Castellano conventions pre-Franco

Question

WARNING: Quite long and pretty obscure query

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I've been rereading Zafóns El Jeugo del Angel. This is set in a Spain essentially pre-Franco and I presume that the language conventions reflect this. If you have read the book you'll know that David Martín is the same age as the century, for example he's 17 in 1917.

Throughout the book he is often referred to and addressed by both friend and foe using his appellido Martín. This suggests a much more formal set of conventions to me.

I wonder if anyone can tell me whether this is a period convention rather in the way for example that Conan Doyle is wrongly said to have "Elementary my dear Watson" "Oh I say Holmes!!" What I'm getting at is the English Public School fashion of the period where people addressed each other using their surnames.

Isabella the 17 year old girl also always addresses David as "usted" even in intimate conversation. Only once does she call him "David". Having learned my Spanish after the Franco period was over when political liberals were self-styled "progres" such use of appellidos and "usted" seems odd to me.

So my query is, have the polite conventions changed quite significantly vis a vis referring to people by appellido as well as using "usted" much more and in particular if talking to someone older than oneself? I'm wondering if Zafón is making a literary point with his use of languge in the book. I hope this makes sense

Answer 1

This does make sense, though I had to read it twice. Yes, much like English a about 80 or so years ago, people spoke very politely, referring to each other by last name and usted. I know this because my teacher was talking about it yesterday, how now Spanish and English are both much more casual. My question (to be answered in comments) is: Do you prefer this informality, or would you rather be addressed by your last name, or "sir" or "miss"? English and Spanish, or either/or.

Hope this helps Birdland! :D K

I think I prefer the informality probably because I don't know about the subtleties of the "usted" usage back then - lagartijaverde, May 19, 2011

Answer 2

I'm not old enough to know about pre-Franco Spain but when I was there Franco was very much in charge and (except with intimates) "usted" was very much the order of the day. Heidita has assured us on many occasions that "tú" is now the usual form of address (even with relative strangers) and I am quite prepared to accept her opinion. A forum member mentioned a similar shift (to informal address) in Sweden in (I think) the 70's and I have observed a similar change in France.

thanks sam:) - 00494d19, May 18, 2011