miércoles, 25 de diciembre de 2013

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS


 

 
 
 
 
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

 
 
 

 
 
Estamos en pleno invierno - al menos en el hemisferio norte - y en muchos lugares del mundo hace bastante frío a pesar del calentamiento global..''Ehem..''
Por eso algunos tienen gripe y otros simple resfriados o constipados. Y con ellos vienen ataques de estorundos o tos. Uff sí es algo no muy agradable, ¿verdad? 
 
Well, we find ourselves in the middle of winter - in the Nothern Hemisphere - and in so many places around the world it's freezing, despite global warming... ''ahem''
That's why some of us get flu or a severe cold. Additionally we go through sneeze fits and or cough fits Ugh not very nice, is it?
 
 
 
Pero a veces cuando tenemos gripe o resfriados tenemos una excusa para no ser atosigados a agobiados o ''rallados'' --- Esta última es una expresión juvenil y típica en España. No creo que en Hispanoamérica signifique algo parecido....  Podemos ser atosigados por madre, esposas, novias, padres, esposos, novios, jefes.... Ahh! ¡Deja de agobiarme! 
 
Sometimes as we're ill with flu or a cold we have a good excuse not to get nagged. We can get nagged by moms, wives, girlfriends, dads, husbands, boyfriends, bosses... Ah! Stop nagging me! Get off (of) my back!!!
 
 
 
 
Y cuando te recuperas de la gripe o del resfriado, todo vuelve a la normalidad y el atosigamiento ¡tambien! Entonces en ciertas situaciones llega un momento en el que tienes que desahogarte y liberar la frustración
 
As you get recovered from flu or a severe cold everything gets back to normal and the nagging comes back too!! Then in certain situations at some point you need to vent you need to blow off some steam
 
 
 





martes, 24 de diciembre de 2013

LAYAWAY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtoSD-rvJxE

Es 24 de diciembre de 2013. Es Nochebuena. Buscando, echando un vistazo a la formidable ''videoteca'' Daily Dictation, encuentro una excelente historia que encaja perfectamente con lo que podríamos llamar ''espíritu navideño''. Es un gran episodio Daily Dictation en términos de pronunciación y cultura. Shane te explica con detalle de qué se trata (13:20). Toma nota del término: Layaway.


Yes it's Dec 24th thus it's Christmas Eve. Looking around through the amazing Daily Dictation ''video library'' I find this great story that fits perfectly what we call ''Christmas spirit''. It's a great DD episode in terms of pronunciation and culture. Shane breaks it down for you in his own fashion that we enjoy so much, don't we. Take note of this term: Layaway.