Comments on: Manolito Gafotas

By: Ailsa

Ailsa — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:57:53 +0000

Hi! I’m studying translation also, I just wondered if Manolito tiene un secreto has yet been translated into English at all that anybody knows of?
Thanks very much
Ailsa

By: david carmona

david carmona — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:09:14 +0000

The first part is just a silly meaningless ditty that leads to the rhyming “colleja”. A “colleja” is a slap on the nape, normally after sneaking up from behind the victim. Depending on your relationship with that person, the purpose can range from a playful greeting to a friend, as a laugh, to an act of bullying if done repeatedly and mockingly.

By: George

George — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:45:54 +0000

any idea how to translate
“Taran tarateja… Taran tarateja … Colleja. Colleja. “

By: Aida

Aida — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:35:30 +0000

Hi to all fans of Manolito
Manolito is a great hero in his own world. He is nice and lovely but naughty child.
The writer’s stile and imagination is really great to make this attractive story with highly affective words out of usual life of a usual boy.
I love you Manolito

By: david carmona

david carmona — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:46:26 +0000

Well, the truth is that “sardinilla” cannot be translated into English, since it’s culturally unique. A translator would just put it in italics and explain it in a footnote.
The meaning of the term is explained in the text; it’s in brackets right after it appears. However, I don’t think you can quite picture it unless you’ve seen someone perform it before. You’re supposed to approach the “victim” from behind, raise your hand, and then drop it as fast as you can in a whip-like manner so that your knuckles brush very quickly down the victim’s bum. Oddly enough, you can do this to friends and foes alike, although the response you get from them will be very different, since the procedure is quite painful for the receiver. Oh, and bear in mind that performing “sardinillas” becomes quite unfashionable after the age of 12-14.