Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
al compás de la espera
English translation:
watching and waiting
Added to glossary by
Edward Tully
Jul 11, 2011 18:57
12 yrs ago
5 viewers *
Spanish term
Argentina
al compás de la espera
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Literary
Hi!
I´m a translating a literary text, and it appears the following phrase "la vida al compás de la espera".
How do you say it in English?
I´m a translating a literary text, and it appears the following phrase "la vida al compás de la espera".
How do you say it in English?
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Jul 16, 2011 11:22: Edward Tully Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+3
51 mins
Edward Tully
Native in English
Because your words matter
Native in: English (Variants: US, UK) 
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
152
Selected
watching and waiting
for news, opportunities, developments etc.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Simon Bruni
: perhaps "as they sit watching and waiting"
10 mins
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great idea, many thanks Simon! ;-)
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| agree |
Lindsay Spratt
42 mins
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thank you Lindsay! ;-)
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| agree |
Pablo Julián Davis
: I like your idea very much, Edward (and adapted it, see my separate suggestion). I suppose you could say I stole it, but we could also say I borrowed (literary), quoted (jazz), or maybe hippest of all, sampled it (hip-hop). Seriously - very nice idea.
8 hrs
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lol! many thanks Pablo! ;-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks!"
22 mins
with patience
Sounds like they live their lives in a sort of limbo - detained, waiting for the men. But "ser hombre de espera" is someone who has patience, has the wisdom to wait. These women have probably learned how to wait patiently, since they must wait. They´ve gained wisdom through experience.
22 mins
to a cadence of waiting
(or hoping!)
Cf Silvio Rodríguez "al compás de la muerte"
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Note added at 25 mins (2011-07-11 19:23:01 GMT)
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You can see from the two very different answers from NinaEF and I that much more context is really necessary!
Cf Silvio Rodríguez "al compás de la muerte"
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Note added at 25 mins (2011-07-11 19:23:01 GMT)
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You can see from the two very different answers from NinaEF and I that much more context is really necessary!
+2
1 hr
[in which many women] weave their lives away in waiting
Or just waiting, without 'in'.
I like the image of lives being woven. I'd keep it that way.
Good luck,
Álvaro :O)
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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-07-11 21:11:00 GMT)
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Instead of looking for a single phrase, you may want to consider variations on a theme here:
The rhythm of time (spent) in waiting
The rhythm of waiting women (or women who wait)
etc., i.e. adapting it to the subtlety of each specific ocurrence in the text.
I like the image of lives being woven. I'd keep it that way.
Good luck,
Álvaro :O)
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Note added at 2 hrs (2011-07-11 21:11:00 GMT)
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Instead of looking for a single phrase, you may want to consider variations on a theme here:
The rhythm of time (spent) in waiting
The rhythm of waiting women (or women who wait)
etc., i.e. adapting it to the subtlety of each specific ocurrence in the text.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Christine Walsh
: Like your having maintained the metaphor
37 mins
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How kind! Thanks Christine. :O)
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| agree |
Thayenga
: Yes, without "in". Very poetic. :)
8 hrs
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Thanks Thayenga. :O)
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| neutral |
Aisha Prigan (X)
: Overall, I like this suggestion, but I'd eliminate "away". It makes it sound like the women are wasting their lives, and I'm not sure if the original phrase conveys this idea.
11 hrs
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Excellent point Aisha. Context is essential, but 'away' might indeed convey a sense of helplessness that should probably be avoided. As per my note, I also agree with the idea of using different expressions while trying to stick to a 'theme'. :O) :O)
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8 hrs
Pablo Julián Davis
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
La palabra justa/The right word
Native in: Spanish 
, English
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, Portuguese to Spanish, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
to a rhythm of watching and waiting
Fernanda, wow, this is a tough one, with an obviously poetic/lyrical source. But of course, en nuestro gremio, son éstas tan difíciles las más interesantes, ¿no? Anyway, this one has been 'carburando' in my head ever since I read the query, I was coming up with nothing. Suddenly, an idea - thought this might be a slightly different way to go, picking up on Edward's very nice addition of 'watching'... my idea is to use the word 'rhythm' and then, the phrase 'watching and waiting' itself has alliteration and a certain rhythm of its own. In fact I think these are trochees, ritmo trocáico... No sé si es demasiado 'sonsonete' or singsong, but anyway it's an idea. ¡Suerte, Fernanda!
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Note added at 8 hrs (2011-07-12 03:52:30 GMT)
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Bueno, lo de ritmo trocáico no cierra del todo... but close...!
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Note added at 8 hrs (2011-07-12 03:52:30 GMT)
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Bueno, lo de ritmo trocáico no cierra del todo... but close...!
Example sentence:
Living a rhythm of watching and waiting. (OR) Living to a rhythm of watching and waiting.
They live to a rhythm of watching and waiting...
14 hrs
Marian Vieyra
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
WorldWideWords
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, Portuguese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
47
spin out their lives, waiting patiently
Maybe?
1 day 1 hr
Sam Cogdell
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
ATA-certified, humanities and healthcare
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English to Spanish
while their lives away, (in) waiting
Just another possibility.
Discussion
"Retomaré desde varias dimensiones, algunas paradojas halladas que dan cuenta de la tensión entre tradición y cambio al compás de espera de las mujeres"
It´s about men's emigration to other countries to look for a job. It is a literary text.