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El preso número nueve

 

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  #1  
Old July 14, 2019, 03:25 AM
Tyrn Tyrn is offline
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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  
Old July 14, 2019, 05:56 AM
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Rusty Rusty is offline
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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.
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Old July 14, 2019, 06:46 AM
Tyrn Tyrn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
(the same impersonal reference appears in 'la vida le han de quitar' = 'they're going to take his life')
Thanks!

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?
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Old July 14, 2019, 10:07 AM
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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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Old July 14, 2019, 04:22 PM
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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  
Old July 15, 2019, 12:42 AM
Tyrn Tyrn is offline
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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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