Try to find out what this means: La luna y el grifo...Alvite

Question

I am daring to post this rather long piece, but it is muuuuch easier, so I hope you will all have a go at it And you have the whole weekend before you

José Luis Alvite is another of my favourite columnists.

En otra época de mi vida me habría conmocionado la noticia de que los científicos de la Nasa han detectado vestigios de agua en la Luna y seguramente me habría alegrado en nombre de la humanidad, pensando en que una apocalíptica explosión en la Tierra nos obligase algún día a exiliarnos como colonos en el espacio exterior. Ya no siento lo mismo. Mis preocupaciones son otras. Mi interés por el espacio exterior me atañe menos que encontrar a media mañana un sitio en el que aparcar el coche. Comprendo que el agua es importante para asegurar la vida, pero por lo que a mí concierne, la verdad es que al margen de lo que le vaya en ello a la Humanidad, lo que verdaderamente me preocupa es que el agua promiscua de la traída no me pudra el grifo del lavabo. Mis expectativas se producen en función de mis urgencias y sin perder de vista el tiempo que supuestamente me queda de vida. Ya sé que lo edificante es pensar en qué será de los hombres dentro de un siglo, y si fuese necesario, ayudar a ponerle remedio, pero, ¡qué demonios!, a mi edad lo acuciante no es sobrecogerme con las calamidades del siglo XXII, sino perder algo de tiempo en soñar y enterarme por el periódico de mañana de las cosas que haya ocurrido a mi alrededor mientras soñaba. Desde mi óptica de subalterno hombre corriente me resulta incomprensible que un anciano se gaste una fortuna en salir al espacio, seguramente porque cada cual se traza solo los sueños que le caben en la cabeza a su bolsillo, de modo que si salgo de madrugada en coche, lo que me preocupa a las cuatro de la madrugada no es la posibilidad de encontrar agua en la Luna, sino que haya algún bar abierto en Santa Comba, que en mi espacio exterior es un satélite que me queda relativamente cerca del garaje.

Answer 1

En otra época de mi vida me habría conmocionado la noticia de que los científicos de la Nasa han detectado vestigios de agua en la Luna y seguramente me habría alegrado en nombre de la humanidad, pensando en que una apocalíptica explosión en la Tierra nos obligase algún día a exiliarnos como colonos en el espacio exterior.

A long time ago I would have been stunned by the information that the Nasa scientists had discovered traces of water on the Moon and perhaps I would have been happy in the name of humanity, thinking of how the apocalyptic explosion of the Earth would make us go into exile one day, as colonists in the outer space.

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Ya no siento lo mismo. Mis preocupaciones son otras. Mi interés por el espacio exterior me atañe menos que encontrar a media mañana un sitio en el que aparcar el coche. Comprendo que el agua es importante para asegurar la vida, pero por lo que a mí concierne, la verdad es que al margen de lo que le vaya en ello a la Humanidad, lo que verdaderamente me preocupa es que el agua promiscua de la traída no me pudra el grifo del lavabo.

I no longer feel the same. Other things worry me. The interest in the outer space is less of a concern to me than finding a free parking space in the mid-morning. I do understand that water is necessary to preserve life, but what disturbs me, to tell the truth is way out of what is in it for the humanity, what really worries me is that the incidental water from the supply do not make my tap go rot.

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Mis expectativas se producen en función de mis urgencias y sin perder de vista el tiempo que supuestamente me queda de vida. Ya sé que lo edificante es pensar en qué será de los hombres dentro de un siglo, y si fuese necesario, ayudar a ponerle remedio, pero, ¡qué demonios!, a mi edad lo acuciante no es sobrecogerme con las calamidades del siglo XXII, sino perder algo de tiempo en soñar y enterarme por el periódico de mañana de las cosas que haya ocurrido a mi alrededor mientras soñaba.

My expectations are a function of my neccesities and without losing sight of the time that is supposedly left for me in this life. I do realise how exemplarily it is to think of what people will be like within a century, and, if neccesary, to give a helping hand, but - what the heck! - at my age what is urgent is not to apprehend the disasters of the 22nd century, but to spare some time on dreams and find out what I missed while dreaming from the next day's paper.

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Desde mi óptica de subalterno hombre corriente me resulta incomprensible que un anciano se gaste una fortuna en salir al espacio, seguramente porque cada cual se traza solo los sueños que le caben en la cabeza a su bolsillo, de modo que si salgo de madrugada en coche, lo que me preocupa a las cuatro de la madrugada no es la posibilidad de encontrar agua en la Luna, sino que haya algún bar abierto en Santa Comba, que en mi espacio exterior es un satélite que me queda relativamente cerca del garaje.

