a bilingual (English and Spanish) education at Northlands school.

 

[ashelen]

but of course maxima's english is quite good, she worked and lived in new york so it should be good shouldn't it?

I do not like her dutch speaking actually, she still has a lot of trouble with speaking it fluently.

does, she? at this point she should to speak fluetly, i can not understat that

 

[lucien]

does, she? at this point she should to speak fluetly, i can not understat that

No she doesn´t ashelen,it´s just a lot of people have trouble listening,her dutch is better
then most dutch speak dutch,entangled in all kinds of dialects they utter their vocals

 

[ashelen]

No she doesn´t ashelen,it´s just a lot of people have trouble listening,her dutch is better
then most dutch speak dutch,entangled in all kinds of dialects they utter their vocals

so you can say she has a very good dutch?

 

[lucien]

so you can say she has a very good dutch?

Oh,most certainly,with the slightest of south american twists,but that really only adds to her charm.She has learned a lot só quickly,and
so thorough.People can say what they like,but she's done one hell of a job only next to none of her so-called criticasters could have ever achieved,honestly.And that was only language-wise.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I think Maxima's English is excellent, being a non native speaker living in Britain myself I know how hard it can be and that you will always, apart from those who have been raised billingually, be "identified" as a foreigner, speaking a second language. But it doesn't matter at all. Maxima is very fluent and sounds extremely self confident and knowledgable on what she's speaking about. I actually think that her English sounds very Dutch!

 

[di-fan72]

I do absloutely not agree with this. I have a foreign husband who just lives a few years here in holland and his dutch is much much better(his native language is persian so not related to dutch in any way). I really do not like the way maxima speaks dutch. ok, i cannot deny that she had done her best to speak it and of course she speaks dutch but certainly not thorough and her vocabulaire is not big. But this does not mean that i do not like her or so, it is just a fact for me how i see it ;-)

Oh,most certainly,with the slightest of south american twists,but that really only adds to her charm.She has learned a lot só quickly,and
so thorough.People can say what they like,but she's done one hell of a job only next to none of her so-called criticasters could have ever achieved,honestly.And that was only language-wise.

 

[Elise27]

I do absloutely not agree with this. I have a foreign husband who just lives a few years here in holland and his dutch is much much better(his native language is persian so not related to dutch in any way). I really do not like the way maxima speaks dutch. ok, i cannot deny that she had done her best to speak it and of course she speaks dutch but certainly not thorough and her vocabulaire is not big. But this does not mean that i do not like her or so, it is just a fact for me how i see it ;-)

Some people have an easier time learning a language than others. I dont think people should criticize her and so what if she has an accent in dutch, its not her native language, at least she tries. Your husband maybe is better than her at languages, dutch is not an easy language especially coming from spanish. I've seen her speak in dutch, she seems to handle it well.

 

[yamamah]

Maxima is so charming and natural that she is fabulous in whichever language she speaks. I love that here is a princess/royal who actually has the obvious intelligence and ability to back up the polished PR spin that all royals get where they are made to sound better than they are. Maxima is the real thing. She is wonderful and the Dutch are lucky to have her.

 

[roseroyal]

I remember when I first heard HRH speak English, being surprised at how deep her voice was.

 

[Mia_mae]

I've always admire the capacity to learn different languages. And she clearly seems to have it. To learn a language like dutch, especially when a little "older" can be a challenge.
she obviously surpassed !

 

[Marengo]

Princess Máxima speaking a bit of French after 28:30 minutes:

Player omroep.nl

 

[rominet09]

As a French speaking person I am always impressed by her French. She talks very fluently, naturally and only with a slight adorable accent !

 

[Fanvanmaxima]

Princess Máxima speaking one of her first words Dutch at her engagement, after 4:30 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/koninklijkhuis#p/search/13/0u7DVf9SUaY

Princess Máxima speaking Dutch about money after 2:15 minutes: Player omroep.nl

Princess Máxima speaking Dutch after 0:30 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/koninklijkhuis#p/search/6/le_nrDFH5SI

Princess Máxima spreaking English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7PNY2b7CVA

 

[Fanvanmaxima]

You can hear her voice here:

» Videoboodschap voor 100-jarig Scouting Nederland

Google Vertaling

 

[DUCHESSSA]

Henri, there are no schools in Argentina where English is the first language, in some expensive schools they give much importance to English and sometimes they learn some other language too, but i assure you that argentinian teens can barely speak Spanish. Maxima must have taken English lessons somewhere else, even when she was at the University.

Máxima went to Northlands HS....where the classes were in Spanish (mornings) and in English (afternoon). I didn't attend said HS...but my sister did.
BTW. English & French are mandatory subjects in the Argentinean Public School Sysyem. I know...I took both subjects.

Duchesssa

 

[ahtikavalentine]

I like her accent, is like a british-latin american one. Love it =D

I don't know if this has been posted but you can hear her voice in dutch, have no idea what she's talking about, hope you can do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T-BFZizT3U

 

[IloveCP]

She speaks english very well.

 

[CeeW]

Henri, there are no schools in Argentina where English is the first language, in some expensive schools they give much importance to English and sometimes they learn some other language too, but i assure you that argentinian teens can barely speak Spanish. Maxima must have taken English lessons somewhere else, even when she was at the University.

I know this is an old thread but I had to comment on some of the things being said.

I attended Northlands School from Kindergarten through Secondary School (in total, 14 years). It is not correct to say that there are no schools in Argentina in which English is the first language because I can assure you that at Northlands, it is. We are taught English and Spanish simultaneously from an early age, becoming fluent very early on. At Primary School, in order to comply with the National Curriculum, in the morning lessons were conducted in english; in the afternoon lessons were conducted in spanish.

At the age of 12 we moved on to Secondary School, where 12 out of 14 annual classes were taught in english (with the exception of Spanish Lit and Argentine History or Geography). This is because Northlands is not a Bilingual School but rather an English School. During recess we spoke in english. Even P.E. was conducted in english. By the time I was 15 I only had one class in Spanish. At 11 I was already bilingual to the point where I think in English and feel more comfortable expressing myself in that language. We take IGCSEs in Year 10 and IBOs in Year 12, another reason why English is taught as a First Language.

Someone said Northlands is all about sports... another wrongful judgement based on absolutely no knowledge of this School. At Northlands we were taught to aim high and succeed, and this involved Sports, Languages, Academics, Arts, Sciences, Music, etc. Interschool Sports Competitions are important, but Academics are even more so.

The reason why Maxima has no accent when speaking english, or why her vocabulary and command of the language is outstanding, is because of her school.

 

[AndreaLF]

Maxima's years at Northlands

Does anyone have any information with the exact years that Maxima attended Northlands?

I just recently realized that she may have been a classmate of mine or my sister, as we are the same age and I attended Northlands as well! I was there for only a few years, Kindergarten through 3rd grade, but we probably overlapped. I would be tickled to know we might have known each other!

And I agree with what the poster above said regarding the English instruction at Northlands. My memory of those years were that the days were divided in two, with instruction in English in the morning and then switching to Spanish in the afternoon. I very much remember that in the recess at mid-day we were even supposed to play on the playground speaking English among each other, and teachers would scold us if they caught us speaking Spanish! That was tough.

Anyway, just curious if anyone had any information on when she started at Northlands? I know she graduated in 1988, but I was long gone by then. Thanks!