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"Cultural Dimensions - Guatemala" has been written for the expat or serious traveler who intends to go well below the touristic surface of this marvellously complex and subtle culture. The following is a typical passage, explaining some of the many linguistic curiosities and challenges facing even a fluent Spanish-speaker in Guatemala. "As in other Spanish speaking countries, in Guatemala the foreigner needs guidance on the use of the formal, "usted", or the familiar, "tu." One can generalize: "usted" will never be wrong in Guatemala; "tu" may be. "Usted" preserves distance with one's employees while granting them respect. "Usted" also is not so formal as to be unfriendly and may be used by two long-time Guatemalan friends, who reserve "tu" for their spouses and children. A third form of you in English strikes the foreigner's ear immediately: "vos". "Que tal, vos." It is quite similar to "Hi Y'All". This form is totally divorced from the second person plural, "vosotros". "Vos" in Guatemala is colloquial, very informal, and used by young people, drinking companions, and the like. It should not be used by the uninitiated, such as new expatriates still learning the verbal ropes. "One U. S. citizen who has resided happily in Guatemala for more than ten years is quick to advise newcomers that the three most critical expressions they should beware of are "ahorita," "no tenga pena," and "fijese," in ascending order of intensity. He says jokingly that "ahorita" ("ahora" = now), implying right now, has little to do with right now and a lot to do with never. Actually it tends to be used when someone is a little late in accomplishing a task; he says "ahorita" and quickly begins the task with gusto. This same long- time resident says that in response to his complaint that the supplies he ordered one month ago are not yet even a gleam in his Guatemalan supplier's eye, the supplier may say "¡No tenga pena!" (Don't worry! It'll work out, et cetera.) Our man always wants to reply, "¡Tengo mucha pena!", (I have a lot of worry), a linguistic anomaly, but his way of wishing to convey a sense of urgency. "Fijese" is a little Guatemalan treasure house of meaning. It uses the verb "fijarse" (to become fixed, to settle, to notice) as a mere point of departure. One dictionary of "Chapinismos" describes it as a pet phrase placed before or after statements to mean "Que le parece?" (What do you think of that?). That's only the beginning. It takes weathering only a few statements beginning or ending with "fijese" to condition the newcomer to brace himself. "Fijese," said quickly and with an expulsion of air, precedes a statement of sins of omission or commission as surely as the howling of dogs and roaring of winds precede earthquakes in Guatemala. Senora: - All of the guests are here. We can serve in twenty minutes.
Maid: - (smiling guiltily) "¡Fijese!" ( insert )
Possible inserts: - I forgot to defrost the meat.
- The tank of butane gas for the oven is empty.
- The dog ate the meat.
- There is no water.
"Fijese" is never said with malice, always with good will and the desire to please. It's the I-know-you-are-not-going-to-like-this-but-you'll-never-guess-what-happened-on-the-way-to( insert ) all-purpose phrase. No doubt, the U.S. citizen who adapts to "fijese" misses its cushioning effect when he returns to the U.S. to his bank to cash a check and, after waiting behind eight people, he arrives at the window and is told straight out- "The computer is down."
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