Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
volverse harina
English translation:
was smashed
Added to glossary by
Lisa McCarthy
Apr 4, 2014 11:18
10 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
volverse harina
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Hi, here is the section where this phrase is found:
"Cayó como un crucificado, la diestra con la botella de ron apuntando al firmamento, la siniestra dirigida al suelo para frenar el golpe. La botella se salvó, pero la muñeca izquierda se le volvió harina. Le pareció oír el 'crac' y se quedó esperando el dolor."
For a bit of context, the protagonist had been drinking and singing on a table before this happened. The language is quite informal throughout.
Any suggestions?
"Cayó como un crucificado, la diestra con la botella de ron apuntando al firmamento, la siniestra dirigida al suelo para frenar el golpe. La botella se salvó, pero la muñeca izquierda se le volvió harina. Le pareció oír el 'crac' y se quedó esperando el dolor."
For a bit of context, the protagonist had been drinking and singing on a table before this happened. The language is quite informal throughout.
Any suggestions?
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Apr 10, 2014 07:21: Lisa McCarthy Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+3
12 mins
Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
Especialista de marketing
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Catalan to English
Related KudoZ points
:
104
Selected
was smashed
Another option:
Knitting Through It: Inspiring Stories for Times of Trouble
books.google.com/books?isbn=1610600584
Lela Nargi - 2008 - Crafts & Hobbies
Twenty-four hours and one marathon surgery later, I was ensconced in my bed with a makeshift cast. My wrist was smashed into forty pieces, and my elbow was ...
Miseries of the Moose - SI.com
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/.../index.htm
Sports Illustrated Media Franchise
Last July, his left wrist was smashed when he collided with the base runner while reaching for a throw from third base. The injury put him out for the season.
100 Things Hoosiers Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die
books.google.com/books?isbn=1623680247
Stan Sutton - 2012 - SPORTS & RECREATION
His left wrist was smashed, and bones adjoining his thumb were fractured. Philpott called for someone to apply pressure to Recker's neck because the chance of ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 minutos (2014-04-04 11:32:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or .. HIS WRIST CRUMBLED (UNDERNEATH/BENEATH HIM/UNDER HIS WEIGHT) ' - which I think I prefer actually
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 minutos (2014-04-04 11:57:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Another idea:
SPLINTERED INTO PIECES
For One Last Breath, a sanctuary fanfic | FanFiction
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7470959/.../For-One-Last-Bre...
FanFiction.Net
Oct 16, 2011 - In a simple movement he jerked her hand around and the bone in her wrist splintered with audible noise and she felt her entire body go weak, ...
A faint crackling noise filled the air as his wrist splintered, but Cammie ignored the sound. Instead, she turned to Zach, and with flashing eyes she uttered two ..
Knitting Through It: Inspiring Stories for Times of Trouble
books.google.com/books?isbn=1610600584
Lela Nargi - 2008 - Crafts & Hobbies
Twenty-four hours and one marathon surgery later, I was ensconced in my bed with a makeshift cast. My wrist was smashed into forty pieces, and my elbow was ...
Miseries of the Moose - SI.com
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/.../index.htm
Sports Illustrated Media Franchise
Last July, his left wrist was smashed when he collided with the base runner while reaching for a throw from third base. The injury put him out for the season.
100 Things Hoosiers Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die
books.google.com/books?isbn=1623680247
Stan Sutton - 2012 - SPORTS & RECREATION
His left wrist was smashed, and bones adjoining his thumb were fractured. Philpott called for someone to apply pressure to Recker's neck because the chance of ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 minutos (2014-04-04 11:32:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or .. HIS WRIST CRUMBLED (UNDERNEATH/BENEATH HIM/UNDER HIS WEIGHT) ' - which I think I prefer actually
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 minutos (2014-04-04 11:57:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Another idea:
SPLINTERED INTO PIECES
For One Last Breath, a sanctuary fanfic | FanFiction
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7470959/.../For-One-Last-Bre...
FanFiction.Net
Oct 16, 2011 - In a simple movement he jerked her hand around and the bone in her wrist splintered with audible noise and she felt her entire body go weak, ...
A faint crackling noise filled the air as his wrist splintered, but Cammie ignored the sound. Instead, she turned to Zach, and with flashing eyes she uttered two ..
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I went for smashed on its own, but this was the answer I chose so thank you! "
8 mins
to be shattered
"Was shattered" for "se le volvió harina", in your context. I think "se volvió harina" means it was broken into tiny pieces: a rather dramatic way of saying that he broke his wrist, hence the "crac".
"harina
hacer ~ algo.
1. loc. verb. Hacerlo añicos."
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=harina
"harina
hacer ~ algo.
1. loc. verb. Hacerlo añicos."
http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=harina
+1
10 mins
James Peel
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Your language needs understood
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English
turned to dust beneath his weight
Basically it means that his wrist gave way beneath him - "becoming flour". You can be as creative as you like - this is just my offering!
43 mins
Paul García
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
calidad y rapidez / quality and speed
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
12
give way
Haven't heard this phrase for a while, though it was common enough... It means to fail to sustain stress, was used idiomatically...
55 mins
+2
1 hr
Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
poetically precise prose with... panache
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
315
Spanish term (edited):
se le volvió harina
was pulverised
clearly an exaggeration, but no more so than "… harina". And there is a metaphorical connection between pulverised (turned to powder/dust) and flour
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sp-EnTranslator
8 hrs
|
|
thanks Claudia!
|
|
| agree |
Collin Stewart
: Yeah I really like the metaphorical connection between pulverised and polvo/harina.
3 days 7 hrs
|
|
thanks Collin :)
|
1 hr
ruined/crushed
Here are a couple more suggestions for you.
ru·in (ro̅o̅′ĭn)
n.
1. Total destruction or disintegration, either physical, moral, social, or economic.
2. A cause of total destruction.
ru·in (ro̅o̅′ĭn)
n.
1. Total destruction or disintegration, either physical, moral, social, or economic.
2. A cause of total destruction.
2 hrs
Rebecca Hendry
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
MSc MITI MCIL Chartered Linguist
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
28
crumbled
Lots of good suggestions, here's another one to add to the list. It's not what I'd usually use for a bone breaking, but it seems to fit with the flour imagery of the original.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2014-04-04 13:38:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oops just saw Lisa has actually already suggested this in her note above. Sorry!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2014-04-04 13:38:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oops just saw Lisa has actually already suggested this in her note above. Sorry!
3 days 9 hrs
bent away dangerously
Here's another option.
Think about how it feels when you break your wrist, or if you're so drunk that you can't actually control your extremities any more. This is literature, so your translation will vary depending on the style you've decided upon, but some of these answers are too straight-forward.
"Bending away" transmits the expressive meaning of the word (becoming flour) much more than other answers, and yes, "giving way" is another alternative. I'll assume that we should play with the English language and have some fun with the text. Let us know what you settle for!
I've broken my wrist myself, and you have to hold it up afterwards!
Think about how it feels when you break your wrist, or if you're so drunk that you can't actually control your extremities any more. This is literature, so your translation will vary depending on the style you've decided upon, but some of these answers are too straight-forward.
"Bending away" transmits the expressive meaning of the word (becoming flour) much more than other answers, and yes, "giving way" is another alternative. I'll assume that we should play with the English language and have some fun with the text. Let us know what you settle for!
I've broken my wrist myself, and you have to hold it up afterwards!
Something went wrong...