When only white people are around, what is the best way to pronounce Spanish words?

quadog — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 10:45:18 -0800

When only white people are around, what is the best way to pronounce Spanish words? I am a white man. As a result, I primarily (but not exclusively) hang out with other white people. Sometimes in conversation in which only white people are present, a topic comes up in which Spanish words are used. Why do some of these white people feel it is necessary to pronounce the Spanish words exactly the same as a Spanish or Mexican person would? At the most it is distracting to the conversation. At the least they are attempting to elevate their status among peers by implying "Hey, look at me. I know Spanish!".

For example, say I am discussing travel in Mexico with other white people. There are no native Spanish speakers in the conversation. Someone says, "I flew into Puerto Vallarta, rented a hacienda, went to a taqueria and ordered a burrito. This person makes a point of emphasizing each Spanish word by pronouncing it in Spanish. In the company of white people I would not make the unnecessary effort to do this. In conversation with a native Spanish speaker I may actually tend to pronounce Spanish words, even Americanized ones, in Spanish.

What is perplexing about this is that I hardly ever see white folks do this with other romantic languages. There is probably no answer, but I have to at least get an opinion of how white people should approach Spanish in conversational settings in which no native speakers are present.

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When only white people are around, what is the best way to pronounce Spanish words?