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El preso número nueveThis is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish. |
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#1
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El preso número nueve
Hi,
This is the beginning: El preso número nueve ya lo van a confesar Esta rezando en la celda con el cura del penal Porque antes de amanecer la vida le han de quitar Porque mató a su mujer y a un amigo desleal Why van a confesar? Why plural? |
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#2
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plural, impersonal reference (they, he that is, or those that are, receiving the confession)
(the same impersonal reference appears in 'la vida le han de quitar' = 'they're going to take his life') In English, we also use a plural impersonal reference, even though we know only a single person is being referenced. |
#3
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Quote:
Oddly, they're going to take his life I figured out on my own. But who are they in the first line? Either the prisoner or the priest are single. Would you care to translate suitably the first line? |
#4
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They (impersonal they, no real antecedent is needed, singular or plural) are going to hear the confession of prisoner number nine.
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#5
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Welcome to the forums, Tyrn.
You might find this discussion useful: http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=14223
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#6
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Thanks!
I'm not the first one to be perplexed about this first line... |
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impersonal, impersonal plural, plural |
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