Translation Exercise for Beginners: Number 21

Question

This is a thread specifically designed with beginners in mind. If other exercises intimidate you this one shouldn't! Keep in mind that it doesn't matter if you don't get it all right. The actual process of attempting translation, and then correcting yourself is what helps us learn!

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There are three rules:

1. Don't look at other people's translations until you have made your own.
2. Do not use a translation engine. (Although you can use a dictionary)
3. Do vote for the best answers and this thread. If there is a tie, votes make a difference.

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So here is our sentence for Number 21:

Hay dos clases de hombres: los que viven hablando de las virtudes y los que se limitan a tenerlas.

Antonio Machado (1875-1939 Poeta y prosista español)

Please remember to answer and then vote generously! This helps our thread and helps to choose a winner because if there is a word-for-word tie the answer with the most votes wins! The winner automatically recieves 20 reputation points not counting any votes he/she may have garnered. Every participant receives a vote from me as well for participating. Keep in mind that if you need some time to come up with an answer and if the thread disappears you can find it under the category: Games and Challenges. Have fun! The translation will be posted on Wednesday.

Translation:

There are two types of men: those that spend their lives talking about virtues and those that define themselves by having them.

Congratulations Nizhoni! Excellent job on a tough exercise! Thank you everyone for participating! See the translation explanation below for more details...see you in Number 22!

For those of you who want another try at this extra challenging exercise, see my "Hint" below...ee - renaerules, Apr 12, 2010

renaerules, how come it is not "clases del hombres"? How am i supposed to know when to use "el" and when not to? - AKgal, Apr 12, 2010

Akgal5, "de" here is being used to express the relationship between classes and hombres. "Del" is a contraction of "de" and "el". So, "El asceso de el hombre" must be expressed as "El ascenso del hombre". - Gekkosan, Apr 13, 2010

They provide a quick and dirty guide to the use of these prepositions on this link: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/Section/In-Spanish-how-do-I-know-when-to-use-de-del-a-and-al-.id-305400,articleId-7661.html - Gekkosan, Apr 13, 2010

Thanks for the enlightenment, Gekkosan...I appreciate it. - renaerules, Apr 13, 2010

Gekkosan thanks so much for the explanation to my "de" and "del" question!! - AKgal, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 1

There are two classes of man, those that live talking of the virtues and those that set out to embody them.

Congratulations Nizhoni! Although I would have preferred your translation to be truer word for word so I know that you understand how you procurred your translation, "set out to embody them" well describes the intent of the author. Excellent! - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

I like the formulation "embody" Well done! :) - bomberapolaca, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 2

There are two types of men: those who talk about virtue and those who live by it.

Good overall thought but I am lacking the details necessary for a true translation... - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 3

Hay dos clases de hombres: los que viven hablando de las virtudes y los que se limitan a tenerlas.

There are two types / classes of men: those that live talking of virtues and those that limit themselves to having them.

Very close Ian...it was between you and nizhoni...see the translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 4

There are two classes of men: Those who live talking about virtues and those who are limited by them.

Good try, yesero, but not quite. See translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 5

There are two types of men: those who live talking of power, and those who set out to have it.

(can I submit two? one is more literal than the other, at any rate, if u have to pick one, pick my second translation.)

There are two kinds of people: those who go around talking about power, and those who go out and get it.

note: u may have noticed that I edited. please let the record show I was not cheating, but rather fixing a gramatical error. (i left out the word "are" in my second translation.) Thanks. - Espectro-Q, Apr 11, 2010

Good, but power and virtue are two very different things... - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 6

There are only two types of people: those who always speak of virtues and those who just have a few of them.

Good attempt! See the translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Gracias, Renae! - Rikko, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 7

There are two clases of men: Those that live speaking about their virtues and those that have them limited.

Interesting way of thinking, but not quite what the author intended...see translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 8

Hay dos clases de hombres: los que viven hablando de las virtudes y los que se limitan a tenerlas.

There are two types of men: those who just talk about virtues and those that actually have them.

Good, but I need more precise wording...see translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 9

1). There are 2 types of men, those who care about their virtues and those who don't.

2). There are 2 kinds of men, those who always talk about virtues and those who resticted themselves to having them.

Very good on your second attempt! You need "define" (present tense) instead of restricted... - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 10

Hay dos clases de hombres: los que viven hablando de las virtudes y los que se limitan a tenerlas.

There are two classes of men: those who live by talking about virtues and those who have them on the inside.

Very good! I like the train of thought, but I would like to see more specific wording, truer to translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 11

there are two types of men, those that talk about virtues and those that set out to attain them

Good try, but not quite. See the translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 12

Hay dos clases de hombres: los que viven hablando de las virtudes y los que se limitan a tenerlas.

Antonio Machado (1875-1939 Poeta y prosista español)

There are two classes of people: those who live talking about the virtues they have and those who simply have them.

Nice try! See translation... - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 13

There are two classes of men: those who live to talk about their vitures, and those who just live them.

Good try...not quite! See the translation! - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 14

There are two types of men: those that live talking of virture and those that limit themselves to obtaining virture.

…i.e.with action instead of talk

Almost! See the translation! - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010

Answer 15

Hay dos clases de hombres: los que viven hablando de las virtudes y los que se limitan a tenerlas.

There are two clases of men: those that live speaking of virtue - and those (men) that are limited by them (meaning limited by the other men).

I really couldn't fathom the "los que se limitan a tenderlas"bit.

Mmm..a bit tricky...

Good attempt! See the translation. - renaerules, Apr 14, 2010