I am Colombian, and therefore I tend to comprehend and welcome warmly other Colombians. However, I've hard a very hard time sympathizing Silvana Paternostro and her memoir. From the little pages i've read I realized I find the text rather incomplete and inaccurate. Written from distant and cold point of view from it's reality, written in a foreign language, I find the story interesting but hard to agree with.
I am fluent in both English and Spanish, and more than a benefit, sometimes I find it a burden. In occasions, when writing in English I feel the urge of continuing in Spanish, because I think in Spanish. But, I feel more confident writing in English. I believe this is so because at school I've had much more practice writing in formal english than in Spanish, consequently confusing my mind. This might be my case, and that of many others too, but really my point is to relate this is problem to Silvana Paternostro's memoir My Colombian War. I feel I understand what Paternostro explains not only because I am Colombian and my native language is Spanish, but also because it talks about the history and customs of my country. By this I mean that I don't think many gringos, (Slang term Colombians use to call Americans) will understand the terms "cachacos" "costeños" or "paisas" (Pg.10). Or in that case, even know how to pronounce them correctly. Paternostro never explains how they differ, or that they are the demonyms for the different regions of Colombia. Foreigners don't know that a "costeño" is from the coast, or that a "paisa" is from the department of Antioquia. Nevertheless, typical terms such as "finca"(Pg. 14) aren't easily comprehended either. It is truly difficult to understand what is going on if you're not in some sort of way connected to Colombia. I mean, its' like translating LOL, in Spanish. People will never really get its true definition.
On the other hand, there are that some terms cannot be translated, such as a guerrilla Paternostro referred to as "Sureshot" (Pg. 13). I mean, that is not his name. "Sureshot" doesn't exist. No one knows him by that name; his is known as Tirofijo or Manuel Marulanda Vélez. Another thing that made me rather frustrated was when she narrated about "How the rebels fight the paras and how the paras fight the rebels." (Pg 14) Paternostro had never explained who "the paras" were, or that that's really their nickname. Unknowledgeable readers won't know who they are, or that they are really called "Paramilitares" (which in English would be Paramilitary) I feel Paternostro unconsciously writes her memoir directed to a Colombian audience rather than a worldwide one. When she talks about Colombian culture it is as if the reader knew the information already, when that might not be the case.
The book as a whole from what i've read up to now is very interesting, however it is written in the incorrect language and towards the incorrect audience. These are the greatest flaws in Paternostro's memoir. Moreover, like I said above, I believe this memoir should have been written in Spanish rather than in English, as the crash between languages and culture wouldn't have occurred.
On the other hand, there are that some terms cannot be translated, such as a guerrilla Paternostro referred to as "Sureshot" (Pg. 13). I mean, that is not his name. "Sureshot" doesn't exist. No one knows him by that name; his is known as Tirofijo or Manuel Marulanda Vélez. Another thing that made me rather frustrated was when she narrated about "How the rebels fight the paras and how the paras fight the rebels." (Pg 14) Paternostro had never explained who "the paras" were, or that that's really their nickname. Unknowledgeable readers won't know who they are, or that they are really called "Paramilitares" (which in English would be Paramilitary) I feel Paternostro unconsciously writes her memoir directed to a Colombian audience rather than a worldwide one. When she talks about Colombian culture it is as if the reader knew the information already, when that might not be the case.
The book as a whole from what i've read up to now is very interesting, however it is written in the incorrect language and towards the incorrect audience. These are the greatest flaws in Paternostro's memoir. Moreover, like I said above, I believe this memoir should have been written in Spanish rather than in English, as the crash between languages and culture wouldn't have occurred.
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