From my point of view as a mundane human being, it is still incomprehensible how an old man can spend a fortune on a space trip, probably because one can only dream of the things that their pocket can hold, so that when I leave at dawn in my car, what concerns me at four in the morning are not the odds of finding water on the Moon, but whether there is a diner open in Santa Comba, which in my own outer space is a satellite that is relatively near to my garage.

• I'll try to finish later, but please Heidi, can you at least tell me how much of the above is wrong? - Issabela Nov 27, 2009
• Puffff..... now I wonder how bad it is :] - Issabela Nov 28, 2009
• I like it. - Goyo Nov 29, 2009
• Great job Issa - Izanoni1 Nov 29, 2009
• thank you :) - Issabela Nov 30, 2009

Answer 2

Yupeee, ya hay dos mujeres, vamos a ver si nos ve Nicole también y sheila, y aloshek y...........jeje

NO diré nada hasta el lunes. Así que todo el mundo puede participar.

• Are you name dropping Heidi! I will have to give it a try this weekend. Where are all the guys? - Nicole-B Nov 27, 2009

Answer 3

Okay, this is my first try... without reading what any of you have posted.

At another time in my life I would have been shaken up by the news that the NASA scientists have detected traces of water on the moon, and I surely would have been happy for Humanity in general, in case an apocalyptic explosion on Earth might some day force us to exile ourselves as colonists in outer space. I don’t feel that way now. I have other worries. My interest in outer space concerns me less than being able to find a parking space in the middle of the morning. I know that water is important to preserve life, but as far as I’m concerned, the truth is that apart from what is going on with it in respect to Humanity, what I truly care about is that the impure water from the water supply doesn’t rot the spigot of my sink. My expectations are a result of what is urgent to me, without losing sight of the time I supposedly have left in this life. I know that it is edifying to think about what the condition of Man will be in a century, and if necessary to work to improve it, but, what the hell, at my age the pressing thing is not to dread the calamities of the XXII century, but to waste a little time dreaming, and find out from tomorrow’s newspaper about the things that took place while I dreamed. From my point of view as a lowly common man it seems incomprehensible that a senior citizen would spend a fortune to go into space, certainly because each of us designs only those dreams which fit his pocketbook, so that if I go out in the early morning in my car, what I’m concerned about at four in the morning isn’t the possibility of finding water on the moon, but whether there is a bar open in Santa Comba, which is a satellite in my own ‘outer space’ that is relatively close to the garage.

• Wow...that is a great job. I really like the "not to dread the calamities of the XXII century" part. Simply wonderful. - Izanoni1 Nov 29, 2009

Answer 4

At some other time in my life, I would have been jolted by the news that NASA scientists had detected traces of water on the moon, and surely would have been overjoyed in the name of humanity, thinking that an apocalyptic explosion in the earth would force us to emigrate as colonies in outer space.

Now, not so much. I have other worries. My interest in outer space concerns me less than finding a place to park my car at mid-day tomorrow.

I understand that water is important to sustain life, but for all my concerns, the truth is that over and above it going into humans, what truly bothers me is confusing the water handles and burning my hands off at the sink. (Gracias a Valerie por su gran descubrimiento)

My expectations are a result of my most urgent needs, without wasting time in the life I supposedly have left to live.

I know it is uplifting to think about what will come of men in the next centuries, and if necessary to help them with a solution, but what the hell at my age it's not crucial to stress over calamities in the twenty-second century, but to take some time out from my dreams to discover from tomorrow's newspaper the things that have happened around me while I was dreaming.

From my point of view as a second-string armchair quarterback, I find it incomprensible that some old man would spend a fortune to go to space, because everyone surely contrives only the dreams that fit both his imagination and his pocketbook, so that if I leave in the morning by car, what I worry over at four AM isn't the possibility of finding water on the moon, but if there is an open bar in Santa Comba, that in my outer space is a satellite kept for me relatively close to the garage.

• anoher man, wonderful, - Heidita Nov 28, 2009
• Man Greg...I am really impressed by that final paragraph..."as a second-string armchair quarterback"..."only dreams that fit his imagination and pocketbook"...I love the way you put that. - Izanoni1 Nov 29, 2009
• Thanks. I really had to grope for those words to match what I thought the Spanish was saying. Sounds good..hope it's right. jeje - Goyo Nov 29, 2009

Answer 5

At another time in my life, the news that NASA scientists have detected traces of water on the moon would have excited me, and surely, thinking about how an apocalyptic explosion on Earth could force us one day into exile (as settlers) in outer space, it would have pleased me for the sake of humanity (literally in the name of humanity).

Now, I don’t feel the same way. I have other worries. My interests for outer space concern me less than (my concerns for) finding a place to park the car at mid-morning. I understand that water is important for assuring (the continuity of) life, but as far as I am concerned, the truth is that, aside from what happens with all humanity, what really worries me is that the questionable (mixed) water from the water supply system not deteriorate my sink faucet. My expectations are produced by my (urgent) needs and not losing sight of the time that I supposedly have left in life.

