Ego-surfing.

[rivka]

Can anyone translate the part of this that's all about me? (The post is reprinted below for convenience; the link is to provide context.)

Who's Being Respectful Again?
Por hoy, me chupan un huevo los cuatro posts que tengo pudriendose al sol, porque Rivka volvio a postear.

Yo se que esta embarazada, y que quedo bastante mal desde que sus compatriotas confirmaron en las urnas que quieren un presidente de ultraderecha que los haga llegar con las minimas paradas (privatizacion, teocracia) al infierno en una cesta. Pero estuvo posteando por un mes despues de la eleccion, y entonces entenderan que sea legitima mi preocupacion: le habria pasado algo mas?

Lo que sea, parece que fue temporario. Tres meses mas tarde, recordo que tiene un weblog e hizo tres posts politicos, que si bien son macanudos, me dejan deseando por mas posts de los solo podria haber escrito ella, de los que mas me alegran el dia (claro que habitualmente no por el tema, sino por el tratamiento).

Comments

[okoshun.livejournal.com]

*laugh* All that I can say is that using Systan (BabelFish) is pretty much useless. I had to share, even though it's probably not all that useful.

For today, they absorb a the four to me egg posts that I have rotting
to the sun, because Rivka volvio to postear.

I that this pregnant woman, and that I am enough badly since their
compatriots confirmed in the ballot boxes that love an extreme right
president that makes them arrive with minimas stopped (privatization,
theocracy) at hell in a basket. But despues of the election was
posteando by a month, and then you would entenderan that it is
legitimizes my preoccupation: him habria passed something but?

What is, seems that was temp. Three months but late, recordo that has
weblog and made three posts politicos, that although is macanudos, me
leave wishing by but posts of single podria to have written she, of
that but they cheer the day to me (clear that habitually not by the
subject, but by the treatment).

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Babelfish isn't very helpful with this one, but the end says that you basically make the writer's day, not with what you write about, but how you write about it. None of it is bad, some is neutral, or nice. Spanish isn't my strong point by any means.

[eeyorerin]

The short version: the poster is happy to see you posting again and was worried about you! They love the way you write.

The longer version -- please forgive translation inaccuracies:

Today, I was happy to see (I can't find a good way to translate "chupar un huevo" which literally means "suck an egg" but I'm sure has some kind of idiomatic meaning that I don't know) the four posts that have come to light -- Rivka has returned to posting.

I know that she's pregnant, and that she was doing poorly after her compatriots confirmed in the election that they wanted an ultra-right president who would take them with only small stops (privatization, theocracy) to hell in a handbasket. But she was posting for a month after the election, and after that you can understand the reason for my preoccupation: had something else happened to her?

Whatever happened, it seems to have been temporary. Three months later, she remembered that she had a blog and made three political posts, that are not only good but great, and it leaves me wanting more posts that can only be written by her, those that make my day happier (not because of their themes, but because of her treatment of them).

That's as close as I can get it, anyways. If someone disagrees with my translation, they're probably right. :)

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

Whoo. Way better than mine!

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

Good job! And more or less how I would have translated it as well (I also have no earthly idea what "chupar un huevo" means, though I could walk down the hall and find out ... should I do that?).

-J

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

Literally "suck an egg". Not sure what it signifies.

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

Yeah, even if I hadn't known that, it was clear from the comment I responded to. That doesn't tell us what it *means*, though.

-J

[geekchick]

God, my Spanish is rusty. =/

[chupar un huevo]
I don't remember ever hearing that particular phrase before, the only thing I can find at the moment seems to say that it's an Argentinian idiom that would roughly translate as "to not matter".

Actually, now that the ol' reading comprehension is kicking in, it looks like roughly "The four posts I have waiting don't matter, because Rivka's posting again".

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Thanks for filling in the last piece! Now I am blushing and happy.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

In Baja California, huevos can be "balls," so "chupa un huevo" is "suck balls."

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

"huevos" is slang for balls, so I'd translate that first sentence as "Today, the four posts that I have rotting in the sun (waiting for him to post them, I imagine) can blow me, because Rivka posted again." Strong praise indeed. :)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

You beat me to it. I should learn to read down.

[eeyorerin]

Yeah, what everyone else said about the first sentence of the first paragraph. "The four posts I have can go suck an egg, cause Rivka's posting again" would be how I'd render it now.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I could tell that it was about me posting again, and I was pretty sure that "embarazada" meant "pregnant," but I had no idea about the rest of it. I couldn't even tell if the whole post was about me, or if the theocracy part had moved on to being about someone else.

I very much appreciate your - and everyone's - assistance.

[eeyorerin]

Ah, embarazada, the first false cognate that I remember learning when I first started Spanish, when our teacher told us about accidentally informing an entire bus that she was pregnant when she meant to say embarrassed for tripping over someone.

It's nice to put those skills to work.

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... my Spanish is wildly rusty... and I'm not sure the post makes sense. He's at best poetical, at worst nonsensical. Definitely beyond my linguistic abilities. Here's my best take.

