Posted by lil' jimi on April 21, 2003, at 12:51:10
In reply to thank you for that story, jim, posted by ayuda on April 20, 2003, at 12:29:14
> Since I came to Miami, I have tried to increase my vocabulary of Spanish (my language in college was French), and so when coming up with "handles" on the internet, I like to find appropriate Spanish words. So, when I came to this site, "ayuda," the definitive of ayudar, seemed to be appropriate -- I haven't figured out if I meant that I was asking for it or thought I could give it, or maybe it's both!
>
> Since I am not a native speaker, I feel it would be rude if I did not answer to "sen~ora," because the alternative is to wait for them to switch to English, and they shout "Lady!" which they don't know is kind of insulting to an American (it plays in my mind in a Brooklyn accent, "Hey lady! <Insert insult here>!") No one tells them to use "miss," which of course is equivalent to "sen~orita."
>
> And sometimes, if I'm in a particularly rotten mood, I correct them -- show them the left hand devoid of rings, and say, "it's sen~orita! preferably miss!" Then they kind of leave me alone, because not only am I not one of them now, I am a nasty American. Doesn't happen often, but more than it ever does in Pennsylvania!kell,
you Are most welcome! "abuelita" is almost always a term of endearment, to my ears, but some payasos jovenes will use "abuela" or "abuelo" to deliberately offend middle-agers... sometimes
but, oh heck-fire, i can take them all as compliments.... as la fayeroe-dee-oh says, glad to still be here .... aging may be a strain, but it still beats the alternative ....
so i have long since come to never correct them.... if they intend to insult me, i'll let 'em think i got alzheimer's..... or worse!
besides they can call me anything they please, ....... just don't call me late for supper!
~ jim , 52 and still growin' (groan?)
poster:lil' jimi
thread:220364
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030421/msgs/221174.html