Day 7 of 135

Day 7: Talking Back to the Maya Debate

In Mérida, Aldo (A), a young volunteer from a literacy program, arrives for the first reading lesson at the house of Doña Adelina (B), a retired market trader who speaks Maya, and finds her arguing with a debate on television.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
  2. Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a Spanish word to see what it means.
  3. Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native Spanish, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.

Dialogue

Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.

Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning

  1. A

    Buenas tardes, doña Adelina. Desde la esquina la oí discutiendo con el televisor.

    Good afternoon, Doña Adelina. I could hear you arguing with the television from the corner.

  2. B

    Pásale, hijo, y oye al dizque experto: “Hemos de reconocer que el maya es un dialecto precioso”. ¡Dialecto le dice a una lengua!

    Come in, honey, and listen to this so-called expert: “We must acknowledge that Maya is a lovely dialect.” Calling a language a dialect!

  3. A

    Es el debate del maya obligatorio en las escuelas, ¿no? La de lentes está a favor.

    It's the debate on making Maya mandatory in schools, isn't it? The lady in glasses is in favor.

  4. B

    Pero dice que convendría que se enseñase “sin tanto apóstrofo”. Sin ese saltito en la voz, ka'an, el cielo, se vuelve kaan, la culebra.

    But she says it would be best to teach it “without so many apostrophes.” Without that little catch in the voice, ka'an, the sky, turns into kaan, the snake.

  5. A

    ÂżY eso no lo sabe el panel? Se lo digo en serio: la que deberĂ­a estar ahĂ­ es usted.

    And the panel doesn't know that? I mean it: you're the one who should be up there.

  6. B

    Ay, hijo, a la tele no invitan a una que vendía recado en el Lucas de Gálvez.

    Oh, honey, they don't invite a woman who used to sell spice paste at the Lucas de Gálvez market on TV.

  7. A

    He de confesarle algo: vine a enseñarle a leer, y el que no sabe decir “cielo” en maya soy yo.

    I have to confess something: I came to teach you to read, and I'm the one who can't say “sky” in Maya.

  8. B

    Ka'an, hijo, con su saltito. Ni te apenes, que el panel tampoco sabe.

    Ka'an, honey, with its little catch. Don't be embarrassed, the panel doesn't know either.

  9. A

    Hagamos un trato: yo le enseño las letras y usted me enseña maya del bueno.

    Let's make a deal: I'll teach you your letters and you teach me real Maya.

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