Some questions while reading a story

Originally Posted by ookami (Post 74555)

Hello, I have some doubts about a tale I'd read. I will be pleased if you could help me.
It is better to use questions than doubts
1.
"In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her"
I can't figure this out, the "about her" thing.
"..tiene aquellos quienes ella ha conocido toda su vida sobre ella???
About her also means around her or near her in somewhat old-fashioned English, particularly British English.
2.
"O course..."
Same as "of course"?
Here the author is writing in dialect, and you will need to read it for context. It may mean of course, but is may mean on course

3.
"And no she had nobody to protect her."
Here I can assume there is a implicit comma after "and no" right? or I'm missing something?
The no is used for emphasis--to extract pity from the reader. I'm not
sure a comma is correct here, but you are right, there should be a natural
pause after the no in order to get the rhythm of the language correct.

4.
"He said she used to squander the money, that she had no head, that he wasn't going to give her his hard-earned money to throw about the streets, and much more, for he was usually fairly bad on Saturday night."
I can't understand the "for", what does it do in the sentence? It's necesary?
For is a old-fashioned way of saying because. It's like por in Spanish.
It's not much used in common speech in the United States, but it's
understood from common old nursary rhymes and literature.
5.
"In the end he would give her the money and ask her had any intention of..."
I would understand the grammar if it would be this: "and ask her if she had any"; Which is the "ask her had any" grammar and the difference with the option I gave?
I agree with you. The sentence appears to be an error
6.
"... his peaked cap pushed back on his head."
Best translations?
A peaked hat is a army hat. The visor of the hat is the peak
7.
"He had fallen on his feet in Buenos Ayres..."
Best translations?
He fell from the sky and landed on his feet in BA
8.
"As she mused the pitiful vision of her mother's life laid it's spell on the very quick of her being--that life of..."
Hmm, translation?
Cuando pensaba una vision de la vida triste de su mamá colocó un hechizo en el meollo de su alma/ser--aquella vida de...
I know this is a lot, excuse me and thanks in advance for your time.

Originally Posted by ookami (Post 74696)

Thanks a lot poli, you are very kind. It's "Eveline" by James Joyce.
The point 5. got me, because I have checked it in many webpages and it seems not to be a typo.

Originally Posted by ookami (Post 74696)

Thanks a lot poli, you are very kind. It's "Eveline" by James Joyce.
The point 5. got me, because I have cheked it in many webpages and it seems not to be a typo.

Edit:
"but usually little Keogh used to keep nix and call out when he saw her father coming."
what's nix here?

Originally Posted by poli (Post 74721)

Joyce is known to be one of the great English-language authors of the 20th century but, along with Faulkner, one of the most challenging to comprehend.

Originally Posted by Perikles (Post 74725)

This greatness is really only opinion. I'm afraid he is the only author I have come across whom I find totally unreadable. I even prefer Milton.

Originally Posted by Perikles (Post 74725)

This greatness is really only opinion. I'm afraid he is the only author I have come across whom I find totally unreadable. I even prefer Milton.

Originally Posted by bobjenkins (Post 74906)

El más gran escritor del siglo XX :)

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 74915)

:thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

Originally Posted by bobjenkins (Post 74919)

John Lennon de Los Beatles :)

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 74920)

I understood you. :)

But writer... :thinking:

Originally Posted by bobjenkins (Post 74922)

Sólo un chiste porque no me interesa mucho "true literature":p

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 74924)

Pues tienes que leer para aprender. :)

Originally Posted by chileno (Post 74933)

¿No dijiste que "pues" no se usa en España?

O es idea mia...

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 74937)

¿Cuándo he dicho yo eso? :thinking::thinking:
¿Y pues?:D :D

Originally Posted by irmamar (Post 74904)

You don't encourage me very much. I must read Joyce this year, and Milton next year. :thinking: :sad:

Originally Posted by chileno (Post 74940)

Nada, que me pareció que habías dicho eso, y ahora me sale este pastelito.

Originally Posted by poli (Post 74942)

Joyce's short stories aren't hard to read. The Dubliners is wonderful. It's
Finnegan's Wale and Ulysses (with it's shocking Molly Bloom monologue)that gets students phobic, although if they get through the monologue they may get less phobic and more:wicked::owl:.