Vacaciones

[Stu]

No sólo de catalanes vive el hombre. También me pasaba largas temporadas en casa.
Cuando Eduardo, el...., Sí, !Ese mismo! No sé por qué se había tomado unas largas vacaciones, tal vez estaba sin trabajo o no sé qué. Así que a quedarme con el imbécil cada vez que Juan salía con sus amigos y mamá hacía los recados.

What does he mean "vive el hombre"? That they were gay or that they had a undisclosed man in the house or what?
What does he mean by "vacaciones" Who is away and for how long? Is the mamá away or Edwardo? It seems like it is mamá, but what tells us?
I assume vacaciones and los recados refer to the excursions during the day ie of hours rather than days as suggested. Is he just exaggerating.
Is it usual to say en casa rather than en la casa or is the meaning different?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

There is a biblical expression that says "no sólo de pan vive el hombre", meaning that mankind can't only live on material things (represented by the bread one eats), but also needs a spiritual life (to feed one's soul).
The context of the sentence in your dialogue will tell you what alternative or complement to Catalans will that be.

"Vacaciones" is a period of time when people don't work. It's not only travelling.

The mother leaves the house to run errands, Juan is out with friends and the speaker is at home with the guy who is not working in the meantime.

"Estar en casa", "ir a casa", "llegar a casa" are collocations that don't need the article.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

There is a biblical expression that says "no sólo de pan vive el hombre", meaning that mankind can't only live on material things (represented by the bread one eats), but also needs a spiritual life (to feed one's soul).
The context of the sentence in your dialogue will tell you what alternative or complement to Catalans will that be.

"Vacaciones" is a period of time when people don't work. It's not only travelling.

The mother leaves the house to run errands, Juan is out with friends and the speaker is at home with the guy who is not working in the meantime.

"Estar en casa", "ir a casa", "llegar a casa" are collocations that don't need the article.

So is he saying that a woman's place is in the home and a man's place is outside the home?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

What he is saying is that the guy doesn't work and spends his time at his mother's place.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

What he is saying is that the guy doesn't work and spends his time at his mother's place.

Thank you.

I know the quote but it didn't spring to mind when I tried to translate it.

So he is using a modification of the Biblical saying to make a suggestion that the this fellow is not making a contribution to the household? Seems a little tenuous, but the catalanes in the story were wealthy and so there were some people doing well from them, perhaps that is the link.

The man is the writer's stepfather and is in the marital home, which the writer may feel belongs to his mother, so in a sense loafing.

[DianaRay]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

There is a biblical expression that says "no sólo de pan vive el hombre", meaning that mankind can't only live on material things (represented by the bread one eats), but also needs a spiritual life (to feed one's soul).

Thanks for this interesting expression and explanation

[pinosilano]

Creo yo que la expresión "no sólo de catalanes vive el hombre" se refiera, en este caso, a que los catalanes no son insostituibles y que se puede proyectar algo sin la partecipación de ellos.

@Diana Ray: La bella explicación de Angélica, la puedes encontrar en la Biblia, en el quinto libro del Pentateuco: Deuteronomio 8,3

Buen fin de semana a todos.