Ok, so Im in a history of the spanish language class this semester, and while really proving quite the challenge, im learning a ton! for a project I am translating parts of Poema del Cid from castellano medieval into modern day spanish, then explaining how the words came from latin, passed through the medieval stage, to end up in modern day spanish, looking at both morphology, and phonology, ok sorry that was a mouthfull. ANYWAYS, I wanted to run my castellano moderno version by you guys at a few parts, cuz i know there are native speakers out there, and i wanted to see if it sounds ok to you. (NOTE im not trying to get you guys to do my work for me, just trying to get an opinion ).

Castellano Medieval:
De los sos ojo tan fuerte mientre lorando
tornava la cabeca y estava los catando

Castellano Moderno:
Llorando tan fuertamente por los ojos
ya ha vuelto la cabeza y los estaba oberservando

Words I'm unsure on:
alcandaras: like pecho???
ca mucho avie grandes cuidados: "porque tenia grandes preocupaciones???"
diestra: derecha?? (que viene de directu?)
siniestra: izquierda?

Any input would be much appreciated

And if anybody knows of a good latin to spanish dictionary, like that would show all the pasos of the word from latin into spanish, if such a thing exists, I much appreciate the info!!!!

Kelly

Your translation seems excellent. Just a very minor correction (and it's a matter of opinion). I prefer "volvía la cabeza", or better (en este caso) "volvió la cabeza" or (judging by the sense of the prhrase, a freer translation, but maybe more accurate) "había vuelto la cabeza".

Of course, I believe "obeservando" seems to be a tipying error. :p

alcandaras: I never heard that word. However, I read "alcántara". I believe (long time since I read it) it's some kind of recipient.

Maybe related with "cántaro", remember that we need to separate the particle "al" or "el" in arabic origin words.

I have seen in some antique poems and comedies relate to womens' breast, poetically, as "alcántaras", I believe, so it could mean "pecho" in some way.

"ca mucho ..." Maybe yours is perfect, and that's the first I thought. But if it's like "C'a mucho..." ("Que ha mucho...")then it would be "Que desde hace mucho tiempo tenía grandes preocupaciones".

Diestra and sinistra OK. They both come from latin, unlike "Izquierda", which comes from basque. Diestra from: dexter, dextra (derecha). Siniestra from sinister, sinistri (izquierda).

I believe I must have somewhere at home my latin-spanish dictionary, but I don't think I can find it easily. Anyway, I don't think it explains the evolution of words. Sorry I can't help with that.

BUT, in the Real Academia site , you are given a brief note on the word's origin, like the ones I posted above, which maybe could be enough.

I really can't add much to what was already said...but, if I remember correctly, "CA" means "porque".

Now this post is really wierd to me...years ago in a graduate course I was given the opportunity to write a paper on El Cid or to memorize 100 verses of the poem in its original form. I chose to memorize (it, truly, would have been easier to write the paper). Anyway, the wierdness...last night I dreamt that I was reciting verses of this very poem...the verses I memorized years ago.

Sheryl

P.S. "catando" actually means "mirando"...so, "observando" wouldn't be too far off (remember: one can look without observing).

"Ca" can also mean no, even nowadays, in remote rural areas, but this meaning doesn't correspond with the context (the phrase).

ca1.
(Del lat. quia).
1. conj. causal desus. porque.

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ca2.

1. interj. coloq. quia.

*****************************************

quia.
(De qué ha [de ser]).
1. interj. coloq. U. para denotar incredulidad o negación.

Thanks for the input guys. thats interesting Sheryl, this actually is a graduate course (im the one undergrad in it, and probably really shouldnt be in it haha ) i can't imagine memorzing that much of it! its interesting because in other classes (undergrad) we have read El Cid, this class has just added another dimension to it! A lot has happened to latin along its development to spanish and its hard to keep it all straight!

Well, Kelar...I'll tell you this...when I memorized the 100 verses, the purpose was to see how the juglar dealt with the "human" element (taverns, noise, people, etc.) that interrupted the recital. I will say that having minored in theatre and having an excellent memory, I believed, incorrectly, that the memorizing of the 100 verses, in the original medieval form, would be a snap...no way! It took almost an hour per verse.

How'd I do? Got an A...and still remember much of the verses.

By the way, El poema del mio Cid , being a classic, is one of those books you read as an undergraduate and a graduate...each reading and each level offers different perspectives.

Sheryl