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  #1  
Old April 14, 2009, 08:14 PM
chucha chucha is offline
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Help with an essay question

I have to write a short essay on the US school system, but I need help with this sentence:
"En los Estados Unidos, es una ley una persona continua la educación hasta que tiene diez y seis años. Sin embargo, yo pienso que es un problema grande que estudiantes piensan que este es bastante y que ellos van a vivir una vida exitosa sin más educación."

I am trying to say something along the lines of "In the US, it is a law that people continue their education until they are 16. However, I think it is a big problem that students think that this is enough and that that they will live a successful life without more of an education"

That actually sounds a bit awkward even in English. Could anyone help me with a better way of saying this or just correct what I wrote?
gracias!
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  #2  
Old April 14, 2009, 08:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chucha View Post
[...]
"En los Estados Unidos, es una ley una persona continua la educación hasta que tiene diez y seis años. Sin embargo, yo pienso que es un problema grande que estudiantes piensan que este es bastante y que ellos van a vivir una vida exitosa sin más educación."
My suggestion:

En los Estados Unidos, la ley obliga a que las personas reciban educación hasta los dieciséis años. Sin embargo, yo pienso que es un gran problema que los estudiantes crean que eso es suficiente y que podrán tener una vida exitosa sin una mayor educación.
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  #3  
Old April 14, 2009, 08:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chucha View Post
"En los Estados Unidos, es una ley que una persona continúe con la educación hasta que tenga dieciséis años. Sin embargo, yo creo que es un gran problema que los estudiantes crean que este es suficiente y que (ellos) vayan a vivir una vida exitosa sin más educación."

"In the US, it is a law that people continue their education until they are 16. However, I think it is a big problem that students think that this is enough and that that they will live a successful life without more of an education"
Corrections/suggestions above. The wording is awkward, as you noted. There are more fluid ways to word it. My attempt is below.

En Estados Unidos, es una ley que se continúe con la educación hasta llegar a los dieciséis años. No obstante, lo absurdo es que los estudiantes lo crean suficiente y que vayan a tener éxito en la vida sin educarse más.
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  #4  
Old April 15, 2009, 08:58 AM
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Pues voy a intentar ayudarte yo también. Aquí está mi opción:

En los Estados Unidos, la enseñanza es obligatoria hasta los dieciséis años. Sin embargo, creo que es un gran problema que los estudiantes piensen que eso es suficiente y que podrán tener éxito en la vida sin una educación superior.



En español no se suele decir "es una ley" tal cosa, sino que algo "es obligatorio" o es "por ley" (o bien, "la ley dice" o "según la ley"). Tampoco se suele referir a las personas tanto como en inglés, especialmente cuando se presupone que la educación está dirigida a las personas (salvo que cambiemos de contexto).

Un saludo.
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  #5  
Old April 15, 2009, 01:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
Pues voy a intentar ayudarte yo también. Aquí está mi opción:

En los Estados Unidos, la enseñanza es obligatoria hasta los dieciséis años. Sin embargo, creo que es un gran problema que los estudiantes piensen que eso es suficiente y que podrán tener éxito en la vida sin una educación superior.



En español no se suele decir "es una ley" tal cosa, sino que algo "es obligatorio" o es "por ley" (o bien, "la ley dice" o "según la ley"). Tampoco se suele referir a las personas tanto como en inglés, especialmente cuando se presupone que la educación está dirigida a las personas (salvo que cambiemos de contexto).

Un saludo.
Aja, estoy de acuerdo. Me suena extrana la frase, "es una ley." Me suena mucho mejor "es obligatorio..."
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Old April 15, 2009, 02:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nico View Post
Aja, estoy de acuerdo. Me suena extrana la frase, "es una ley." Me suena mucho mejor "es obligatorio..."
you can even say "es obligatorio, de hecho es la ley.. (its obligatorio, in fact it's the law)
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  #7  
Old April 15, 2009, 06:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nico View Post
Aja, estoy de acuerdo. Me suena extrana la frase, "es una ley." Me suena mucho mejor "es obligatorio..."
It's (Pura ley). Finally is the law as Poli said before.
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  #8  
Old April 16, 2009, 01:32 AM
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"will live a successful life without more of an education"

for the beginning, the given options are good.
I don't like much the translations "vida exitosa"/"vida con éxito" wich are literal ones.
I know lots of successful lifes with no education but big effort.
Here I would say something like
"vivir una vida provechosa sin más educación"
I don't really find the proper spanish word...
Saludos
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  #9  
Old April 16, 2009, 05:36 AM
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How about fructuosa? Con una educacion es mas facil segiur una vida fructuosa.
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Last edited by poli; April 16, 2009 at 05:38 AM.
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  #10  
Old April 16, 2009, 07:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chucha;31682[FONT=&quot
I am trying to say something along the lines of "In the US, it is a law that people continue their education until they are 16. However, I think it is a big problem that students think that this is enough and that that they will live a successful life without more of an education"
[/FONT]
En USA, es ley que la gente continúe su educación hasta llos 16 años de edad. Sin embargo, pienso que es un gran problema que los estudiantes piensen que ya tienen lo suficiente para que puedan vivir una vida exitosa sin más educación.


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