1960 vs. 2011

Question

I have received this text before by email, and it is not something new. But hey, maybe someone hasn't read it yet. I don't necessarily agree that everything was better years ago, but there are some valid points to this message.

Spanish learners, see how much you can understand.

---

Ya he recibido este texto anteriormente por correo electrónico y no es algo nuevo. Pero quién sabe, tal vez algunos no lo hayan leído aún. Yo no creo necesariamente que todo era mejor hace años, pero el mensaje tiene algunos puntos válidos.

---

1960 vs 2011

Escenario 1: Raulito no se queda quieto en clase. Interrumpe y molesta a los compañeros.

Año 1960: Va a la dirección, se queda parado 1 hora, sale el director lo "carajea" y vuelve "traquilito" a su clase.

Año 2011: Lo derivan al departamento de psiquiatría, lo diagnostican como hiperactivo, el psiquiatra le receta Ritalyn. Se transforma en un zombi. Los padres tramitan una subvención por tener un hijo discapacitado.

Escenario 2: Luis rompe el cristal de un carro en el barrio.

Año 1960: Su padre se saca la correa y le da unos cuantos correazos . A Luis ni se le cruza por la cabeza hacer otra nueva travesura, crece normalmente, va a la universidad y se convierte en un profesional.

Año 2011: Arrestan al padre de Luis por maltrato. Lo condenan a 2 años de cárcel y por 5 años debe abstenerse de ver a su hijo Sin la guía de una figura paterna, Luis se vuelca a la droga, delinque y queda preso en una cárcel especial para adolescentes.

Escenario 3: Josélito se cae mientras corría una carrera en el patio del colegio, se raspa la rodilla. Su maestra, María, lo encuentra llorando y lo abraza para reconfortarlo.

Año 1960: Al poco rato, Juan se siente mejor y sigue jugando.

Año 2011: María es acusada de abuso sexual, se enfrenta a tres años de cárcel. Josélito se pasa cinco años de terapia en terapia. Sus padres demandan al colegio por negligencia y a la maestra por daños psicológicos, ganando ambos juicios. María renuncia a la docencia, entra en severa depresión y se suicida..

Escenario 4: Disciplina escolar:

Año 1960 : Hacías un gran lío en clase.. El profesor te metía dos buenos gritos. Al llegar a casa tu viejo te propinaba unos dos golpes.

Año 2011: Haces lío en clase.. El profesor te pide disculpas para reprenderte y se queda con culpa por haberlo hecho .. Tu viejo va al colegio a quejarse y denunciar al docente, y para consolarte te compra algo.

¿Cuándo fue que nos volvieron tan infelices...?

Puntos válidos? or puntos váidos is a word I don't know? Gracias - jeezzle, Apr 19, 2011

Typo - it's válidos. Thank you, well spotted! :-) - Gekkosan, Apr 19, 2011

Answer 1

I understood bits of it and have had a good laugh with the machine translations of the rest.

When you read the mess the machines make of English it is a good warning not to rely on them too much for Spanish homework

por supuesto jajaja:) - FELIZ77, Apr 19, 2011

You said it! - Gekkosan, Apr 19, 2011

Answer 2

Ok then I will have at it, and start in with some questions.

Va a la dirección

Can dirección mean corner here, and not just address? Address makes no sense here to me.

sale el director lo "carajea" y vuelve "traquilito" a su clase.

The principal goes out to the "insulter" and returns "quietly" to class.

Why sale el director? Why carajea? Is there a use of salir that I am not getting? Maybe it's like with a plane. He takes off to the principal ("the insulter" does). Seems like it should be "sale al director el carajeador" to me.

Josélito se pasa cinco años de terapia en terapia

Why "de terapia en terapia" why not just "en terapia"

El profesor te metía dos buenos gritos. Al llegar a casa tu viejo te propinaba unos dos golpes.

What does meterse have to do there? The teacher was putting in you two good screams. What does that mean? Why meterse? Why gritos? what is this saying?

After arriving home your old man was giving you a couple punches. Propinar for hit? for give? I use it for tip..... does it also mean golpear, etc...? Why imperfect past for propinar there, seems like "tu viejo te propinó unos dos golpes" unless you did it all the time and not just a one time thing? Is it because you started with hacías , you were making, and then had to stick with imperfect past?

¿Cuándo fue que nos volvieron tan infelices...?

When was it that we became so unhappy? How could you tell this was a volverse time and not a ponerse time for become? Feels like a ponerse time to me? Gracias.

I understood it all though and enjoyed it. - jeezzle, Apr 19, 2011

You kind of answered the "dirección" bit yourself, when you correctly translated "director" as "principal". Therefore "la dirección" is...? ;-) "Lo carajea" Not the insulter! The principal yells and curses *AT* the infractor! - Gekkosan, Apr 19, 2011

El director sale - the principal comes out / steps out / appears / shows up. De terapia en terapia: from one therapy to the next. "Te mete dos gritos" "te mete un golpe" - In this context meanst to "inflict". He shouts two yealls at you. He hits you. - Gekkosan, Apr 19, 2011

"nos volvieron infelices" - (tacit they)made us unhappy / turned us into unhappy people. So it's not that we became unhappy, we were turned into unhappy people. - Gekkosan, Apr 19, 2011

Answer 3

I understand it, but I am not able to do a translation. It is truly a pity, that we,over the last 50 years have abandoned our rights and responsibilities to others. I grew up in that time I was already in the military in '62 and when I look back I see just how much ( in my opinion) we have lost.

I once did an article for school on why drinking and driving is OK. Dad did it why can't I? Let your 8 year old drink your beer in front of a cop 30 years ago, ha you laugh together? Do it now, go to jail for child endangerment for 20 years. - jeezzle, Apr 19, 2011

true Jeezle very true! - pacofinkler, Apr 19, 2011

Goodness no! Please do not attempt a translation! This is just for thought and discussion - and maybe a few questons about the language used. :-) - Gekkosan, Apr 19, 2011