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El Ahogado
El Ahogado
Por: Tristan Solarte
El Ahogado es una novela escrita en prosa que relata de forma extensa una historia de ficción sobre un asesinato ocurrido en Bocas del Toro, el pueblo natal del autor, el novelista panameño Guillermo Sánchez Borbón conocido mayormente por su seudónimo Tristán Solarte.
La narración de esta novela se realiza en tercera persona a través de uno de sus protagonistas, el Doctor Martínez, médico del pueblo en donde tiene lugar esta historia. En esta novela cada uno de sus personajes va siendo introducido progresivamente en la medida que el Doctor Martínez describe las entrevistas que realiza para esclarecer la muerte del poeta del pueblo, Rafael.
Versión Original
Translated version (English)
Primer párrafo, Parte 1, Capítulo 2:
Sobre una mesa de hierro yacía el cadáver de Rafael, cu- bierto de pies a cabeza por una sábana. El olor a formalina, la resonancia de templo, el silencio que oprimía los sonidos me devolvieron vívidamente horas que daría cualquier cosa por olvidar.
Primer párrafo, Parte 1, Capítulo 3:
Cuando, a las cuatro de la tarde, llegué a la iglesia abarro- tada, ya se habían iniciado los servicios. Abriéndome paso a punta de sonrisas, empujones y disculpas, logré situarme cerca del ataúd, al pie del cual el padre González, deshecho por la pena, oficiaba las honras. Llorando a lágrima viva, tembloroso, ni siquiera se esforzaba en disimular sus emociones.
First paragraph, Part 1, Chapter 2:
On an iron table lay Rafael's corpse, covered from head to toe by a sheet. The smell of formalin, the resonance of the temple, the silence that oppressed the sounds brought back to me vividly hours that I would give anything to forget.
First paragraph, Part 1, Chapter 3:
When, at four o'clock in the afternoon, I arrived at the crowded church, the services had already begun. Making my way through with smiles, pushing and shoving and apologies, I managed to get close to the coffin, at the foot of which priest Gonzalez, devastated by grief, was officiating the honors. Crying tears, trembling, he did not even make an effort to hide his emotions.
Translation in English done by myself.
Translation Techniques
Literal Translation: Many elements of the text are translated quite literally. For example, "Sobre una mesa de hierro yacía el cadáver de Rafael" is translated as "On an iron table lay Rafael's corpse," maintaining the word order and structure. This is an example of a literal translation technique.
Cultural and Idiomatic Adaptation: Some elements required cultural and idiomatic adaptation to make the text culturally relevant to English-speaking readers. For instance, "el olor a formalina" is translated as "the smell of formalin," a direct but culturally adapted choice. Similarly, "el silencio que oprimía los sonidos" is translated as "the silence that oppressed the sounds," which is an idiomatic adaptation that captures the intended meaning.
Versión Original
Translated version (English)
Ultimo párrafo, Parte 1, Capítulo 2:
Una muchacha vestida de verde, pequeña y delgada. No pude distinguirle las facciones. Entonces el poeta, bajando con- fidencialmente la voz, dijo una cosa rarísima. Dijo «me hubiera gustado que fuera mi madre» y, mientras yo lo miraba con los ojos muy abiertos, él bajó la cabeza, como avergonzado de sus palabras.
Hundí vigorosamente el bisturí en la carne muerta de Rafael.
Ultimo párrafo, Parte 1, Capítulo 3:
Otras personas, sin mayor interés para el caso, se agrupa- ban en torno del ataúd. Faltaban algunas. Faltaba Carmen, de- masiado quebrantada para hacer acto de presencia. Y la abuela de la víctima, a la que acababa de dejar en cama, después de aplicarle una inyección, la cuarta de ese día.
El cura terminó de mascullar sus oraciones y, luego de cerrar el libro de cubierta negra, se lo guardó en un bolsillo de la sotana.
Closing paragraph, Part 1, Chapter 2:
A girl dressed in green, small and thin. I could not make out her features. Then the poet, lowering his voice essentially, said the strangest thing. He said "I wish it had been my mother" and, while I looked at him with wide eyes, he lowered his head, as if ashamed of his words.
I vigorously plunged the scalpel into Rafael's dead flesh.
Closing paragraph, Part 1, Chapter 2:
Other people, of no great interest to the case, were grouped around the coffin. Some were missing. Carmen was missing, too broken to make her presence known. And the victim's grandmother, whom he had just left in bed, after giving her an injection, the fourth that day.
The priest finished mumbling his prayers and, after closing the black-covered book, put it in a pocket of his cassock.
Translation in English done by myself.
Translation Techniques
Literal Translation: Many elements of the text are translated quite literally. For example, "Una muchacha vestida de verde" is translated as "A girl dressed in green," maintaining the word order and structure. This is an example of a literal translation technique.
Cultural and Idiomatic Adaptation: Some elements required cultural and idiomatic adaptation to make the text culturally relevant to English-speaking readers. For instance, "Hundí vigorosamente el bisturí en la carne muerta de Rafael" is translated as "I vigorously plunged the scalpel into Rafael's dead flesh," which is a direct but culturally adapted choice.
Punctuation and Quotation Marks: The punctuation and quotation marks are used according to the rules of the English language.
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