Grammar Lesson 11: Topic-Comment Patterns, Special Needs Privileges

• asset title: Grammar Lesson 11: Topic-Comment Patterns, Special Needs Privileges
• filename: tafalado_gra_11.mp3
• track number: 37/46
• time: 12:01
• size: 8.46 MB
• bitrate: 96 kbps

Just look at that barriga! Clearly the polite thing to do, at least in Brazil, would be to have a special line at banks, post offices, and supermarkets for those that have 'special' needs. However, the other day, in this condition, with that barriga, Michelle had to wait in line at the U.S. post office just like one of the 'regular' people. Grammatically, Orlando seems to love topic-comment patterns almost too much. Is it possible that grammar is really that interesting?

Dialog

Portuguese
Michelle: Você acredita que eu fiquei quase duas horas na fila do correio ontem? Lá no Brasil, as grávidas, elas têm preferência.
Valdo: Mas aqui os idosos, as grávidas e as mulheres com crianças de colo, eles não têm prioridade nenhuma.
Michelle: Pois é, ainda bem que no Brasil isso é lei. Meu pai, por exemplo, ele sempre pega a fila dos idosos no banco.
Valdo: Por falar nisso, no Brasil um amigo meu, ele sempre leva a mãe idosa pro banco só pra não pegar fila.
Michelle: Eh, no Brasil as pessoas, às vezes, elas usam e abusam desse direito.
Valdo: Mas por outro lado, os cidadãos americanos, eles não têm essas facilidades.

Spanish
Michelle: ¿Tú crees que tenía que esperar casi dos horas en la fila del correo ayer? En el Brasil, las mujeres embarazadas tienen preferencia.
Valdo: Pero aquí los mayores, las embarazadas y las mujeres que tienen niños pequeños no tienen ninguna prioridad.
Michelle: Así es, lo bueno es que en el Brasil eso existe por ley. Mi papá, por ejemplo, siempre entra en la fila de los mayores de edad que hay en el banco.
Valdo: Hablando de eso, en el Brazil un amigo mío siempre lleva a su mamá al banco para no tener que esperar en la fila.
Michelle: Sí, en el Brazil, hay personas, a veces, que usan y abusan de ese derecho.
Valdo: Pero por otro lado, los ciudadanos americanos no tienen estas facilidades.

English
Michelle: Can you believe that I had to wait nearly two hours in the line at the post office yesterday? In Brazil pregnant women are given preferred treatment.
Valdo: But here the elderly, pregnant women, and women with small children don't seem to have any priority.
Michelle: Right, it's a good thing that in Brazil this is the law. My father, for example, always gets in the elderly line at that bank.
Valdo: Speaking of which, I have a friend in Brazil who always takes his elderly mother to the bank with him so that he won't have to wait in line.
Michelle: Yea, in Brazil sometimes there are people who use and abuse this right.
Valdo: But on the other hand, Americans don't have these options.