Day 111: Grandmas Without Grandchildren

Dialogue

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1. 1

   A 영숙아, 너희 큰아들네는 소식 없어? 결혼한 지 벌써 오 년 됐잖아.

   Yeongsuga, neohui keunadeulleneun sosik eopseo? Gyeolhonhan ji beolsseo o nyeon dwaetjana.

   Youngsook, any news from your eldest and his wife? It's already been five years since they got married.

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2. 2

   B 무소식이 희소식이라더니, 우리 집은 그냥 무소식이야. 둘이 강아지만 끼고 살아. 손주 얘기 꺼내면 며느리가 불편해할까 봐 말도 못 해.

   Musosigi huisosigiradeoni, uri jibeun geunyang musosigiya. Duri gangajiman kkigo sara. Sonju yaegi kkeonaemyeon myeoneuriga bulpyeonhaehalkka bwa maldo mot hae.

   They say no news is good news, but in our house no news is just no news. The two of them only dote on their dog. I can't even mention grandchildren in case my daughter-in-law feels uncomfortable.

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3. 3

   A 우리 딸도 똑같아. 결혼은 했는데 애는 안 낳겠대. 둘이 벌어도 대출 갚느라 정신이 없대.

   Uri ttaldo ttokgata. Gyeolhoneun haenneunde aeneun an naketdae. Duri beoreodo daechul gamneura jeongsini eopdae.

   My daughter's the same. She got married, but she says they won't have kids. Even with two incomes, they're swamped paying off their loan.

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4. 4

   B 허전하지. 나는 손주 업고 동네 한 바퀴 도는 게 소원이었는데.

   Heojeonhaji. Naneun sonju eopgo dongne han bakwi doneun ge sowonieonneunde.

   It feels so empty. My dream was to carry a grandchild on my back around the neighbourhood.

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5. 5

   A 그래도 요즘 세상에 억지로 낳으라고 할 수도 없잖아. 자식 일은 마음대로 안 되는 법이야.

   Geuraedo yojeum sesange eokjiro naeurago hal sudo eopjana. Jasik ireun maeumdaero an doeneun beobiya.

   Still, in this day and age you can't force them to have kids. Your children's lives never go the way you want.

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6. 6

   B 너는 어떻게 그렇게 쉽게 말해? 난 밤에 누우면 그 생각만 나.

   Neoneun eotteoke geureoke swipge malhae? Nan bame nuumyeon geu saenggangman na.

   How can you say that so easily? When I lie down at night, it's all I think about.

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7. 7

   A 쉬워서 그러는 게 아니라 포기한 거지. 우리 새댁 때랑 너무 다르잖아.

   Swiwoseo geureoneun ge anira pogihan geoji. Uri saedaek ttaerang neomu dareujana.

   It's not that it's easy; I've just given up. Things are so different from when we were young brides.

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8. 8

   B 하긴. 우리 땐 다들 대가족이었지. 나는 칠십 년대에 애 셋을 업고 걸리고 시장까지 다녔어.

   Hagin. Uri ttaen dadeul daegajogieotji. Naneun chilsip nyeondaee ae seseul eopgo geolligo sijangkkaji danyeosseo.

   True. Back then everyone had big families. In the seventies, I went to the market with one on my back and two by the hand.

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9. 9

   A 그땐 어린이집이 어딨어. 시어머니가 봐 주시면 몰라도, 육아는 다 혼자 했지.

   Geuttaen eorinijibi eodisseo. Sieomeoniga bwa jusimyeon mollado, yuganeun da honja haetji.

   Daycare? There was no such thing. Unless your mother-in-law helped out, you did all the child-raising on your own.

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10. 10

    B 맞아. 나라에서 "둘만 낳아 잘 기르자" 하던 시절이잖아. 이제는 저출산이라고 제발 좀 낳아 달라고 난리고.

    Maja. Naraeseo "dulman naa jal gireuja" hadeon sijeorijana. Ijeneun jeochulsanirago jebal jom naa dallago nalligo.

    Right. That was when the government was saying, "Have just two and raise them well." Now, with the low birth rate, they're begging people to have kids.

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11. 11

    A 세상 참 많이 변했어. 그러니까 애들 탓만 할 것도 없어. 집값이 저렇게 비싼데.

    Sesang cham mani byeonhaesseo. Geureonikka aedeul tanman hal geotdo eopseo. Jipgapsi jeoreoke bissande.

    The world's really changed. So we can't just blame the kids. Look how expensive houses are.

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12. 12

    B 그래도 옆 동 할머니가 손주 사진 보여 줄 때마다 부러워 죽겠어.

    Geuraedo yeop dong halmeoniga sonju sajin boyeo jul ttaemada bureowo jukgesseo.

    Still, every time the grandma in the next building shows me her grandkids' photos, I'm dying of envy.

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13. 13

    A 그럼 우리도 아기들 보러 가면 되지.

    Geureom urido agideul boreo gamyeon doeji.

    Then we can just go and see some little ones ourselves.

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14. 14

    B 무슨 아기들?

    Museun agideul?

    What little ones?

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15. 15

    A 복지관에서 어린이집 가서 책 읽어 줄 봉사자를 찾더라. 일주일에 두 번이래.

    Bokjigwaneseo eorinijip gaseo chaek ilgeo jul bongsajareul chatdeora. Iljuire du beonirae.

    The welfare centre is looking for volunteers to go and read books at a daycare. Twice a week, they said.

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16. 16

    B 우리가? 눈도 침침한데 책을 어떻게 읽어 줘.

    Uriga? Nundo chimchimhande chaegeul eotteoke ilgeo jwo.

    Us? How are we supposed to read to them with our eyes getting so dim?

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17. 17

    A 글씨 큰 그림책이야. 너 옛날에 애들한테 동화책 실감 나게 읽어 줬잖아. 호랑이 목소리까지 내면서.

    Geulssi keun geurimchaegiya. Neo yennare aedeulhante donghwachaek silgam nage ilgeo jwotjana. Horangi moksorikkaji naemyeonseo.

    They're picture books with big print. You used to read fairy tales to your kids so vividly. You even did the tiger's voice.

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18. 18

    B 그건 사십 년도 더 된 얘기지. 그 목소리가 아직 나오려나 모르겠네.

    Geugeon sasip nyeondo deo doen yaegiji. Geu moksoriga ajik naoryeona moreugenne.

    That was more than forty years ago. I don't know if I've still got that voice.

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19. 19

    A 몸이 다 기억하는 법이야. 손주 기다리다 목 빠지느니 남의 손주라도 먼저 안아 보자.

    Momi da gieokaneun beobiya. Sonju gidarida mok ppajineuni namui sonjurado meonjeo ana boja.

    Your body remembers these things. Rather than craning our necks waiting for grandchildren, let's cuddle other people's first.

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20. 20

    B 그래, 신청이나 해 보자. 어흥! ...어때, 호랑이 아직 안 죽었지?

    Geurae, sincheongina hae boja. Eoheung! ...Eottae, horangi ajik an jugeotji?

    All right, let's at least sign up. Roar! ...Well? The tiger's still alive and kicking, eh?

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