Hicelo.............

Question

Never seen an attached pronoun like this.

Hícelo, acaso con el pensamiento, porque nadie me respondió. La anciana dormitaba; el ganadero doblaba cuidadosamente, por la milésima vez, su valioso zarapo multicolor.

I did it, perhaps with a thought, because no one answered. The old woman was sleeping, the farmer (or cattle?) doubled up curiously, for the thousanth time, it's valuable ?? multicolored.

Also, no entry anywhere for zarapo in the dictionary. And also, I wonder what ganadero means there, farmer doesn't seem to make sense.

folded cautiously (carefully) - 0074b507, Dec 20, 2010

more likely a rancher than a farmer - 0074b507, Dec 20, 2010

and ganadero is a farmer, but I think more specific to cattle farming. - oliheylon, Dec 20, 2010

Answer 1

Yes, this is old Spanish, centuries old. Nobody speaks like that anymore. The equivalent in modern Spanish would be: 'Lo hice'

edit: I just meant the use of 'hícelo', the rest is much more contemporary. If you think this is 'hard' to understand, try 'El Cantar de Mío Cid', the original medieval version, not the version adapted to modern Spanish, and I bet you won't understand a single sentence

Are you saying that this book is based on an older book? Gracias. - jeezzle, Dec 20, 2010

No, I was making a comment about the style, and putting 'El Cantar de Mío Cid', a very old medieval book (around XII century I think), as an example of true 'Old Spanish', nothing more. This text seems more like early 20th or 19th century. - bill1111, Dec 21, 2010

Answer 2

zarapo = sarape
and ganadero may mean rancher rather than farmer

Answer 3

...el ganadero doblaba cuidadosamente, por la milésima vez, su valioso zarapo multicolor.

I think that might be:

the farmer carefully folded, for the thousandth time, his valuable, multicolored xxxx.

I have no idea what zarapo is. (unless it has mutated into the current harapo...so maybe "cloth" or something).

Answer 4

this seems like very old spanish, in which case pronouns are often attached to the end of verbs, and spelling can often be more latinate or have various versions. Generally it's understandable though, just don't put too much thought into it or you'll hurt your brain!