El Gringoqueño

You know how there are various funny websites making fun of numerous English product translations to Chinese? For example, Coca Cola comes out "happiness in the mouth" as its literal translation. I sometimes think it helps fuel our distrust or timidity over these alien Chinese and their weird language and their body lotion translated as "imposing lavish experience focus and well-being for your dermis." They’re weird, otherworldly. Whatever.

I was driving the other day and one of those local radio station vans passed me. You know, the ones with the KROCK 100 "all the hits fit to play" or WLOVE 103 "We put your groove on french toast" or some such nonsense. Well, I saw the following, ONDA 94 "Toca lo que Pega" or literally: WAVE 94 "(It) plays that which sticks". I swear I almost had an accident. Now, comeon, Spanish isn’t that different from English, but you’d be amazed how much goes into a translation to make it palatable to its audience. For example, if I was to translate ONDA 94’s slogan to English, I’d just say, ONDA 94 "We play the hits", not "The hits are played" or "We only play what sticks" neither of which actually capture the exact phrase in Spanish.

In Spanish, I might come up with the following: ONDA94, "Tocamos los grandes exitos" which means "We play the greatest hits." It’s simpler, more literal. But for some reason, "Toca lo que pega" has more immediacy, more puissance. It sounds hipper, more local, less about waiting for something to be a hit and then playing it like a follower. "Toca lo que pega" connotes leadership. It makes me think that they know what holds up, what people like, and they play it because they KNOW.

In Spanish I instantly understand the phrase "Toca lo que pega" but when put to translating it, I have to think about it a bit.

Anyway, back to sticking to my popular tunes of "prevailing essense" or something.

Javier Ignacio O’Malley Gorbea was born at 5:22 am on the 19th of March 2005 weighing 7 lbs 14 oz with a length of 21 inches.

From an email I wrote to my brother-in-law in Iraq, Carlos.

The little tike shot out like a rocket, 10, 9, 8 … 1 Ignition (Ignacio) *hehe*. He cried more vigorously than the other children and when placed on the little delivery table he tried to hide in the corner, pulling the blue paper wrap over his face. I’m thinking he’s going to be a snuggler like Olaia. He is already feeding with his mommy and has taken to sucking quite well just minutes after birth. Yes, he’s a healthy happy, vigorous little spark.

Laura is doing fine - delivery was quick and without complications, in fact, I was still checking us in at the main desk when they paged me, "Mira, Laura está a punto de…" I ran to the delivery room and there was the little fireball in the hands of the doctor. (I almost missed it). They handed me some sissors and ordered me to cut, "Entre ellos, aquí, rapido." I cut the umbilical cord and looked upon the little explosion of cuteness that was Javier Ignacio. So far as I can tell, he’s got a Gorbea butt, Gorbea ears, O’Malley chin, and Gorbea fingers and toes. Their little faces are a little swollen when they come out so it’s tough to say who he looks like, but he’s bright, luminous, and healthy and a Mr. Chispa o Señorito Chispito. Hey that sounds good, my little chispa, muy vivo y despierto.