Q: In a recent column, you all agreed with a letter-writer who complained about people who speak in a foreign language when in the presence of others who do not speak that language.
Why then do you often use Spanish words in your columns? You must realize that many of your readers don’t understand Spanish.
Should I assume you don’t want me, a non-Latino, to know what your advice is? Now THAT seems rude and hypocritical.
Danny: I want to assure you that the column isn’t intended to offend or exclude. Instead, it’s an invitation to share in a culture I know well that is a growing part of this country.
Language is the ultimate melting pot. Words such as aloha, shalom, monsieur, bonjour, konichiwa and a la carte are just a few of the foreign phrases that have become part of everyday conversation.
Yet the mention of nachos, hola and buenos dias seem to evoke such turmoil in America’s psyche these days. Why the resentment toward anything remotely indicative of Latin influence?
Enough of the soap-box antics accusing anyone who speaks a foreign word of being anti-American. My pride and my heart bleed red, white and blue, so stop taking offense. Build a bridge using any language foreign to you and open your heart to the world. It’s all around you waiting with open arms and a tapete (mat) that reads bienvenido (welcome).
Catherine: Your point is well-taken: In an effort to add some Latino flair, we unintentionally exclude a portion of our audience.
It’s not my style to blend multiple languages in the same sentence, but many people do pepper their conversational English with a few words of Spanish and vice versa. Some might consider the mix a type of linguistic seasoning. Others say it dilutes both languages.
If we use language that is not commonly understood, we should have the courtesy to explain our sentiments. Likewise, we should include a translation for every Spanish word we use. Language should enhance our lives, not exclude others from it.
Lily: I am not apologizing to anyone. Since the beginning, Consejos was a bilingual idea. (The word itself means “advice” in Spanish, for those of you who haven’t been with us since 2002.) Unlike Catherine, I do speak and think the way I write. So does my family in San Antonio and so do many of y’all (I’ve heard you – no se escondan!).
I want everyone to understand what we write. This is why the Spanish words and phrases we use are fairly common and are always put in context so that their meaning is discernible. We also provide a glossary to the publications that run our column.
When the definition isn’t crystal clear, remember that you’re just an Internet click or a library visit away from getting one. Also, the column is meant as a starting point for conversations about relationships and cultural identity, so why not take it literally and ask a Spanish-speaking friend or colleague to translate?
This is not a column for Latinos only; it’s an opportunity to see how alike we all are. Please do not assume we write primarily for anyone, because we write for everyone.
English might soon be our official language, but as long as we have this column, let them eat pastel.
GLOSSARY
– hola: hello
– buenos días: good morning
– no se escondan: don’t hide
– pastel: cake
Consejos is a bilingual advice column focused on relationships, culture and identity. E-mail your questions or comments to consejos@dallasnews.com. Or send your letters to Consejos, care of Texas Living, The Dallas Morning News, 508 Young St., Dallas, TX 75202.