I already know that it is edifying to think about what will become of mankind in a century and if it will be necessary to help solve the problem, but what the hell! At my age, it’s not the pressing calamities of the 22nd century that gets me scared but losing sleep and getting nervous about the things in the morning paper that have happened while I was sleeping (it’s not the pressing calamities of the 22nd century but it’s the losing time by sleeping and getting nervous about the things in the morning paper that happened while I was dreaming that scares me).

From my of view of everyday common man, it seems incomprehensible that an old man spend a fortune in going out into space, probably because everyone only dreams according to their ability to pay for those dreams, so if I go out in my car at dawn what bothers me at 4:00 in the morning is not the possibility of finding water on the moon but that there be some bar open in Santa Comba which, in “my outer space,” is a satellite that keeps me relatively close to the garage.

• I like your take on the faucet rot. I went out on a limb with mine. - Goyo Nov 29, 2009

Answer 6

¿Quién se preocupa por el agua en la Luna? Sólo cerca del grifo me da un espacio de estacionamiento.

• huh?? - Heidita Nov 27, 2009

Answer 7

Thanks for posting an easier one, Heidita! I'll give it a try when I get home from work.

• Woderful, I won't say a thing until MOnday, Valerie wanted to have a go too , and she can only do it on week-ends. - Heidita Nov 27, 2009

Answer 8

In another era of my life, I would be shocked by the news that NASA scientists had detected traces of water on the moon and I would certainly be glad for mankind, thinking that an apocalyptic explosion on Earth some day would exile us to colonies in outer space. Now it's not the same. My worries are different.
My interest in outer space is beneath that of finding a parking place in mid-morning.
I understand that water is important to sustain life, but among what concerns me, the truth is that where Humanity may go is at the margin, what truly worries me is that _______ washroom faucet. My expectations are produced as a function of my immediate needs and without losing sight of the time that I supposedly have left in life.

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Beyond this I need scuba gear. There is still a phrase in this part that I couldn't get (even after using the translator and dictionary for clues). I am eager to read some of the others before Monday, since I don't have much time during the work week, so I am posting now.
P.S. Thanks, Heidita, for an easier one!!

• Hey all y'all, look at the second definition of "promiscuo" here: http://www.wordreference.com/definicion/promiscua - Valerie Nov 27, 2009
• Thanks, Valerie!! - BobK Nov 27, 2009
• a mannnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!! - Heidita Nov 28, 2009

Answer 9

Great tries so far...let's see if anybody else wants to have a go at this

Answer 10

Let's have a look at some difficult parts:

En otra época de mi vida me habría conmocionado la noticia de que los científicos .... nos obligase algún día a exiliarnos como colonos en el espacio exterior.

I loved:

I would have been stunned (Issa, your sentence was almost the same as Valerie's)

I would have been shaken up

I would have been jolted----didn't know this word

All of these fit nicely, I think shocked (bob) is too much.

Answer 11

la verdad es que al margen de lo que le vaya en ello a la Humanidad, lo que verdaderamente me preocupa es que el agua promiscua de la traída no me pudra el grifo del lavabo.

This was masterly discovered by Valerie , yes, promiscuo means dirty or something similar here.

what I truly care about is that the impure water from the water supply doesn’t rot the spigot of my sink.

what really worries me is that the questionable (mixed) water from the water supply system not deteriorate my sink faucet.

This is not correct unless I am misunderstanding:

what truly bothers me is confusing the water handles and burning my hands off at the sink

Answer 12

Desde mi óptica de subalterno hombre corriente me resulta incomprensible que un anciano

This is a real beauty, and this was very good:

From my point of view as a mundane human being,

From my of view of everyday common man,

But it nothing can beat this:

From my point of view as a second-string armchair quarterback,

Great,

Answer 13

seguramente porque cada cual se traza solo los sueños que le caben en la cabeza a su bolsillo, de modo que si salgo de madrugada en coche, l

probably because one can only dream of the things that their pocket can hold, --very nice issa

certainly because each of us designs only those dreams which fit his pocketbook,----great Vala

because everyone surely contrives only the dreams that fit both his imagination and his pocketbook,

Wonderful Greg

Answer 14

Well, great answers and I think you got this not so hard as Maria José, she is impossible, I admit, jeje.

I have chosen Issa's answer this time, as it is almost perfect and I wanted to take into account the double effort: her native language is not English, so her work was really excellent. I don't think I could have done it any better

Great job, everybody.

Valerie, Greg, Izan, Bob and Issabela, thanks for participating.

• Thanks Heidi, you are wonderful! - Valerie Nov 30, 2009