Perhaps, the best I may recommend is taking an interpreter, maybe a 
relative or a friend who speaks spanish, with you. Something  that I 
want to add about the phone calls, well, I don't know if this applies 
to all ranchos in Jalisco, but I believe that in some small pueblos 
people may be suspicious about giving information to a stranger on 
the phone. Joseph, can you tell us if you have had people reluctant 
or even hostile while asking for their ancestors' info? The idea of 
calling people is acceptable, but I would rather go to the pueblo and 
talk to the posible primos in person. Well that is my opinion based 
on my own experience. I grew up in Zacoalco and noticed that 
Jaliscienses (or jalisquillos as we are sometimes called), are at 
first a little bit suspicious of foreigners but as we get to know 
them, we are friendly to everyone. Some americans and italians living 
in the area visit my parents' restaurant every once in a while and 
even though my dad does not speak any english or italian, he always 
tries to be the best host he can be.

Steve


--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, craigtwatson@a... wrote:
> What can be done about those that don't speak the language?  I am  
such a 
> person.  It will be difficult to research the family by making 
calls  etc.  Even 
> if I visited the parish where my greatgrandfather attended, I  
wouldn't be 
> able to ask to see burial records, grave records, christenings'  
etc.
>  
> Irene Garrett Watson

--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Joseph Puentes <makas@n...> wrote:
> 
> (Start of message truncated)
>
> Bear in mind that my spanish is "shaky." There are others in the 
group 
> whose spanish is much more fluent. How about some of you taking 
what I 
> said and cleaning up the Spanish. give us a more "refined" way of 
saying 
> what I said. Show us how to say the same thing without broadcasting 
to 
> the world. . .I'm not a native speaker of Spanish ANYMORE!
> 
> 

Spanish is my native tongue and, as you know, I live in México, José, 
so I took your suggestion and revised your script.  Hope it helps!

Here it is:

Buenos(as) (días | tardes | noches), me llamo José Puentes y le hablo 
desde (your place).  
Yo me dedico a la genealogía y he investigado el origen del apellido 
Puentes hasta el año de 1730 en Jalisco (y/o Zacatecas).  Encontré su 
número de teléfono en el directorio en la lista de los Puente(s).  
¿Podría hablar con el Señor o la Señora Puentes, por favor?

(Hopefully you'll get someone with your surname here or they will 
simply say something like "El habla" or "Ella habla". )

Gracias.  Mis abuelos nacieron en Jalisco, (be more specific if you 
know the town)  a finales de 18??, pero mis padres emigraron a los 
Estados Unidos en 19??.  Yo estoy investigando el arbol genealógico 
de la familia Puentes de Jalisco y hasta hoy los datos que he 
encontrado llegan hasta el año de 17??.  Creo que su familia podría 
estar relacionada con este árbol genealógico.  

Me gustaría enviarle por correo una copia de las generaciones de la 
familia Puentes para que vea si encuentra nombres de algún familiar 
que usted conozca.  (This is important so they know that you're doing 
and giving them something first.)  También me encantaría saber si 
usted tiene alguna información sobre sus antepasados, como por 
ejemplo, los nombres de sus abuelos y bisabuelos; en que pueblo 
nacieron, en que fechas, etcétera.  

Si no le molesta, le puedo escribir a la dirección que usted me diga 
o si alguien en su familia tiene correo electrónico (email) también 
se lo puedo enviar allí.  

----------------------------------------------------

If you get a mailing address here you can count this as a success.  
>From here and on you have to improvise a little depending on how 
enthusiast their response has been.  If you get their attention and 
interest it won't matter if you don't speak perfect Spanish.  Just 
say that Spanish is not your native tongue (lengua nativa) or 
whatever. 

On your first encounter (in person or by phone) it is important to 
realize that, notwithstanding the shared surname, you are strangers 
to each other so it is very important to be polite and patient, never 
pushy.  Let the other person set the terms on how they want to give 
your their information. After the ice is broken you can gradually be 
a little bolder, but not too much.

Just some thoughts!
Victor