For today, I suck an egg for the four posts the I posted this morning, because Rivka has posted.

I know that she's pregnant, and feels bad enough since her compatriots confirmed on a shrine (?) that they want an ultra-right president that will give them the fastest route (privitization, theocracy) to hell in a handbasket. But I was posting for a month after the election, and then I understood that there is a legitimate preoccupation: did something else happen?

I know that it seems temporary. Three months later, I remembered that there was a weblog that made three political posts, that were well-written, and it left me wanting more posts that could only be written by her, which totally made my day (of course not about the theme, but about the treatment).

OK, that is quite possibly the worst translation in the history of the world! I suck! Someone, please do better!!!

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

No, you did great. You got lots more than I did.

K.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I'll send it to someone I know, but the real question, since it seems to be problems of idiom, is which spanish is being used?

TK

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

He seems to identify as an Argentinian.

[hitferret.livejournal.com]

Which matches with the definition given on this page (http://ar.geocities.com/lunfa2000/502.html).

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

That would be perfect, as my easiest source of tranlation is an Argentine.

TK

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I speak Spanish much better than I read it and I haven't read much of it in years, but:

Something about today four posts that suck eggs left rotting in the sun...because Rivka began posting again.

I know she is pregnant and ... that her fellow countrymen voted for an ultra-right-wing president ... to hell in a basket.

I was posting for a month after the election, then I ....

It seems it was temporary. Three months later, ... that she has a weblog and made three political posts, ... that left me wishing for more posts than these that were wrtten by her, those that brightened my day. (not for the topic but for how she said it).

K. [all the object pronouns seem to have leaked out of my head, sorry]

[riarambles.livejournal.com]

I think that you've got a pretty good picture of it from other people's comments, but if you want me to, I'll do you up a polished version when I get home tonight.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Looks like it's covered! But thank you.

[edschweppe.livejournal.com]

I can't translate the Spanish, but based on everyone else's comments, it means you have an international following, who is happy to see Respectful of Otters posting again. (Unsurprising, since your domestic following is happy to see Respectful of Otters posting again :-)

Or, in even shorter terms, "Yay! Rivka's back!"

[kiya]

I have nothing to add to the other translations except "If I find my Spanish sland dictionary I'll look up 'chuparse un huevo', because all I can remember for idiomatic use of 'un huevo' is that it's best translated as 'piece of cake' (idiomatic usage) and I think 'chuparse' probably makes a difference to that also by the way I'm on cold medicine hi!".

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I got word back from my friend (the Argentine from Penn. Long story, suffice it to say he moved there when he was a wee lad, so he speaks his English with a faint accent).

Today, I care not about the four posts that I have rotting in the sun,
because Rivka posted again.

I know that she is pregnant, and that ended up pretty badly since her
compatriots confirmed by voting, that they wanted a ultra-right wing
president that will take them (by privatizing and theocracy) to "hell
in a hand basket" [the writer is actually writing in spanish, an
english idiomatic expression]. Butit was posted for a month after the election, this way you can understand that my worry is legitimate: might something else have
happened [to her?].

Whatever, it seems that is was temporary. Three months later, [she]
remembered that she had a blog and [she?] made three political
postings and, even though they are great, she leaves me wanting for
more postings that only she can write, postings that brighten my day
(of course that usually, not because of the subject, but because of
the way she handles them).

Regarding the sucking an egg.... actually, it means to lick my balls. LOL. (in reality, it means he does not care).

TK

[(Anonymous)]

Hello,

I am a part of that international following of Rivka’s and I happen to be a Spaniard. Congratulations to you all on your Spanish skills :-). You’ve got it. So this is just a post for the linguistically minded. (Please forgive my mistakes, it’s a long time since I’ve written in English.)

“Me chupa un huevo” is, as you’ve written, “I don’t care”. We wouldn’t say exactly that in Spain, but I have no problem understanding it since it sounds as a crossing of two expressions that we do use: “me importa un huevo” y “me chupa un pie”, which mean the same. “Huevo” is “ball” here, so I guess that vito_excalibur’s translation hits it.

I’ll use pecunium’s translation as base to add a couple of nuances:

“I know that she is pregnant, and that she lost heart since her fellow citizens confirmed in the ballot-boxes that they want an ultra-right wing president who will take them with as few stops (privatization, theocracy) as possible ‘to hell in a hand basket’ [yes, this is no Spanish expression]. But she kept posting for a month after the election, so you’ll understand my legitimate worry: might something else have happened to her?

Whatever it was, it seems it was temporary. Three months later, she remembered that she had a blog and she added three political postings but, even though they are great, they leave me wishing for more postings of those that only she can write, of those that brighten my day (of course, not usually because of the subject, but because of the way she handles them). [It sounds very convoluted in English and I guess I would normally alter it, but as I said before, this note is for the linguistically minded.]

And now I am going to the website to gorge myself :-). It’s been some days since I’ve checked.

Rivka, I wish you the happiest of deliveries. All the best for you and your friends here.

Rhus