¿Pues qué os pudiera contar, señora, de los secretos ...

English translation: What things I could tell you, my lady, of the secrets

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:¿Pues qué os pudiera contar, señora, de los secretos ...
English translation:What things I could tell you, my lady, of the secrets
Entered by: Wendy Streitparth

15:30 May 29, 2012
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Religion / Life of religious women during colonial times in south america
Spanish term or phrase: ¿Pues qué os pudiera contar, señora, de los secretos ...
This phrase is a fragment from a letter written by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz to Sor Filotea de la Cruz. My question is on the word "señora". How would a nun at that time address another nun?
Cecilia Noriega
Local time: 11:13
What things I could tell you, my lady, of the secrets
Explanation:
An extract from Chaucer:

http://books.google.de/books?id=zDDjpi81RrQC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA4...

My lady, Prioresse, by your leve
So that I wiste,I sholde you not greve

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Note added at 15 hrs (2012-05-30 07:14:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, no comma after lady
Selected response from:

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 17:13
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1What I could tell you, sister, of the secrets...
Simon Bruni
4The things I could tell you, sister, of the secrets...
Emily Marcuccilli (X)
2What things I could tell you, my lady, of the secrets
Wendy Streitparth


Discussion entries: 9





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
What I could tell you, sister, of the secrets...


Explanation:
As far as I am aware nuns address each other as 'sister'

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Note added at 21 mins (2012-05-29 15:52:14 GMT)
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Definitely not 'lady'. Ma'am or Madam, I suppose. But I would be cautious about assuming the 'señora' is of a higher rank, the formality of 'señora' might simply be because they do not know each other well.

Simon Bruni
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32
Notes to answerer
Asker: In Spanish they also address each other as "hermana", but in this case, she says "señora", which tells us she is giving a higher rank to the nun she is addressing. Should it be "madam" or "lady"?

Asker: What about "my lady" as Wendy suggested? Considering the term was used around year 1680.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Hill: In response to critics of her writing, Juana wrote a letter, Respuesta a Sor Filotea (Reply to Sister Filotea), in which she defended women's right to education. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juana_Inés_de_la_Cruz
28 mins
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54 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The things I could tell you, sister, of the secrets...


Explanation:
Another suggestion perhaps.

Emily Marcuccilli (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
What things I could tell you, my lady, of the secrets


Explanation:
An extract from Chaucer:

http://books.google.de/books?id=zDDjpi81RrQC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA4...

My lady, Prioresse, by your leve
So that I wiste,I sholde you not greve

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 15 hrs (2012-05-30 07:14:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, no comma after lady

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 17:13
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Wendy, I'm seriously thinking about using "my lady".

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