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Oct. 11th, 2010 02:33 pmTranslating a text I really liked.
“Para el habitante de Nueva York, Paris o Londres, la muerte es palabra que jamás se pronuncia porque quema los labios. El mexicano, en cambio, la frecuenta, la burla, la acaricia, duerme con ella, la festeja, es uno de sus juguetes favoritos y su amor más permanente. Cierto, en su actitud hay quizá tanto miedo como en la de los otros; mas al menos no se esconde ni la esconde; la contempla cara a cara con paciencia, desdén o ironía”.
"To the inhabitant of New York, Paris or London, death is a word that is never uttered because it burns the lips. The Mexican, however, frequents it, mocks it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it, it's one of his favorite toys and his most steadfast love. True, in his attitude there is perhaps as much fear as in the others, but he doesn't hide it nor he hides it, he contemplates it face to face with patience, disdain or irony."
Octavio Paz
I don't know why, but the text in spanish just has so much more force than when it is translated.
“Para el habitante de Nueva York, Paris o Londres, la muerte es palabra que jamás se pronuncia porque quema los labios. El mexicano, en cambio, la frecuenta, la burla, la acaricia, duerme con ella, la festeja, es uno de sus juguetes favoritos y su amor más permanente. Cierto, en su actitud hay quizá tanto miedo como en la de los otros; mas al menos no se esconde ni la esconde; la contempla cara a cara con paciencia, desdén o ironía”.
"To the inhabitant of New York, Paris or London, death is a word that is never uttered because it burns the lips. The Mexican, however, frequents it, mocks it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it, it's one of his favorite toys and his most steadfast love. True, in his attitude there is perhaps as much fear as in the others, but he doesn't hide it nor he hides it, he contemplates it face to face with patience, disdain or irony."
Octavio Paz
I don't know why, but the text in spanish just has so much more force than when it is translated.
