Sancho Tries to Outmalaprop Mrs. Malaprop

Throughout Quixote there are numerous proverbs and malaprops, which I'm sure present the translator(s) with various problems.
Anyway, it is Sancho Panza who seemingly attempts, anachronistically, to outmalaprop Mrs. Malaprop (though a character named Pedro Alonso also commits them). I present only a few examples here:


From Sancho:
     'Everything you've said so far,' said Sancho, 'I've understood very well, but all the same I'd like you to dissolve one doubt that's just found its way into my head.'
     'Resolve is what you mean to say, Sancho,' said Don Quixote. 'You are most welcome to ask, and I shall reply as best I can.'
     The young graduate was astonished to hear how Sancho Panza expressed himself, because even though he'd read the first volume of his master's history he'd never believed that Sancho was as funny as he's depicted there; but when he heard him talk about a will and codicil that couldn't be resinned instead of a will and codicil that couldn't be rescinded, he believed everything he'd read about him, and set him down as one of the greatest simpletons of modern times, . . .
'. . . She and her maids are all one blaze of flaming gold, all spindlefuls of pearls, they're all diamonds, all rubies, all brocade more than ten levels deep, with their hair flowing over their shoulders like sunbeams playing with the wind, and what's more each of them's riding her piebald poultry, a sight for sore eyes.'
     'I think you mean palfrey, Sancho.'
     'There isn't that much of a difference,' Sancho replied, 'between poultry and palfrey, but whatever they're riding they're as spruce and ladylike as you could ever wish, specially my lady Princess Dulcinea -- she fair takes your breath away, she does.'


From Pedro:
     'In particular, people said he knew all about the science of the stars, and what the sun and the moon do up there in the sky, because he used to tell us exactly when the clips were going to come.'
     'Eclipse is the word, my friend, not clips, for the obscuration of the two great luminaries,' said Don Quixote.
     But Pedro, not troubling himself with trifles, went on with his story:
     'And he also used to predict whether a year was going to be fruitful or hysterical.'
     'You mean sterile, my friend,' said Don Quixote.
     'Sterile or hysterical,' replied Pedro, 'it all boils down to the same thing. . . '


                         

Comments

POPULAR POSTS

Kafka and Rilke

TÜBINGEN, JANUARY by Paul Celan

Edinburgh: St. Cuthbert's: Thomas De Quincey's Grave

The Parlograph