The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.Mark Twain
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UN POCO DE HUMOR: GEORGE MIKES
George Mikes nació en 1912 en Hungría. En 1938, fue enviado a Inglaterra como corresponsal de un periódico nacional, y lo que en principio iba a ser una corta estancia en el país se convirtió en el inicio de una larga etapa de su vida, pues este judío decidió quedarse allí para evitar posibles represalias de los nazis. Hasta el fin de la guerra, trabajó en diversos periódicos y revistas británicas, y tras el conflicto, permaneció en el país y empezó a escribir libros cargados de humor e ironía.
El primero, How to be an Alien (Cómo ser extraterrestre), se publicó en 1945. Es un relato humorístico y casi caricaturesco de las costumbres y forma de vida del pueblo británico de mediados del siglo XX.
El fragmento siguiente relata la importancia que tiene para los británicos hablar del tiempo climatológico. Para facilitar la comprensión del pasaje, las palabras y expresiones más complejas están resaltadas en negrita y traducidas al final .
Podéis encontrar más fragmentos del libro, colgados en formato digital, en:
http://f2.org/humour/howalien.html
The Weather
This is the most important topic in the land. Do not be misled by memories of your youth when, on the Continent, wanting to describe someone as exceptionally dull, you remarked: "He is the type who would discuss the weather with you." In England this is an ever-interesting, even thrilling topic, and you must be good at discussing the weather.
Examples for conversation:
For Good Weather
A: "Lovely day, isn't it?"
B: "Isn't it beautiful?"
A: "The sun ..."
B: "Isn't it gorgeous?"
A: "Wonderful, isn't it?"
B: "It's so nice and hot ..."
A: "Personally, I think it's so nice when it's hot - isn't it?"
B: "I adore it - don't you?"
For Bad Weather
A:"Nasty day, isn't it?"
B: "Isn't it dreadful?"
A: "The rain ... I hate the rain ..."
B: "I don't like it at all. Do you?"
A: "Fancy such a day in July. Rain in the morning, then a bit of sunshine, and then rain, rain, rain all day long."
B: "I remember exactly the same July day in 1936."
A: Yes, I remember too."
B: "Or was it in 1928?"
A: "Yes, it was."
B: "Or in 1939?"
A: "Yes, that's right."
Now observe the last few sentences of this conversation. A very important rule emerges from it. You must never contradict anybody when discussing the weather. Should it hail and snow, should hurricanes uproot the trees from the sides of the road, and should someone remark to you: "Nice day, isn't it?" - answer without hesitation: "Isn't it lovely?"
Learn the above conversation by heart. If you are a bit slow in picking things up, learn at least one conversation, it would do wonderfully for any occasion.
If you do not say anything else for the rest of your life, just repeat this conversation, you still have a fair chance of passing as a remarkably witty man of sharp intellect, keen observation and extremely pleasant manners.
Key vocabulary:
Do not be misled: No se deje engañar
Ever-interesting: siempre interesante
Thrilling: emocionante
Fancy such a day in…: Imagínese un día así en ...
Should it hail and snow: Nieve o granice (aquí should
tiene uso subjuntivo)
Uproot: arranquen de raíz
Without hesitation: sin pensarlo dos veces, sin vacilación
By Heart: de memoria
Picking things up: aprender
Remarkably witty man of sharp intellect: un hombre sorprendentemente ingenioso y agudo
