Two ladies were taking lunch at a table facing mine, and I could not help but overhear the brief exchange as a lady who arrived at that moment was introduced:
"Let me present my friend, Mrs. Khalil. Miss Faraj."
That is what I heard; and after the lady had left, Miss Faraj asked her friend:
"I did not quite catch the name. Who is Mrs. Khalil?"
"Mrs. Ilham Khalil!"
"Ilham Khalil? If only I had known! For a long time I have been promising myself this lady's opinion."
The note of pain and vexation was plain in her voice, because the faulty manner of the introduction had made that confusion a barrier to conversing with someone she had longed to see for so long.
The correct manner of introduction is one of the things that smooths away many social difficulties. If you give an invitation to some party, make the names of your guests plain and clear, accompanied by the name of the profession by which the person belongs to society. This not only opens the way to conversation the moment the guests meet, but whets their eagerness to know one another as quickly as possible. If one of the guests holds a distinguished post, or is a lady contributing valuable work in the social field, do not forget to mention it in your introduction, for there is a general benefit in this.
The word "doctor," as we understand it, means a physician; but in reality it carries more than one meaning: there is a doctor of philosophy, or of law, or of chemistry, or of literature, etc.... What causes confusion is the introduction of married ladies who carry on their work under their maiden name. If you use that name, you slight the husband; and if you introduce this lady by her married name, she differs from the one known in her professional
circle. Likewise, the introduction of women writers should be accompanied by the pen name.
And introducing the young should not differ from introducing grown-ups. It will not do, for instance, to introduce Samir to Suad and Nabil and Salwa; you must give the names in full, and return from time to time to see whether the acquaintance has been made — and if not, work to bring it about.
What happens if you try to introduce someone and suddenly find that you have completely forgotten his name? This is one of those anecdotes we read about and laugh over, but there is no escape from the confusion that seizes us at such a moment! It happened to me some time ago: I was presenting a lady, and suddenly found I had forgotten
the name; so I turned to her with words of apology and deep regret, and she understood my plight — and the only solution to my embarrassment was for her to give her name herself.
There is one rule of introductions that admits of no criticism: ask your friends, before the day of the party, by what name they wish to be presented. For instance: does a divorced lady wish you to introduce her by her former husband's name, or by her maiden name? Does your friend, for some personal reason, wish you not to mention her work?
Someone has said: "The sweetest ring a person can hear is the sound of his own name." Accompany it, then, with the finest expression and the clearest introduction, and you will be loved by all.
Tempo Pots — TEMPO
Rely on Tempo pots
TEMPO
Your comfort in your home, Madam...
They save 85% of your cooking time, and of fuel as well
Tempo
* Keeps food looking as nature made it
* Preserves the vitamins
You will find them in all the well-known shops
Saab Adv. 30