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VFT
encadeamentos
Aug 18, 2014 13:28
9 yrs ago
português term

espame-se

português para inglês Outra Geral/conversas/saudações/cartas Court documents
The phrase above is taken from court documents, but the sentences used at this point are quite general in nature. The context is a court case at this point detailing the visits made by the father to his son. The mother has invited him to join the son's birthday party, but he refuses.

Here is the section:

"PENSOU QUE SERIA IMPORTANTE PARA O [child's name] TER O PAI E A MAE JUNTOS NO DIA DO SEU ANIVERSARIO.
ESPAME-SE!!!! O PAI RECUSOU!!!"

I'm not sure if this is a typo or just a verb I haven't come across before, as I can't seem to find it in Portuguese dictionaries. Does anyone know what this might be a typo for if it is?
Proposed translations (inglês)
5 +2 great surprise
4 +1 shattered/gobsmacked/stunned
5 I was quite taken aback
4 +1 You will never believe this! (You will be amazed,astonished)
4 Big surprise!

Discussion

Muriel Vasconcellos Aug 19, 2014:
@Nick Two strong votes for 'Can you imagine?' Perhaps you should post a new answer.
Donna Sandin Aug 19, 2014:
sarcasm, perhaps Depending on who's speaking, I think a rhetorical "Can you imagine?" is better than suggesting that the person was truly surprised. I detect sarcasm because in a divorce proceeding it's often hard to get the two parties in the same room, so if the mom is speaking, I would hear only sarcasm.
Muriel Vasconcellos Aug 18, 2014:
@Nick I vote for 'Can you imagine?'
Nick Taylor Aug 18, 2014:
CAN YOU IMAGINE? Rhetorical

Proposed translations

+2
5 minutos
Selected

great surprise

I think it is indeed a typo and it should read "espasme-se", in this case meaning "what a surprise", "guess what" to name a few suggestions :-)
Peer comment(s):
agree Claudio Mazotti : and for the child's great suprise, ...
19 minutos
agree Claudia Marques
42 minutos
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you, that's what I was looking for! The mother isn't surprised at all, so I went for what a surprise to convey the sarcasm intended. Thanks for your help!"
+1
38 minutos

shattered/gobsmacked/stunned

The translation depends on the feeling of the person 'speaking' and whether they felt personally 'insulted' where shattered would fit well or as an outsider who is simply showing amazement in all the wrong way where the latter two would be more appropriate
Peer comment(s):
agree Verginia Ophof
55 minutos
Something went wrong...
1 hora

I was quite taken aback

I was quite taken aback
Example sentence:

taken aback confused or surprised by something unexpected Company executives have been taken aback by the criticism. I asked him directly if he was looking for someone with my skills, and I think he was kind of taken aback.

Peer comment(s):
neutral Muriel Vasconcellos : This sounds way too formal to me, but I love your 'Can you imagine?'
9 horas
Thanks Muriel. Unfortunately I spontaneously used up my "go" :-(
Something went wrong...
+1
2 horas

You will never believe this! (You will be amazed,astonished)

The correct term would be "pasme-se".
Peer comment(s):
agree Mario Freitas :
2 horas
Obrigada, Mário!
Something went wrong...
11 horas

Big surprise!

I'm with Donna - she's being sarcastic.
Something went wrong...
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