The different regions of Colombia
recognize different ways of understanding and applying the word pariente, but
they are always founded on basic traits that we get superficially from their etymology. In
Puerto Gaitán the use of the term has a special factor that gives it a diatopic identity
which is precisely that of the Sikuani ethnic group of the region. Without a doubt, social
factors are one of the main factors in establishing varieties in dialect, and in Puerto
Gaitán this fact has acquired transcendental relevance when it comes to cultures in
contact.
The
percentages below show an increased influence in the selection of forms of address in view
of the people participating in the conversation according to the three possible varieties
of interaction: Native native, native white man, or white man native
(the group white man white man is not relevant to this study).
Table 1.
Frequency of use of the forms of address usted and pariente
between the colonists and natives of Puerto Gaitán
VARIATIONS |
Native Native |
Native
White man |
White man - Native |
Usted |
30% |
80% |
70% |
Pariente |
60% |
10% |
10% |
The
missing percentages correspond to the forms of address by name or title
The white man
has unarguably taken the place of preeminence in the social system which has forced the
establishment of power semantics that favors the white man. But, on the other
hand, the recognition of this fact on behalf of the native has compelled him to adopt a
linguistic formula of self-recognition of identity and unity that is based on the
principle of solidarity semantics. At this level you can see much more clearly
the variety of use of pariente because it has a motive of social or vertical
courtesy:
Superior
(white man)
usted
Superior
(white man) |
|
Superior
(white man)
pariente usted
Inferior
(native) |
|
Inferior
(native)
pariente
Inferior
(native) |
Reciprocal System
Same standing
In normal situations white
men use usted for interactions or, if there is greater intimacy,
tú. |
|
Non-reciprocal System
Different standing
The term
pariente used by the white man has a pejorative connotation to the native that
confirms his state of cultural inferiority. |
|
Reciprocal System
Same standing
Among natives the
euphemistic value of the term pariente is substituted by a sense of solidarity
and fraternity that characterizes the ethnic group in intimate situations. |
In special
cases, when a white man has lived with the Sikuani for a long time and they begin to
esteem him, they may use the term pariente to refer to this white man in an
expression of their respect and friendship.
In conclusion,
the natives of the Sikuani ethnic group in Puerto Gaitán have adopted the form of address
pariente to solve the lack of a term that expresses fraternity and that
identifies them as a community, thus, its use is restricted to among themselves and is not
extended to the white man. Pariente is, therefore, a synonym of family and
only one who has Sikuani blood is worthy of being treated as such.
6. Bibliography
BROWN and
GILMAN. The pronouns of power and solidarity, 1960. (Reproduced in Fishman,
J. (ed.) 1968, 1970.)
CISNEROS,
M. E. "Hacia un estudio del voceo: aspectos históricos, pragmáticos y morfológicos
de los tratamientos de segunda persona singular". En: Litterae. Santafé de
Bogotá: Instituto Caro y Cuervo, no 7, 1998.
CUERVO, R.
J. Diccionario de construcción y régimen (Tomo IV). Barcelona: Herder, 1998.
FONTANELLA
DE WEINBERG, M. B. Analogía y confluencia paradigmática en formas verbales de voceo.
Bogotá: Instituto Caro y Cuervo, 1976. |