|
 |
Mexican telenovela interesting usage | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| TerryW Senior Member United States Joined 6356 days ago 370 posts - 783 votes  Speaks: English* | Message 17 of 24 27 June 2010 at 10:12pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
|
I always thought it was funny that, when someone says "With all due respect..."
you just know that the rest of the sentence will not be very respectful. ;-) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| anamsc Triglot Senior Member Andorra Joined 6202 days ago 296 posts - 382 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, Catalan Studies: Arabic (Levantine), Arabic (Written), French | Message 18 of 24 28 June 2010 at 12:35am | IP Logged | ||||||||
Yes, in my experience they would. Since "tú" is used in many countries' more standard forms, people understand it perfectly well and understand that a foreigner may not know their particular dialect.
Yes, it is true. I know that many people call everyone "usted" in much of Costa Rica, since I lived there. Everyone in my family called everyone else (family, friends, etc.) "usted". I am pretty sure there are parts of Colombia where this occurs as well (as I have seen it in movies, like hypersport mentioned). I'm not saying that "usted" is used with "tú" conjugation--it is used with its normal "usted" conjugation (3sg), but is used when the standard language would use "tú". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rican_Spanish ""Usted" is the dominant second person singular pronoun in Costa Rican Spanish. Some speakers use only "usted" in addressing others, never "vos" or "tu." Such speakers address even small children with "usted."" As for "vos", it is conjugated in many different ways, and used in many different ways, depending on the country. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| TheBiscuit Tetraglot Senior Member Mexico Joined 5922 days ago 532 posts - 619 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Italian Studies: German, Croatian | Message 19 of 24 28 June 2010 at 4:31am | IP Logged | ||||||||
|
I think there's a misunderstanding that goes on when particulary English speakers learn languages with different registers. They get the idea that usted (in this case) is used to show respect (only), and it is, but it can be used in many other ways as discussed in this thread.
2 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| rasputin Triglot Newbie United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5966 days ago 21 posts - 24 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French Studies: German, Italian, Zulu | Message 20 of 24 28 June 2010 at 5:24am | IP Logged | ||||||||
|
I've been under the impression that the "tú" form can also be used as a "social class slur".
It can be used in a deliberately condescending way, to sort of "put someone in his correct social place" (as ugly as that may sound). To address, say, a housemaid, or a waiter (whom one doesn't know) as "tú" can be potentially hurtful and/or inflammatory. Not so? Because the "tú" form is also the form one would use in addressing a dog or cat in the street. Is this not the case? Edited by rasputin on 28 June 2010 at 5:26am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| TheBiscuit Tetraglot Senior Member Mexico Joined 5922 days ago 532 posts - 619 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Italian Studies: German, Croatian | Message 21 of 24 29 June 2010 at 5:35am | IP Logged | ||||||||
Yes, it can be though I've heard people talking to their pets using usted! Reminds me of another misunderstanding: that tú can be used to come across as 'more friendly' to someone you don't know. In this case it usually comes off as if you're trying to win someone over. Foreigners are known here for being 'muy tuteros'. There's a lot of subtlety to using both forms, depending on where you are in the Spanish speaking world. The tone of your voice also plays an important part in how the message is received. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| dramireck Newbie Colombia Joined 5363 days ago 9 posts - 15 votes Speaks: English | Message 22 of 24 29 June 2010 at 6:52am | IP Logged | ||||||||
|
There are many subtleties about the usage of Usted and Tú, and the usage also varies between regions. Besides, to
make things even more complicated, there is the pronoun "Vos" which is used in Argentina and some regions of Colombia. I live in Antioquia (Colombia) and I rarely use the pronoun Tú, the pronoun "Vos" is more common in the spoken language. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| tractor Tetraglot Senior Member Norway Joined 5452 days ago 1349 posts - 2292 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, English, Spanish, Catalan Studies: French, German, Latin | Message 23 of 24 13 July 2010 at 4:16pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
|
An example from Spain:
The Spanish football players have given the Spanish king a T-shirt with the text "Usted es uno más" and the prime minister one with "Tú eres uno más". http://www.lavanguardia.es/deportes/noticias/20100713/539635 08130/usted-es-uno-mas-y-tu-eres-uno-mas-en-las-camisetas-de l-rey-y-zapatero-palacio-real-moncloa-jose-lui.html 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| g.polskov Triglot Newbie Canada Joined 5251 days ago 37 posts - 50 votes Speaks: French*, English, Spanish Studies: Portuguese | Message 24 of 24 31 July 2010 at 12:35am | IP Logged | ||||||||
|
I have spent quite some time in Colombia, and the use of usted is very particular there (and changes from regions to regions mind you).
I have noted that in many parts there would be two usted registers. One with the usual strangers/respectful usage and the second meaning intimacy. With family, parents, children, pets(!), good friends, etc. I remembered knowing things were doing well with a girl when she would switch to usted ;). Some parts just do NOT use tu at all. This seems to be slowing down a bit with the younger generation though. I have heard men saying using tu sounds gay. It is of course well tolerated with foreigners though. I still found easier to stick to usted or vos, to not make any faux-pas. and adjust once you get close to people. 1 person has voted this message useful |
If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login. If you are not already registered you must first register
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
