La Malinche

[PIKI]

I just picked up a new book "Mexican Spanish", in the intro when giving a brief history of how Mexican Spanish came about, La Malinche came up, very briefly but the story was interesting to me, I guess she was a Mayan girl who translated for Cortez and was considered a traider by most but not so much now. Does anyone have insite on this, or does anyone know of a good book that would tell the story.

[Fazor]

Originally Posted by PIKI

. . . and was considered a traider by most but not so much now.

Do you mean "traitor"? I'm not familiar with her, but it does sound interesting, so that gives me something to research.

[Rusty]

You can gain some insights about her from what appears on the web. I just glanced at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Malinche for an overall idea, but there are hundreds of thousands of hits on "La Malinche."

[PIKI]

Originally Posted by Fazor

Do you mean "traitor"? I'm not familiar with her, but it does sound interesting, so that gives me something to research.

Yeah, that's what I ment oops. I guess I need to start checking my english before I post lol.

Originally Posted by Rusty

You can gain some insights about her from what appears on the web. I just glanced at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Malinche for an overall idea, but there are hundreds of thousands of hits on "La Malinche."

Rusty
That wikipedia link was very informative thanks, guess I dont need a book, I dont know why I always try to look for a good book when in this day and age all you have to do is google.

[Nico]

Yes, La Malinche was an utterly important figure in the history of Mexico, and known as a traitor. I've actually seen some sources that refer to the event as "la gran chingada," which actually is kind of funny if you think about the translation. There are many phrases in Mexican Spanish that refer to that very verb, which I am not going to even begin to mention on this forum. On the same note, the word "malinchista" is used quite often. I have nothing to add, however; Wikipedia pretty much summed up the history quite well.

[Elaina]

On the other hand, she was a misunderstood woman. She probably was just looking for survival and she was looked upon as a traitor!

I guess no one will really ever know the truth!

[poli]

La Malinche betrayed the Aztecs. That's true. But she is also an enduring symbol of Mexico culture which is a combination of Native American and European traditions, language, style, religion.
La Malinche's life is not about good and evil. History has shown there's shades of grey in her story--or should I say orange, red, yellow and brown like Mexico itself.

[Elaina]

Quite a colorful description and so appropriate too!

México es muy colorido!

[lee ying]

malinche? well , all that I know is a scary story, malinche called: la llorona !! que grita hay mis hijos, have you heard it? * _*

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by lee ying

malinche? well , all that I know is a scary story, malinche called: la llorona !! que grita hay mis hijos, have you heard it? * _*

This story was mentioned before in the forums, here and here.

[Elaina]

La Malinche and La Llorona are two different stories......

[lee ying]

well. I`m going to say all the stories that I know in mexico_:
La llorona,
El sombreron:
El cipe:
La cocha enfrenada:
El cadejo.
La mujer de blanco.
do you know one of them? I don`t like to talk about scary story!! because then , I could have bad drems. ^ _ ^

[explorator]

Some years ago I read a book about La Malinche, written by an Argentinean writer. Unfortunately I can't remember the name today. In it, it was told not only the story of La Malinche -or Doña Marina, as she was called by the Spaniards- but also it was told the story of a Spanish Army soldier who become a captain in the Aztec Army. The author explains how both persons had an uncomfortable position at their own original parties, ( La Malinche was a slave destined to be sacrificed to the Aztec Gods) while by changing it, they reached a much more hopeful life.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

La Malinche was the daughter of a powerful Nahua nobleman, and sold to Maya slave-traders after her father died. Her knowledge of both languages (Nahuatl and Maya), then her learning Spanish, made her become a translator to Cortez, who had her baptised with the name of Marina. She had a son with him named Martín Cortez.
Since it's perceived that she could choose sides, she was considered a traitor who supported the conquistadores. She didn't seem to mind changing her name (Malintzin or maybe Malinali) and her religion and took advantage of her privileges, not only as the main translator and negotiator, but also as Cortez' mistress.
Whether she had a choice or if what she did was just for survival is not so clear, but she's the historical icon of treason against the nation and its original values.

[explorator]

Translator for us, traitor for you. Both words have a common etymology. The Spanish word Traductor comes from the Latin trans = to come across and ducere = to guide or to lead. The SpanishTraidor comes also from trans and the Indo-European do = to give. Probably -at least subconsciously- there is many people who's not sure that translators are not traitors. Remember the Italian saying: "Tradutore traditore".

[poli]

Es una historia triste porque ilustre la muerte de una civilización--pero tambien el naciemiento de una nueva.

Sé que no es posible ya, pero me gustaría imaginar como sería el mundo hoy si la conquista no era una conquista sino un compartamiento de ideas entre las civilizaciones.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by poli

Es una historia triste porque ilustre la muerte de una civilización--pero tambien el naciemiento de una nueva.

Sé que no es posible ya, pero me gustaría imaginar como sería el mundo hoy si la conquista no era una conquista sino un compartamiento de ideas entre las civilizaciones.

If it has happened in time before, I believe that the civilization doesn't be the modern civilization today of.
I believe that people will being the more primitive without the opportunities that you and me today together have in our own and little world.

Then I agree with you.
The modern civilization is cause of the great battles between the people winning of the past.