TRADUguide - Your Guide to Translators and Translation Agencies

72 months ago

Barbara Cochran (a guest user) asked this question:

This question has already been answered and rated. Therefore, no new answers can be given.

72 months ago

   wrote:

rings that had been stuck (or: that he had stuck) into the back wall

My comment:

"enterrar" has different meanings, according to whether it is Spanish for Spain (es-ES), or Spanish for Latin America (es-LatAm), so please specify in a comment...

Don't forget: always check your EXPLANATORY DICTIONARY of the source language FIRST, as translating dictionaries usually do not list all the meanings...

That's the only way to translate creatively, if need be... i.e. after fully understanding all the connotations and the basic meaning of the source word.

That's how we find out that "enterrar" is, in some of its meanings, a "false friend" of the English verb "to inter" (and of the French verb "enterrer").

My references:

https://es.thefreedictionary.com/enterrar

(confirmed by https://www.wordreference.com/definicion/enterrar)

Enterrar:

"4. Poner un cosa **debajo de** (??) otra de modo que quede ***escondida***

Ejemplos: el niño enterró sus zapatos entre un montón de juguetes; enterrar los pies en la arena. ***ocultar*** "

=> hide -> hidden in the wall (fixed in the wall but in a hidden way?...)

>>> "7. v. tr. y prnl. **Amér.** ***Clavar, hincar*** una cosa punzante, especialmente un arma."

=> nailed / hammered in(to);
thrust / ***driven into the wall***.
"Firmly fixed in the wall", also...

It could also be "rings that had been anchored in the back wall", but then how does he remove them that easily?...
See pic and subtitle below pic at: https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-rope-secured-to-metal-ring-image14009927

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HINCAR:

https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=hincar

A VT (=meter)
[+ objeto punzante] to ***thrust, drive (en: into***)

[+ pie] to set (firmly) (en: on )

hincó el bastón en el suelo:

***he stuck his stick in*** the ground,

***he thrust his stick into*** the ground

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CLAVAR:

https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=Clavar

"VT
1 (=hincar) [+ clavo] to hammer in

le clavó un cuchillo en el cuello :
he ***stuck a knife in*** his throat

me clavé un alfiler mientras cosía :
I ***stuck a needle in(to)*** my finger while I was sewing

le clavó las uñas en la cara :
she **dug her nails into** his face

clavar banderillas (Taur):
to **thrust banderillas into** the bull's neck"

===

=> it seems that "to stick into" translates both "clavar" and "hincar", it's neutral, there is no need to add any nuance, I believe. "rings that had (simply) been stuck into the back wall"... otherwise how can he remove them that easily?...

Or: "rings that HE had stuck into the back wall"? We don't have the full context, but you do.

Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

72 months ago

   wrote:

Barbara, It's a pity that we can't ask for more context before answering, e.g. the type of Spanish language used here (for Spain or Latin America?). I am realizing now that I could have sent you an email beforehand, that's true too... :-) Next time! ;-)

72 months ago

Charles Ferguson   wrote:

hitching rings that he had embedded firmly in the wall

My comment:

Obviously quite sturdy rings, such as one might tie a horse to and which would not come loose with any amount of human effort.

My references:

Roget's Thesaurus

Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

72 months ago

   wrote:

Charles, a) The type of ring is obviously not central in Barbara's question, it's obviously not wedding rings, of course... b) The question is how to translate "enterrar", but we still don't know if it's Spanish for Spain, in which case it would be synonymous with "esconder": "hide" (e.g. he hid the rings between the stones of the wall, so they would be easy to pull off), or Spanish for Latin America, in which case it would be synonymous with "clavar, hincar": among all the possible translations suggested at WordReference, "stick/stuck into (the back wall)" would probably fit best (over "hammered in, thrust into, etc"); 3) When you say "and which would not come loose with any amount of human effort", it is COMPLETELY CONTRADICTORY with the CONTEXT: "y se agarró a ellas": meaning: "and he GRABBED them"... He only needed to "grab / get hold of" them, see https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=agarrarse. Charles, if you don't use explanatory dictionaries (of the source and target languages), then translating dictionaries (then possibly translation alignment websites), your suggestions are MERE GUESSES... especially if you don't fully read and understand THE CONTEXT... which Barbara gave us ENTIRELY here, so... ;-)

The asker rated this answer best

72 months ago

Ffion Marianne Moyle   wrote:

{wedding} rings entrenched in the bottom wall

My comment:

at shoulder height & grabbed them