How would you introduce your friend Enrique to your teacher Mrs. Duran
how would you introduce your friend enreque to your teacher mrs. duran
4 Answers
From 53 years of experience in a rapidly changing and often ambiguous culture, as well as what I am finding in my Spanish texts, I really think that it does not matter. Just do it. Probably the less formally the better, unless either your Spanish teacher or your friend lives in another place and time - like, another planet, or Earth three centuries ago, and if that's the case, you probably know what to say to them far better than we could tell you.
"Henrique, este es mi profesor de español, ..." - and not only have I probably not got the grammar right, but that does not matter.
This is another thing that excessively rigid and anxious people (like me, by nature) get very wrong about Hispanic culture by studying those blasted CD programs. Trust me, noone lives or talks like they do on those CD's, nor in older textbooks. And I worked hard for a long time to get over my excessive rigidity, which often left me too hung up to move, in any real life situation.
Conceivably you're actually attracted to Spanish because you yourself live on another planet or in another time and have gotten the idea from Spanish CD's and old textbooks that so do Europeans from the Mediterranean coast - but that is not a problem I can fix.
I personally probably would not do what she said, if she had inspired that question to begin with, because I´d be scared of sounding silly, and I know from long experience that usually excessive formality that conforms to rules that haven´t existed for 40 years is how to have everyone laughing at me, and some people who feel particularly strongly about the way women and young people were treated 50 years ago, outright angry. You would not for instance carefully introduce the young man to the older woman, because nothing ails the old woman, and nothing ails the young man. They´re just people, and presumably you want them to end up liking each other.
Interesting advice. If I may be permitted to paraphrase, "Ignore the social/language conventions of the people whom you are addressing. Insist on your own version of how people should speak. Their customs are antiquated (and worthless); all that matters is what you want to say (and the manner in which you wish to say it). You are the measure of all things and anyone who fails to recognize this, simply fails to recognize that the universe revolves around you (and your opinions).
I just had another brainstorm. If your Spanish teacher has taught you to worry about this sort of question, she certainly can tell you how she thinks you should make the introduction, and you´ll certainly be satisfied with her answer. If she´s that formal, and that old fashioned, she´s hardly likely to get mad when you ask her. If she does, I´d find another Spanish teacher, but I already would have found another Spanish teacher.
I personally probably would not do what she said, if she had inspired that question to begin with, because I´d be scared of sounding silly, and I know from long experience that usually excessive formality that conforms to rules that haven´t existed for 40 years is how to have everyone laughing at me, and some people who feel particularly strongly about the way women and young people were treated 50 years ago, outright angry. You would not for instance carefully introduce the young man to the older woman, because nothing ails the old woman, and nothing ails the young man. They´re just people, and presumably you want them to end up liking each other.
If she´s the Queen of Spain, it´s all important to be very formal, and she´s never going to see your friend again and certainly not going to like him, then, it´s another story.
Hi Tessah. Welcome to the forum.
Please use proper capitalization and punctuation in your posts.
Allow me to introduce to you my friend Enrique =
Permítame presentarle a mi amigo Enrique
