Day 128: Why My Classmates Say Vos

Dialogue

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1. 1
   A

   Mamá, ¿por qué en la escuela todos me hablan de vos? Una compañera me dijo “vení, sentate”, y pensé que me estaba regañando.

   Mom, why does everyone at school talk to me with vos? A girl in my class said “vení, sentate,” come and sit down, and I thought she was scolding me.

   Line 1
2. 2
   B

   Al contrario, mija, es de confianza. En la Colonia, Chiapas dependía de Guatemala y no de México, y el vos se quedó, como en Centroamérica.

   Quite the opposite, honey, it's friendly. In colonial times Chiapas was governed from Guatemala, not from Mexico, and vos stayed on, as in Central America.

   Line 2
3. 3
   A

   ¿O sea que es de cariño? Entonces mañana llego diciendo: “Vos eres bien buena onda, ¿vos tienes la tarea de mate?”.

   So it's affectionate? Then tomorrow I'll show up saying: “Vos eres bien buena onda, ¿vos tienes la tarea de mate?,” you're really nice, do you have the math homework?

   Line 3
4. 4
   B

   Casi: se dice “vos sos” y “vos tenés”. Dicho esto, no le vayas a hablar de vos a la directora, que te va a ver como igualada.

   Nearly: it's “vos sos” and “vos tenés.” That said, don't go using vos with the principal, or she'll think you're getting too familiar.

   Line 4
5. 5
   A

   ¿Y tú por qué nunca me hablaste de vos? Naciste aquí y nunca te oí ni un solo vos.

   And why did you never talk to me with vos? You were born here, and I've never heard a single vos out of you.

   Line 5
6. 6
   B

   Llegando a Guadalajara, entré a una prepa donde una maestra me corrigió enfrente de todos. Terminada la clase, me guardé el vos casi treinta años.

   When I got to Guadalajara, I started at a high school where a teacher corrected me in front of everyone. Once that class was over, I kept my vos to myself for nearly thirty years.

   Line 6
7. 7
   A

   Qué mala onda. Aquí ya nadie te va a corregir, ma. Enséñame más palabras, para no quedar mañana como la fuereña.

   That's so unfair. Nobody's going to correct you here, Mom. Teach me more words, so I don't look like the outsider tomorrow.

   Line 7
8. 8
   B

   A ver: un perro es un chucho, “¡cabal!” es “¡exacto!”, y todo se remata con “pues”. Sabiendo eso, pasas por comiteca.

   OK: a dog is a chucho, “¡cabal!” means “exactly!,” and you round everything off with “pues.” Knowing that, you'll pass for a local.

   Line 8
9. 9
   A

   Déjame intentarlo: “Mirá, vos sabés que el chucho de la vecina ladra toda la noche y no me deja dormir, pues”.

   Let me try: “Look, you know the neighbor's dog barks all night and won't let me sleep, pues.”

   Line 9
10. 10
    B

    ¡Cabal! Pero no te quejés tanto, mija, que vos de chiquita llorabas más fuerte que ese chucho.

    Exactly! But don't complain so much, honey: when you were little, you cried louder than that dog.

    Line 10
11. 11
    A

    ¡Ma, me acabas de vosear! Casi treinta años callada, y te bastaron tres semanas en Comitán. Ahora vos me enseñás todo, pues.

    Mom, you've just used vos on me! Nearly thirty years keeping quiet, and three weeks in Comitán were all it took. Now vos me enseñás todo, you teach me everything, pues.

    Line 11