Pensamientos - Thoughts (4): Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo
The sentences I am going to post are by my one and only José Luis Alvite
, as sarcastic and ironic as ususal
Instead of posting this a killer thread, I thought I might post one sentence every other day or so.
I would like you to post the translation and your opinion about the sentence. I will correct the translation, and if you post an opinión in Spanish correct major grammar mistakes. You can post in English, but let's get a lot of opinions on these contraversial sentences.
One sentence every post
Here goes number four:
–Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo. Por eso sabes que la muerte es lo que te queda una vez que has llegado por Navidad a la cabecera de la mesa.
13 Answers
Family reunions measure the passing of time with a terrible precision. Because of this, you know that death is the only thing that remains, once you've reached the seat at the head of the Christmas table.
Mi comentario:
Espero que esta butaca siempre esté ocupada.
I hope this chair is always taken.
( I tried to preserve Alvite's style in my comment)
Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo. Por eso sabes que la muerte es lo que te queda una vez que has llegado por Navidad a la cabecera de la mesa.
Family meetings / get togethers measure with awful precision the passing of time. So when you are seated at the head of the table for Christmas you know that death is not far away.
So when you are seated at the head of the table for Christmas you know that death is what awaits you next.
So when you are seated at the head of the table for Christmas you know that you are next in line for death.
Una silla vacía nos recuerda que estamos aquí por un corto tiempo.
An empty chair reminds us we are all here for just a short time.
Cuando cortas el pavo debes darte cuenta de que podrías ser el siguiente.
When you carve the turkey realize that you could be next.
–Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo. Por eso sabes que la muerte es lo que te queda una vez que has llegado por Navidad a la cabecera de la mesa.
Family gatherings precisely mark the passing of time. For this you know that death is all you have to look forward to when you have arrived at the head of the Christmas table.
Opinion:
Family gatherings are precisely marking the passage of time on a regular basis. I guess for most people, it is an honor to be seated at the head of the table. However, in reality, by the time you are the person seated at the head of the table, you are probably the oldest family member. Once you have reached this "so-called" honor, there really isn't much more to look forward to except death, since after all, you are the oldest and the most likely person to die next.
Family reunions measure the passage of time with terrible precision. Therefore you know that death is what is left for you once you have arrived at the head of the Christmas [dinner] table.
Es triste pero verdad. Mi familia es tan pequeña que hay más asientos vacíos ahora que ocupados.
It's sad but true. My family is so small that there are more empty seats now than full.
Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo. Por eso sabes que la muerte es lo que te queda una vez que has llegado por Navidad a la cabecera de la mesa.
Family reunions measure the passage of time with terrible precision. As a result, you know that death is what remains for you once you have arrived at the head of the table on Christmas
Parece que Alvite está comparando el viaje por la vida con el tiempo que lleva para instalarse en la cabecera de la mesa, o sea, nuestro sitio en la mesa por las Navidades puede ser utilizado para medir la estación de la vida en la que nos encontramos
Es decir que de niños no ganamos mucho respeto y por eso a veces ni tenemos sitio en el comedor pero tenemos que comer con los otros niños ruidosos, echados, en la mesa reservada siempre para los niños.
Pero al hacernos más viejos empezamos a ganar cada día más respeto hasta que, por fin, de viejos nos encontramos -- ascendidos al trono de nuestra familia, o sea, a la cabecera de la mesa por Navidad. Pero para entonces ya somos tan viejos que no hay nada más que ganar sino la muerte.
Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo. Por eso sabes que la muerte es lo que te queda una vez que has llegado por Navidad a la cabecera de la mesa.
"Family reunions measure the passage of time with terrible precision. They're why you know that death is all that's left for you once you've gotten to the head of the dinner table at Christmas."
Without reading the second sentence, the first sentence suggests that he is not fond of family reunions, and he seems to be complaining that time seems move very slowly at them, dragging on and on. But then the second sentence gives it a twist, and you find out what he meant: that, once it becomes your turn to sit at the head of the table at Christmas dinner, it is brought to your attention with great clarity that everyone else who sat there before you has vacated it the same way, and that you will inevitably continue the pattern.
Sin leer la segunda frase, parece que la primera frase quiere decir que al autor no le gustan los reuniones familiares, y queja que el tiempo pasa muy lentamente en ellos. Pero al leer la sengunda frase, el significado cambie y se puede saber que Avite está dicendo algo diferente: que, quando te toca a sentar en la cabecera de la mesa, sabes que todos que han sentado allí antes de ti lo han dejado libre en la misma manera, y que tú lo vas a hacer también.
It is an interesting because it seems to be the thought of someone looking at the person sitting at the head of table.
The person sitting at the head of table may well see something quite different: they may see the newly arrived babies and young children, the children growing into adulthood and the adults becoming parents.
It is a good place to look from... knowing that the abyss is there, but the being delighted by these people you could never have imaged....
It would be so good to say that in Spanish.. sorry I can't.
Afortunadamente nuestras cenas de Chritmas son servidas en una mesa redonda.
What's a good Spanish expression for....because I'm no "Spring Chicken"?
Thanks for another great post and feliz 90K
Family reunions measure the passing of time with terrible accuracy. For this reason, you know death is what you have left once you have arrived for Christmas at the head of the family table.
Mis pensamientos:
‘La muerte’ está usado figurativamente, no literalmente. En este sentido significa tener un mal momento
‘La muerte’ is used figuratively, not literally. In this sense it means to have a bad time.
Cuando llega a la cabecera de la mesa, está el anfitrión, y como tal, tiene la responsabilidad de mediar todas las tontas disputas familiares que puedan surgir. Es cierto que la pasará fatal y el tiempo pasará lentamente.
When you arrive at the head of the table, you are the host, and as such, you have the responsibility of mediating all of the silly family disputes that arise. It is certain your Christmas will be lousy and the time will pass slowly.
Las reuniones familiares miden con terrible precisión el paso del tiempo. Por eso sabes que la muerte es lo que te queda una vez que has llegado por Navidad a la cabecera de la mesa.
Family reunions measure with terrible precision the passing of time. Therefore, you know that death is what you're left with once you have arrived for Christmas at the head of the table.
I think what the author says is that at least one death will have passed with the family reunites. Perhaps its a morbid view of life but, at the same time, it's true.
No traduciré la oración porque hay muchas y muy bien escritas, y les felicito a todos. Pero les diré que después de la muerte de mi mamá en el año 2008, mi hermana como bien sabía que mi mamá era la última de la gente grande en nuestra familia, me comentó, "Tú y yo ya somos los próximos."
I won't translate the passage because there are so many and very well written, and I congratulate all of you. But I will tell you that after the death of my mom in the year 2008, my sister as she knew well that my mom was the last of the grown-ups in our family, commented to me, "You and I are now next."
Esperando a Nicole....
My translation skills still need work, but this author seems like he is right up my alley. I couldn't function without sarcasm and irony.
