At 03:30 PM 10/05/97 -0600, Alan Hynds wrote:
 
>I am translating book on women in Mexico. In a paragraph explaining Aztec
>women's ogligations, the author uses the word "deb=EDa," which is the past
>tense of the verb "deber," or "must."
 
I actually think, at the risk of making a mistake, that this is the
*subjunctive* tense of deber and not the past tense. And, in that case, you
have a slightly tricky translating job because we don't use the subjunctive
much in English anymore--certainly not a tenth as much as does Spanish.
 
 
Regarding the sentence you gave, the possibilities depend upon the meaning
(i.e., one sentence isn't quite enough). In any case, it would be something
like:
 
Because (rather than "since" -- the sense here is of cause and effect and
not of time) women were an integral part of a group that had not taken the
concept of individualism to its extremes [...] their behavior would have
reflected their respect for tradition. (The author goes on to say, "Indeed
this is so, as demonstrated by such and such.) I think this is why the
original author used deber.
 
Or, if the author means that one might have expected their behavior to
reflect respect for tradition but, in fact, it did not or there is doubt,
you might try "... their behavior should have reflected their respect for
tradition." (The author goes on to say, "But evidence points to the contrary.")
 
But if there is no doubt, I don't see why you can't just translate it as
"their behavior reflected their respect for tradition."
 
I do have to admit, though, that  that I don't really understand the phrase
"were an integral part of a group that had not taken the concept of
individualism to its extremes."
 
Finally, I'd opine (and I'm sure someone will correct me), that "to must"
isn't strictly a verb in English the way it is in Italian and Spanish, the
two other languages I know. Deber (and dovere, in Italian), on the other
hand, translate as "to should," "to ought," "to be supposed to," and "to
owe," among other colloquial meanings.
 
Happy trails.
 
W.
 
 
==================================================
"This is not the way I am, but they don't want me
the way I am. So I put my handkerchief on and I am
the best mammy that they've ever seen, and when I
come home I take that handkerchief off." -- Hattie McDaniel
==================================================
              Visit My Home Page
http://www.unm.edu/~wendellr/WENDELLR.HTM