A Colombian woman, who is romantically involved with a Cuban, has stirred up a storm on social media after posting a video on her TikTok account. In the video, she boldly claims that Cubans "don't speak Spanish." Her statement, rather than being a criticism, highlights the challenges she's faced trying to understand the unique accent and expressions of the Cuban dialect.
"Cubans don't speak Spanish, it's just that understanding what a Cuban is saying, oh my God. It’s not an easy task," she remarks in the video, which has already garnered thousands of views and comments. Despite her initial surprise, she acknowledges that there are areas in Cuba where the speech is clearer than in others, and she notes that the Cubans she's met tend to speak rapidly with a distinct vocabulary.
"Every Cuban I've met, I have to tell them, 'stop and enunciate,' because I can't understand them. Besides, they have different words, like they call a house 'gao'," she explains in the recording. Despite the linguistic barrier, she admits that she's a fan of the Cuban accent and enjoys listening to her partner speak quickly with the island's characteristic terms.
The video has sparked a debate among TikTok users, with many Cubans defending their way of speaking and sharing opinions on which region of Cuba speaks most clearly. "We Camagüeyans are the best speakers," commented one user, while another insisted, "The province that speaks best is Las Tunas, then Camagüey."
Others pointed out that "Holguineros are among those who speak best in Cuba, they pronounce well and speak slowly," while some opined that "in the eastern part, the Spanish language is spoken more slowly and correctly." The discussion about linguistic diversity within the island remains open, and the Colombian woman's video has highlighted the unique features of Cuban speech, which combines speed, peculiar intonation, and a vocabulary rich in Cubanisms. It's undoubtedly an aspect of cultural identity that sets Cubans apart worldwide.