Spanish Foreigner Talk Questionnaire--Results
summary
Respondents: 28  male university students from Guatemala, Colombia, and Peru. Three quarters have had similar experience. Forty percent of those with experience use a foreigner register rather than foreigner talk. They speak more slowly, more loudly, in simple sentences and with gestures so the gardener, maid or laborer would learn more quickly. Of those who would use foreigner talk:

1.  You want to help him carry his things to the servant's quarters. What would you say? (Don't delete estar or está.)
a. ¿Está la ropa en la calle?
b. ¿Está ropa en calle?
c. ¿Ropa calle?
d. ¿Estar ropa calle?
2.  You want to introduce your new employee to the family. You walk through the house looking for the other family members. You meet your older bother. He is twenty years older than you and looks very old. Your new gardener asks, "Father"? You need to correct him. What would you say in Spanish so he would understand you? (Delete ser or es.)
a. No ser papá, ser hermano.
b. No es mi papá, es mi hermano.
c. No es papá, es hermano.
d. No papá, hermano.
3. Your new gardener comes to tell you that someone is at the door looking for you. What would you say? (Delete ser or es.)
a. ¿Quién ser?
b. ¿Quién es?
c. ¿Quién?
4.  You enter your bedroom and see that your money is missing. You suspect that the gardener has it. You are very angry. What would you say? Remember, he doesn't understand Spanish very well. (Delete estar or está.)
a. ¿Dónde dinero?
b. ¿Dónde está el dinero?
c. ¿Dónde estar dinero?
d. ¿Dónde está dinero?
5.  The gardiner receives news from home. What would you say? (Don't delete estar or está.)
a. ¿Cómo está familia?
b. ¿Cómo familia?
c. ¿Cómo está la familia?
d. ¿Cómo estar familia?
6. You are eating with your family. The gardener enters the room looking for you. What would you say? Remember, he doesn't understand Spanish very well. (Don't use form of the progressive: -ando/-iendo or estar/está)
a. Espera. Estamos comiendo.
b. Esperar. Estar comiendo.
c. Espera. Comemos.
d. Esperar. Comer.
7.  You are going the airport to fly to Florida. The taxi is wating for you outside. You need your suitcase in a hurry. It is in the kitchen. The gardener wants to help you. What would you say? (Don't delete estar or está.)
a. Maleta está en cocina.
b. Maleta cocina.
c. Maleta estar cocina.
d. La maleta está en la cocina.
8.  You want to say goodbye to your children but you don't know where they are. You hear some shouts outside in the garden. What would you say to the gardener? (Don't use any form of the progressive: -ando/-iendo or estar/está)
a. ¿Jugando niños afuera?
b. ¿Jugar niños afuera?
c. ¿Están jugando los niños afuera?
d. ¿Juegan los niños afuera?
9.  Your mother is very sad that you are going to Florida and is crying. The gardener wants to know what happened. What would you say? (Delete estar or está.)
a. Madre estar triste.
b. Mi madre está triste.
c. Madre está triste.
d. Madre triste.
10. Your gardener brings you a small present to remember him by. What would you say? (Delete ser or es.)
a. Muchas gracias. Es bonito.
b. Muchas gracias. Bonito.
c. Muchas gracias. Ser bonito.

Spanish Foreigner Talk Summary:
1. Delete all forms of ser
2. Don't use progressive forms (-ando, -iendo or estar/está)
3. Don't delete locative estar/está except in questions with ¿Dónde?