Spanish speakers - need help again

Kathie Freeman · May 19, 2008

In the English version of my book there is this exchange between a teenage boy and an older man:

Boy: "Hey, how come they call you 'Red', anyway? You don't have red hair. Did you dye it or something?" The tall man smiled.

"No, lad. There has been no modification of my hair's pigmentation. Red is merely the diminutive form of Redmond, the name given me at birth by my sainted mother. It is of Teutonic origin, and means 'advisor and protector'."

Can this be effectively rendered into Spanish (I can always change a character's name) or would it be better to just leave it out?

Puma · May 19, 2008

Are you translating the entire book to Spanish or are you just asking about putting this section into Spanish in an English book? Puma

hammerklavier · May 19, 2008

"Why do they call you Pelon? You don't have any hair!"

Sorry

I know that wasn't helpful.

DamaNegra · May 19, 2008

Kathie Freeman said:
In the English version of my book there is this exchange between a teenage boy and an older man:

Boy: "Hey, how come they call you 'Red', anyway? You don't have red hair. Did you dye it or something?" The tall man smiled.

"No, lad. There has been no modification of my hair's pigmentation. Red is merely the diminutive form of Redmond, the name given me at birth by my sainted mother. It is of Teutonic origin, and means 'advisor and protector'."

Can this be effectively rendered into Spanish (I can always change a character's name) or would it be better to just leave it out?

Um, sure.

Niño: "Oye, ¿por qué te llaman "Rojo"? No tienes pelo rojo. ¿Te lo pintaste, o algo?" El hombre alto sonrió.

"No, niño. No ha habido ninguna modificación en la pigmentaciónn de mi cabello. Rojo es sólo el diminutivo de Redmond, el nombre que me dio mi santa madre al nacer. Es de origen Teutón y significa 'concejero y protector'".

Kathie Freeman · May 20, 2008

DamaNegra said:
Um, sure.

Niño: "Oye, ¿por qué te llaman "Rojo"? No tienes pelo rojo. ¿Te lo pintaste, o algo?" El hombre alto sonrió.

"No, niño. No ha habido ninguna modificación en la pigmentaciónn de mi cabello. Rojo es sólo el diminutivo de Redmond, el nombre que me dio mi santa madre al nacer. Es de origen Teutón y significa 'concejero y protector'".

That would be the literal translation, but the problem is "Rojo" is not really the diminutive of "Redmond". I want it to make sense in Spanish.

I am translating the entire book into Spanish, and ideally would like for it to read as if it were written from scratch, not a half-baked translation like the version of Don Quijote I read as a teenager. Incidentally, I am currently reading it in the original Spanish, not an easy task for a gringa like me.

Tsu Dho Nimh · May 20, 2008

I hope it's not an important character, because you may have to change his name to get the flavor of the exchange.

Call him Güero (Blondy, or at least paler than one's friends) because when he was a child he couldn't pronounce GUILLERMO. Would that work?

IceCreamEmpress · May 20, 2008

Some thoughts:

Chino: Lucchino
Calvo: Calvin
Gordo: Gordon

ACEnders · May 21, 2008

If you go into Google, there's a language thingy:

http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=EN

If you type in anything in any language, it'll translate it into whatever language you want. I've used this for Spanish myself.

Kathie Freeman · May 21, 2008

Tsu Dho Nimh said:
I hope it's not an important character, because you may have to change his name to get the flavor of the exchange.

Call him Güero (Blondy, or at least paler than one's friends) because when he was a child he couldn't pronounce GUILLERMO. Would that work?

I don't mind changing the character's name, at this stage I can change just about anything. This suits the situation perfectly, because according to my baby name book, Guillermo (William) means "determined guardian - exactly what I want. Fantastic! Thanks.

Kathie Freeman · May 21, 2008

ACEnders said:
If you go into Google, there's a language thingy:

http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=EN

If you type in anything in any language, it'll translate it into whatever language you want. I've used this for Spanish myself.

A good tool, and a good starting point, but anything you put through it still needs a lot of fixing. It can't tell the difference between "felt" the fabric and "felt the fabric", it frequently gives me adjectives when I need preterites, and literally translates phrases such as "lit up" and "left behind" Izquierda detrás? I don't think so.

DamaNegra · May 22, 2008

ACEnders said:
If you go into Google, there's a language thingy:

http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=EN

If you type in anything in any language, it'll translate it into whatever language you want. I've used this for Spanish myself.

This one's a big no no. The translations usually don't make any sense. It's great if you want to translate ONE word, but it usually messes up entire sentences.

DamaNegra · May 22, 2008

Kathie Freeman said:
That would be the literal translation, but the problem is "Rojo" is not really the diminutive of "Redmond". I want it to make sense in Spanish.

I am translating the entire book into Spanish, and ideally would like for it to read as if it were written from scratch, not a half-baked translation like the version of Don Quijote I read as a teenager. Incidentally, I am currently reading it in the original Spanish, not an easy task for a gringa like me.

You could make Rojo a diminutive of Rogelio, although it doesn't have such a glorious meaning.

Kathie Freeman · May 23, 2008

DamaNegra said:
You could make Rojo a diminutive of Rogelio, although it doesn't have such a glorious meaning.

I kind of thought that might be possible, but since the gist of this conversation revolves around the older man trying to take the boy under his wing and the boy resisting his efforts, Guillermo is really perfect. I originally wrote the chacter with blonde hair, but since he is just being introduced here it was easier to change his hair color and name than re-write the whole scene. I have also made the forms of address different - the man uses the familiar to try and gain his trust, the boy uses the formal to maintain his distance. Is that okay?

Kathie Freeman · May 23, 2008

DamaNegra said:
This one's a big no no. The translations usually don't make any sense. It's great if you want to translate ONE word, but it usually messes up entire sentences.

Do you know of one that works better? It takes me about an hour per page to fix a google translation, but trying to translate from scratch would be a whole lot worse.

Tsu Dho Nimh · May 23, 2008

"I have also made the forms of address different - the man uses the familiar to try and gain his trust, the boy uses the formal to maintain his distance. Is that okay?"

Adults habitually use 'tu" with children, even ones they don't know. Children habitually use formal with adults, even ones they do know.

Kathie Freeman · May 25, 2008

While we're on the subject, is it David y Goliat o Davíd y Golíat?

Spanish speakers - need help again

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady

Puma

Retired and loving it!

hammerklavier

It was a dark and stormy night

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady

Tsu Dho Nimh

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

ACEnders

Self-Banned

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady

Tsu Dho Nimh

Kathie Freeman

That Crazy Cat Lady