He aqui...?

Question

Reading Selecciones again: came across a strange construction, "He aquí algunas de sus historias, basadas en relatos de testigos oculares y reportajes de toda la región."

I take this to mean 'have' as if "I have some of their stories.." but I thought "he" is an auxiliary verb, I would expect to see "tengo". Or is it something else entirely? What am I missing here'

Answer 1

It is just an archaic form, meaning, as you guessed, tener or poseer.

Answer 2

James,
Can the expression "He aquí" mean "Behold"?

James Santiago said:

It is just an archaic form, meaning, as you guessed, tener or poseer.

>

Answer 3

látigo said:

James, Can the expression "He aquí" mean "Behold"?

No, it doesn't mean "tener or poseer". And "behold" would be a good match only in certain contexts. It is rather "here is/are...", because you don't even have to open your eyes: someone can give you something in the darkness and say "He aquí lo que te prometí".

"He" in that text above is not even related to the verb "haber", and it is not an auxiliary either. It is an adverb used to make others notice something.

"He aquí la montaña más famosa del mundo" = "Aquí está la montaña más famosa del mundo".

Answer 4

látigo said:

James, Can the expression "He aquí" mean "Behold"?

James Santiago said:

It is just an archaic form, meaning, as you guessed, tener or poseer.

That's the meaning that I learned for "he aquí", but you have to keep in mind that behold is fast becoming obsolete in English.

Luke / Lucas 2:10

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (KJV)

Pero el ángel les dijo: No temáis; porque he aquí os doy nuevas de gran gozo, que será para todo el pueblo: (Reina Valera 1960)

Answer 5

lazarus1907 said:

látigo said:

James, Can the expression "He aquí" mean "Behold"?

No, it doesn't mean "tener or poseer". And "behold" would be a good match only in certain contexts. It is rather "here is/are...", because you don't even have to open your eyes: someone can give you something in the darkness and say "He aquí lo que te prometí".

"He" in that text above is not even related to the verb "haber", and it is not an auxiliary either. It is an adverb used to make others notice something.

"He aquí la montaña más famosa del mundo" = "Aquí está la montaña más famosa del mundo".

Behold could translate every single one of these sentences; it just sounds archaic.

Answer 6

lazarus1907 said:

No, it doesn't mean "tener or poseer".

"He" in that text above is not even related to the verb "haber", and it is not an auxiliary either.

Well, I learned something there. I was posting from memory that the verb haber used to be used to mean tener or poseer, and assumed that was the case here, but I see that I was wrong. RAE says this:

he1.
(Del ár. hisp. há, y este del ár. clás. h').
1. adv. Unido a aquí, ahí y allí, o con los pronombres me, te, la, le, lo, las, los, se usa para señalar o mostrar a alguien o algo.

So it comes from classical Arabic! And I agree with Natasha and látigo that behold is probably the best translation for this, both in the original post and in the examples you gave. As Natasha pointed out, behold is not limited to cases of actually seeing something, but is also used when we "see" something in our minds.

Answer 7

Natasha said:

Behold could translate every single one of these sentences; it just sounds archaic.
"Lo!" could also work. If it was good enough for King James (not Santiago), it's good enough for me!

Answer 8

James Santiago said:

So it comes from classical Arabic! And I agree with Natasha and látigo that behold is probably the best translation for this, both in the original post and in the examples you gave. As Natasha pointed out, behold is not limited to cases of actually seeing something, but is also used when we "see" something in our minds.

I am still not convinced, but maybe the problem is that my English is not as good as any of yours. In the sentence:

He aquí algunas de sus historias, basadas en relatos de testigos oculares y reportajes de toda la región.

I could easily imagine someone on the radio saying this, but I find it difficult to picture

Behold some of his histories...

in English with the same meaning. Does it sound natural? Could the guy form a radio program say:

... and behold the song that I promised I was going to play

the same way someone on the radio in Spain would say...

...y he aquí la canción que prometí que iba a poner.

In Spanish sounds perfectly natural; a bit formal, but appropriate for the situation. I would have attempted something like "Here comes the song... ", but never "behold".

Another (usual) example:

¡Claro que no funciona! Estás usando la herramienta incorrecta; he ahí el problema.

How does it sound with "behold" in English?

