kayT:
3) Quinta is how that kind of house is called here, it’s not a farm, but a piece of land of some extension (maybe some acres). It’s the first time that is mentioned in the book. In a later chapter, I gave some details about it. Then I have 2 options, writing “the country house” or leaving “the quinta” (or the Quinta, which is not a proper-name, but it becomes part of one when they mention “The Quinta Luz María”). Maybe I can write “the quinta” with a translator’s note explaining it.
Check the other comments, pls.
I like “Here we go again!”. She is tired that her aunt is always an issue in their lives. Her aunt is the fly in the soup. (Funny because I knew that expression, but I didn’t recall it. That’s one of the reasons why I can’t translate everything by myself)
Nava: thanks for the offer, believe me I don’t want to give a complete job without a payment, that’s why I’m making this, that it will last as long as everyone is happy with contributing. I’ll email you some bigger chunks of text that may be problematic to fix with only snippets.
Is the “quinta” a summer home, or otherwise a non-primary residence? In that case, “villa”, “chateau” or “estate” might work. But something like “cabin” might be best. It’s a generic word that is often used to describe a vacation home or rustic rural quarters as a destination, and doesn’t just apply to the Abe Lincoln one-room log home variety.
If it’s their primary residence then the phrasing still seems off. A rich kid who wants to use the house for a party or something will just call it a “house”. Even if it is a mansion. Wherever you live is usually just called a “house”. And if my parents were going out of town I’d ask Mom, “do you think Dad will let me use the house this weekend?” Though they might say “apartment” or “condo” if it wasn’t a stand-alone home. Nobody is going to call the place they live “mansion” or “country house” though.
I like this as an experiment, too, and I’m very glad that all of you are eager to help. I knew it because you are like me: you like to explain and give your opinions when you dominate the english language (in my case, I can contribute the same but from english to spanish.
First, I apologize to everyone because, you’re right, my snippets are stripped out of context. I’ll try to give more context in future snippets. (Is the word “snippet” towell used here??).
Well, the father-daughter dynamics are: the father loves the daughter very much, but he doesn’t care about her decisions on boyfriends or her sex life. She is twenty and an intelligent girl, so he trusts her. She has sex with her boyfriend, sometimes in their house and sometimes in the boyfriend’s home and the father allows it. You’re also right about "he’s not overly And the only “fly in the soup” (or in the ointment) is… ta daaaa…!
…The only “fly in the ___” is her aunt Ernestina, an almost eighty-yo puritan, almost schizophrenic and religious lady who sees the sin and lust in any situation. So I think “fly in the oinment” may be good.
Btw, the scene goes there: Wendy and her boyfriend Marcos are discussing the plans for using the house (the quinta) for a weekend, they and their friends. Now, her father lends her the house, boys are invited, food and drinks are bought.
“Are you sure your dad will lend us the house, Wendy?” He asked as he returned to the room and prepared his clothes.
“Of course, baby. He already said yes days ago, but I must remind him because I’m sure that not even the head is happening to him. Why are you so doubtful?
“I don’t know. Probably because I’m used to it. My dad was very weird in that. Many times he said yes to everything and at the last minute he changed his mind."
“No, don’t worry. If my dad said yes, he will fulfill.”
“Okay, so there’s only one fly in the ointment.”
Wendy looked up, annoyed. “Here we go again.”
“My Aunt Ernestina has nothing to do with this matter, Marcos. The Quinta Luz María is Dad’s property, and later it will be mine. She can not put her spoon into it.”
I’m only doubtful about “She can not put her spoon into it”. It means that the aunt has no business there, she doesn’t have authority to interfere in that matter. But she thinks she can, she’s a pain the ass.
A few of my attempts. I’ve strayed maybe a little more from the source in an attempt to make the language sound more colloquially American.
Her father did not exhibit the traditional paternal protectiveness towards his only daughter.
“Suffer” probably has the wrong connotation here, and “protectiveness” I think fits better than zeal. You could also go with “the traditionally zealous paternal protectiveness…”
But thank God they were not in some other country, where you could be put on trial for the slightest suggestion - a suggestion someone is always prepared to make - that it is in your child’s best interest to be raised by others, away from your affection and natural right of custody.
“Custody” is the word usually used to refer to the legal right to raise a child. This is tricky. I had lots of different rewrites of it. I can post a few others if you want a grab bag to choose from.
Are you sure your dad will let us use the villa/estate, Wendy?..
Villa and estate both generally mean a large country home. Estate probably indicates larger and more expensive, while villa could be a simpler (but still quite nice) place. Cabin, as someone suggested, is probably smaller, more remote and rustic, and less expensive.
I would say about the aunt “she cannot stick her nose into it” or something like that. Or even, “she has no say in it.”
I’m sure that not even the head is happening to him - that doesn’t make sense to me, I’m afraid.
And I- I would say someone is “weird like that,” not “weird in that.”
Quinta is a summer home, a non-primary residence. It’s a big house in the country, surrounded by acres of terrain. They are kind of wealthy, and in early 20th century the house was the primary residence for the family of the aunt, it was a big “Hacienda”(estate). When the whole family vanished, parts of the whole Hacienda were sold, only kept some acres and went to be property of Wendy’s father. But Aunt Ernestina (aunt of Wendy’s father) thinks she’s the Guardian of the purity of the Quinta Luz María (named after Ernestina’s mother).
So I agree they had to call it “the house”, but in later chapters, I have to address it as The Quinta Luz María", and explain the characteristics. It’s a though job for me. :eek:
Looking at the paragraph as a whole, here’s how I’d rewrite it to reflect the American young-adult level of casualness:
“Are you sure your dad’ll let us use the house, Wendy?” he asked as he returned to the room and prepared his clothes.*
“Of course, baby. He already said yes days ago, but he’s so scatterbrained that I’m sure that he’s forgotten. Why are you so doubtful?"
Marcos shrugged. “I’m used to it - my dad was weird like that. He’d say yes to something and then the next day he’d change his mind.”
“No, don’t worry. If my dad said yes, he’ll do it.”
“Okay, so there’s only one fly in the ointment.”
Wendy looked up, annoyed. “Here we go again. Aunt Ernestina has nothing to do with this matter, Marcos. The Quinta Luz María is Dad’s property, and someday it’ll be mine. It’s none of her business.”
“Weird in that” I meant that Marcos’ father was weird for that kind of things, not weird like that. But I’m think I’m missing something:
It’s like Wendy says “My father says yes but I have to remind him, why are you so worried?” He says “Because mine was very weird in things like that… he use to say yes and later he said no”. Got it?
Please remember that when I’m responding all your opinions, I’m also saying THANKS, a big THANKS.
More:
6) "If it were for her, she would put everyone in the waist.”
Again a Google’s literal translation. Marcos says it to Wendy. He refers to the aunt: if she could, she will rule and give orders and sermons to everyone.
7) “Grand niece” and "great aunt"
Are ok for that family relatives? The aunt is the sister of her grandmother.
(Funny because I knew that expression, but I didn’t recall it. That’s one of the reasons why I can’t translate everything by myself)