Hello Tamkins-ga!
It is always fun for me to answer a question posted by one of our
?regulars!? This one is especially fun as I very much enjoy doing
translation work. I am quite fluent in English and Portuguese and I
have a good working knowledge of Spanish. I translated the letter as
posted in your question and then consulted with my colleague,
crabcakes-ga, to make sure of the nuances, style, etc. that are always
a part of such communication from one language to another. One of my
favorite things about doing this kind of work is the opportunity to
collaborate with such fine colleagues. So, here is my translation of
the letter:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
September 24, 2003
Dear Godmother:
I greet you very tenderly, wishing you success in your daily labors to
you and your dear family that surrounds you. Following this short
greeting I?ll get to the point.
I want to chat with you a little about my family. My father is always
working the ground, tilling it and cultivating it. My mother is always
working, doing housework in the kitchen. My older brother also helps
my father, working and cultivating the land. My other brother also
helps my father work the land. My third sibling, my sister helps my
mother with the housework because she doesn?t study (isn?t in school).
My other sister studies?she is in the beginning of her studies,
studying to be a teacher. I want to tell you about my grandmother, who
is unable to walk because she is afflicted with a sickness in her feet
called ?hemorrhages? that has made it so that she will not be able to
walk again. And I, Gervin, also study and am in sixth grade and I am
very happy because next year, I?ll go to seventh grade and my dream is
to graduate in computers. I want to tell you that the weather in my
country is very rainy.
I leave you with a strong hug and may God bless you.
Hope to hear from you soon,
(And I assume the next line contains the child?s signature)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
As is the case with many Latin-based languages, the written word is
much more formal than the more colloquial spoken word. This letter is
no exception. I see that 11-year olds are the same from culture to
culture as they learn to use more ?adult? language to express their
sweet, childlike thoughts. This letter strikes me as very tender and
heartfelt. The spelling and grammar are not perfect, but that?s
understandable. It is readable and overall, clear in meaning. And, of
course, it is also sweet and tender.
Thank you for an interesting question! I?ve enjoyed working on it.
It?s like doing exercises for a certain part of my brain, so I
appreciate the work out! If you have any further questions or need
additional help, please do not hesitate to let me know how I can
assist you.
Sincerely,
Boquinha-ga
(Yes, that?s my Portuguese nickname?it means ?little mouth?)
Search Strategy:
My own knowledge of the Spanish language and the help of my colleague, crabcakes-ga
I?m also including some links that you may find interesting/helpful:
Babelfish
http://www.babelfish.com/
Online Spanish-English Dictionary
http://dictionaries.travlang.com/SpanishEnglish/
Logos Dictionary
http://www.logosdictionary.com/
While all of these tools are fun and interesting reference tools, they
cannot fully substitute for human translation. Many of these sites do
a direct word-for-word translation, which doesn?t always capture the
subtleties and human expression of the language. Again, muchas gracias
y buenas noches! |
