Short story originally in Portuguese published in 1967 in the Oheraldo

[Selma Cardoso e Carvalho]

Coming up to Christmas, enjoy a story by Epitacio Pais, originally written in Portuguese and translated into English by Paul Melo e Castro. It was first published in the Oheraldo in 1967, just after liberation. The interesting thing about this story is the mid-century milieu and Goan preoccupations which include conceiving out of wedlock.

https://www.joaoroqueliteraryjournal.com/fiction/2021/10/6/miracle-at-christmas

(as published in the Joao Roque Literary Journal Winter Issue 2021)

All best,

Selma

[Sajan]

Thanks for the short story, Selma. It's either very well written, or well translated, or both. The ornate sentences come rolling off the tongue and pen. Did they really write like that in the 1960s?

I found the story oddly anti-feminist, though, with poor Conceição finding fulfillment either in the arms of the despicable João, or while cradling a hitherto unwanted baby. I wonder why she didn't take a stab at living "without cumber and to the fullness of her own innate qualities." But then, it is a Christmas story, and the parallel with another mother making the best of an unexpected pregnancy is obvious. 

O Heraldo was evidently a much more literate journal back in the day. A friend shared a Herald  headline from today, "Pristine Curtorim still revering form shock of Moreno Rebello joining the BJP". I'm still revering from the shock myself, as the report throws grammar, punctuation and the lexicon to the winds, as it drives recklessly down "the narrow winifn roads of the constituerncy (sic)."

Sic transit.

Sajan

[Frederick Noronha]

So would it be a fair conclusion that some Goans (in their time) had a greater fluency and mastery over the Portuguese language than others have in English today? :-) 

Sorry for jumping to this anti-national conclusion so close to Goa@60, more so as we are often told that the Portuguese language had so little of an impact in Goa@451 and hardly 10 or 3 or 1% of the region were literate in that language and/or considered it their "mother tongue"? FN 

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[Selma Cardoso e Carvalho]

Dear Sajan,

I suspect that has a lot to do with Paul Melo who is an extraordinary translator and scholar of Goan literature in Portuguese. He doesn't know this yet, but I'm doing a review of Vimala Devi's book, which I've ordered and expecting any moment now :-) I'm also planning to meet another translator of Vimala Devi's work who'll be transiting through London sometime soon.

As for oHeraldo, perhaps an epitaph is in order? LOL. Sorry folks, inside joke between Sajan and me.

Take care,

selma

[Frederick Noronha]

On Tue, 14 Dec 2021 at 15:27, Sajan <venn...@gmail.com> wrote: 

O Heraldo was evidently a much more literate journal back in the day. A friend shared a Herald  headline from today, "Pristine Curtorim still revering form shock of Moreno Rebello joining the BJP". I'm still revering from the shock myself, as the report throws grammar, punctuation and the lexicon to the winds, as it drives recklessly down "the narrow winifn roads of the constituerncy (sic)."

But then, this is also like comparing one of stories with probably one of the worst headlines? FN

 

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