Pensamientos - Thoughts (13): En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser ....
The sentences I am going to post are by my one and only José Luis Alvite
, as sarcastic and ironic as usual
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 opinion in Spanish correct major grammar mistakes. You can post in English, but let's get a lot of opinions on these controversial sentences.
And remember:
Alvite is sarcastic, always pessimistic, nothing is what it looks like
Here goes number 13,
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
17 Answers
I can never get to grips with these threads of Heidi about the thoughts of Mr Alvite. To me he speaks a language that is untranslatable. This particular one does, however, remind me of something I heard which was,
It is better to appear stupid by saying nothing than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
You would be a fool, who might as well be talking to a brick wall, when trying to make an intelligent comment amongst idiots/No point preaching to the unconvertible.
Serías tonto y podrias hablar a la pared cuando intentas hacer un comentario inteligente entre idiotas vulgaras o algo así.
Re: Los politicos, FOX, o personas diversas por ejemplo.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
In the middle of so much banality one has to be very stupid to dare to say something intelligent.
I think Alvite is saying that saying anything intelligent will be mis-understood and result in more banality so why say it. The twist is that if one were stupid one could not say something intelligent anyway.
Pienso que Alvite está diciendo que decir algo inteligente será malentendido y resultaría en más banalidad así que por qué decirlo. La torcedura es que si uno es estúpido -- no podría decir nada inteligente de ningún modo.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
La traducción: "In the midst of all this banality, you have to be pretty stupid to dare to say something intelligent."
En castellano: Alvite dice que no es muy buena idea atreverse a decir algo realmente verdaddero o inteligente, porque las masas son muy bárbaras y se van a ofender por lo que dices, o por lo menos pensar que no tienes razón. O tal vez van a interpretarlo mal. De todas maneras, es peligroso decir algo de verdad cuando todo el mundo no está de acuerdo. Galileo dijo que el mundo era una esfera y terminó la vida bajo -- arresto domiciliario.
Es peligroso decir una verdad cuando todo el mundo quiere que no sea verdad.
En inglés: He's saying that it's not a very good idea to dare to say something that's really true or intelligent, because most of the people who hear it are pretty barbaric and will probably be offended or think you're wrong. Like Galileo was tried for heresy and lived out his days under house arrest.
It's dangerous to say something true when everyone else wants it to be false.
One question for the English: Should that not be .."dare say"? I thought it was.
In the midst of so much banality, one would have to be very mentally deficient to dare to say something intelligent.
Mis pensamientos:
Parece ser una tendencia creciente la de creer todo lo que se dice en la televisión. Hay mucha gente que no lee libros ni un periódico, y su capacidad para pensar y tomar decisiones informadas ha disminuido. Ya no parece aceptable -- ofrecer una opinión que es contrario a lo que-- comúnmente se cree.
There seems to be a growing trend toward believing everything that is said on television. There are so many who do not read books or even a newspaper, and their ability to think and make informed decisions has diminished. It no longer seems acceptable to offer an opinion that is contrary to what is considered popular belief.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
In the midst of all this ignorance one must be very stupid to dare to say something intelligent.
Cuando toda la gente alrededor de mí es estúpida, no tiene sentido si trato de dicir algo inteligente porque la gente no va a entender nada. Es una pérdida de tiempo para hablar con personas estúpidas.
In the midst of so much ignorance you'd have to be an idiot to say something intelligent.
Eso me hizo reir. Está diciendo que cuando la gente está diciendo puras tonterias que no hay que meterte aun si tienes una opinión inteligente.
That made me laugh. He's saying that when people are talking pure nonsense that there is no need get into it even if you have an intelligent opinion.
I don't think that he's saying vulgarity to mean obscenity which is how I almost always percieve the word in English.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
Amidst so much vulgarity, it is foolish to dare to say something intelligent.
Creo que la palabra "vulgaridad" aquí expresa una indignación o consternación por la naturaleza del discurso público hoy. Se requiere una clase de coraje para atreverse a decir algo inteligente y correr el riesgo de desdén público, malentendido, y burlas.
I think that the word "vulgarity" here expresses a disgust or dismay at the nature of public discourse today. It takes a kind of courage to dare say something intelligent and run the risk of public scorn, misunderstanding and ridicule.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
Amidst all this vulgarity one has to be an idiot to dare say something intelligent.
.
En vista de lo que ocurre en los medios de comunicación recientemente, tengo que reconocer que la frase lleva mucha razón.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
To dare to say something inteligent in the middle of complete vulgarity is idiotic.
My interpretation: Don't dare spoil the fun of vulgarity by saying something intelligent.
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente.
In the midst of so much vulgarity you have to be really stupid to try and say something intelligent. After getting them all wrong lately I don't have a lot of confidence...
Ok, creo que el Señor Alvite está diciendo que la cultura del mundo moderno está en un punto tan bajo que aunque haya una voz inteligente nadie hará caso..
He says that the world has gone to the dogs (more or less) and that even if there are some smart things said they are pretty well ignored. (ok now I have to push the 'answer' button - I'm very insecure...)
In the midst/face of such mediocrity, one has to be an idiot to dare to say something intelligent.
I am quite certain that the uses of 'vulgaridad' is meant to suggest the use in Latin (the common people). A long history of using euphemisms has changed this meaning to 'using obscenities' (presumably, on the assumption that the 'lower' classes were the only ones who used obscenities (at best, a questionable assumption).
It is difficult to avoid the use of 'idiot' in translating. Its modern meaning is "very stupid"/ 'mentally deficient' but in Greek its primary meaning was 'isolated' This sense survives in terms such as, 'idiolect' (one's private language [i.e. the way a particular person speaks, for whatever reason]).
Finally we have the contrast between the (punning) use of 'idiot' (in its modern sense) and 'intelligente'. However, because of its classical meaning, one could equally say "You have to be "out of touch with reality", to say ..."
En medio de tanta vulgaridad hay que ser muy idiota para atreverse a decir algo inteligente
Admist all this usage of the language of the common people, one would be stupid to dare to say something somewhat intelligent.
I guess he is saying that intelligent writing is risky as as much of the people use the ' vulgaridad 'or language of the common people; the lower, coarser, vulgar form. So I am assuming he is a more intelligent writer.
In the midst of all this bullcrap, there has to be some idiot who dares to say something intelligent.
Me parece que el Señor Alvite está aquejado del discurso del mundo, si politico o social no sé. Pero no está mostrando ninguna tolerancia para las sandeces.
I think that Mr. Alvite is bothered by the world's discourse, whether political or social I don't know. But he isn't showing any tolerance for nonsense.
In the middle of so much coarseness one is an quite an idiot to dare to say something intelligent.
My take: intelligent, reasoned discourse is practically dead due to the level of vulgarity and coarseness and much of today's discussions.