Of course it doesn't work. You're using the wrong tool; behold the problem! '''''

Am I completely mistaken about "behold", then? Because all these examples sound weird to me in English.

Answer 9

Yes, I can see that "I have" isn't what's intended. I would think it would be more like "Here we have", "Look here!" or perhaps just, "Dig this!" Obviously "hay" wouldn't work, because that's just a general "there (is) are," but isn't "he" a form of haber'

Answer 10

lazarus1907 said:

I am still not convinced, but maybe the problem is that my English is not as good as any of yours. In the sentence:

Am I completely mistaken about "behold", then? Because all these examples sound weird to me in English.
No Lazarus, the problem is not your English. We were (or, at least, I was) being facetious. In normal English all of your examples would be "here is/are".

Answer 11

Am I completely mistaken about "behold", then? Because all these examples sound weird to me in English.

If "he" is used in modern Spanish, then you are correct, because the English sounds 500 years old. However, it is still used to create an ambiance, such as in stories like Harry Potter (I don't know if it was actually used in those books, but I'm just giving an example of the genre). Or, a magician might use it to sound more mysterious. And so on.

I think Pergolesi is right that "Here we have" would be a good candidate in many cases. But as Lazarus and the RAE say, "he" does not come from haber (see my post above).

Answer 12

James Santiago said:

If "he" is used in modern Spanish, then you are correct, because the English sounds 500 years old. However, it is still used to create an ambiance, such as in stories like Harry Potter (I don't know if it was actually used in those books, but I'm just giving an example of the genre). Or, a magician might use it to sound more mysterious. And so on.

It doesn't sound like plain, spoken Spanish, and has a certain "ancient" flavour, but not as much as "shalt" (or Harry Potter's sort of talk) , for example, since it is still used relatively often in slightly more formal, serious or important situations. Some people still use it even in conversations, but normally to sound more solemn or formal, or used humorously.

However, maybe "Here you are" doesn't sound as "solemn" as "He aquí/ahí/allí..."

Answer 13

Lazarus said:

:

Am I completely mistaken about "behold", then? Because all these examples sound weird to me in English.

I think we have all agreed (is that possible') that behold can translate he aquí, but behold is hardly ever used in modern English, unless the speaker (probably writer) is deliberately harking back to Shakespherean or King James English, etc., or is attempting to create a certain atmosphere (as a couple have mentioned, as in the Harry Potter books).

"Behold" is heard every year at Christmastime, in church, on the radio, etc., when it is common to read the Christmas story in King James English (even by people who don't use the King James Version at other times). So we recognize what it means, but we would hardly say it.

Answer 14

"Behold" is heard every year at Christmastime, in church, on the radio, etc., when it is common to read the Christmas story in King James English (even by people who don't use the King James Version at other time).

Indeed. It is beautiful writing, so even people who don't believe the story enjoy hearing it. I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas every year with my kids (I have the tape) just so I can hear Linus recite that passage.

It's a shame that King James gets all the credit for that translation, and not the actual translators. We are so unappreciated!

Answer 15

Natasha said:

I think we have all agreed (is that possible') that behold can translate he aquí, but behold is hardly ever used in modern English, unless the speaker (probably writer) is deliberately harking back to Shakespherean or King James English, etc., or is attempting to create a certain atmosphere (as a couple have mentioned, as in the Harry Potter books).

Really? That's not the impression I got from others. Do you think that all the sentences I gave before sound "natural" in English (even though is Shakespherean English'). So...

He aquí, sus palabras: = Y estas son sus palabras: = behold his words. ''?
He aquí algunos ejemplos de la conjugación = Aquí tienes algunos... = Behold some conjugation examples. ''?
He aquí la razón por la que es tan difícil = Esta es la razón por... = Behold the reason why it is so complicated. ''?
He aquí la faena: pintar la valla. = Aquí tienes la faena... = Behold the task: to paint the fence. ''?
Y he aquí que el cura dijo... = Y entonces el cura dijo: = And behold that the priest said... ''?
¡He aquí mi oportunidad! = ¡Aquí está mi oportunidad! = Behold my opportunity! ''?

Somehow, I am still not convinced. Are you really telling me that those sentences mean the same as in Spanish, and they are "natural" in English? In Spanish they are all Ok, and more or less equivalent.