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serocluster
May 15, 2015 21:16
9 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term

once you’re over the hill you begin to pick up speed

English to Spanish Art/Literary Idioms / Maxims / Sayings famous quote
This is in a list of famous quotes for a school grant newsletter. None of them has anything to do with any of the others, and I don't find any particular motif running through them, unless maybe trying to have a positive attitude.

“Just remember, once you’re over the hill you begin to pick up speed.” Charles Schulz

The idea of "over the hill" is: la cima de la colina es la mitad de la vida. Una vez que alguien ha llegado a ese punto en su vida, ya todo se va para abajo.

I don't know if such an idea exists in Spanish. How can I convey this in Spanish? Have fun!

My attempt: Recuerda, una vez que estés pasadito/avanzado, comienzas a accelerar. Does this make sense? Or maybe add a word or so?
Proposed translations (Spanish)
4 cuando llegas a la cima empiezas a volar
4 +4 una vez llegado hasta la cima, es todo cuesta abajo
3 +2 De los cuarenta para arriba, no te mojes la barriga
3 Una vez que llegas a la cima de la cuchilla/colina, las cosas te e empiezan a rodar

Discussion

JohnMcDove May 23, 2015:
Yes, Molly, the discussions are enriching. We always learn from the exchange of ideas. "Todo cuesta abajo"… everything is going downhill is translated as "todo va a marchar sobre ruedas" or "todo va ser coser y cantar" by Oxford…
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/translate/english-spanish/...
"Todo cuesta abajo", specially in a sports context, (like cycling), it has an obvious positive connotation, because it is effortless. That's why Charles wrote "nicely double-edged", it can be understood with a negative connotation or a positive one. I double checked the negative connotation of "cuesta abajo", and yes, it has a negative connotation, in its idiomatic usage, but in the literal sense, it's positive. That is exactly what happens with the English original. Both senses are there, and that's what makes it funny and colorful… Like my mother used to say, when you learn something new: "Los cien primeros años son los peores…" Take care!
MollyRose (asker) May 22, 2015:
cuesta abajo Thanks, John, for your time and concern. I did a Google search, and all the sites that used that term had it in a negative connotation. Whenever I hear about going downhill in regard to age, the first thought/feeling that pops up is negative. If I want to see it in a positive way, I have to fight those thoughts and feelings. And as I said earlier, there's already a cliché in English about going downhill and the author didn´t use that; he varied it. But I'm glad that we have these discussions so people can see different options for their context. It's great!
JohnMcDove May 21, 2015:
Hi, Molly! I've been busy interpreting at a little congress this last week, and lost track of this question… To be honest, and with all due respect, I was a bit disappointed with your choosing here. But sure enough, you have the context and probably can judge better. However, the key here is what Charles mentions in his "agree" to Robin… and I quote him: "Nicely double-edged, just like the original; cuesta abajo: plain sailing or decline". That is what makes the English kind of funny, colorful and rich. Being myself a Spanish native speaker, "la velocidad se te aumenta" sounds to me very literal and flat. (speed increases for you…?) :-(? At any rate, it would be remiss of me not let you know my disagreement on this. Not to make anyone wrong, but for the future benefit of other translators using the site… Best wishes. :-)
MollyRose (asker) May 18, 2015:
Thanks, everyone There's already an expression in English about once you're over the hill, it's all downhill from here. This quote doesn't say anything about downhill, so I didn't choose that suggestion. I got some ideas from some colleagues, and I chose this one: Recuerda, una vez que llegas a la cima, la velocidad se te aumenta.

Proposed translations

10 mins
Selected

cuando llegas a la cima empiezas a volar

"Pick up speed" aumentas la velocidad. "Una vez que llegas a la cima (entonces solo queda) empiezas a volar". ¿Qué hay cuando tienes éxito y llegas a la cima? Vuelas. Todo se te hace posible. Desde luego es una frase positiva. No usar "bajar" aquí no hace sentido.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Whether taken in a positive or negative way, I think "volar" works, because it indicates speed. But see discussion for what I used in the translation."
11 mins

Una vez que llegas a la cima de la cuchilla/colina, las cosas te e empiezan a rodar

Y recuerda: cuando llegas a la cima de la cuchilla/colina, las cosas te empiezan a rodar [más fácil.].
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+4
1 hr

una vez llegado hasta la cima, es todo cuesta abajo

Ha! Just this morning I was writing to someone saying, about myself, that "I'm over the top - it's all down-hill from here ..."
where the suspensive "..." implies "to the grave".

I grant you, it's not terribly 'positive' - but then I'm a realist :)
Peer comment(s):
agree JohnMcDove : Fully agree with the concept, and the "todo cuesta abajo" sounds good to me too. Maybe the first part could go "una vez que has superado la cima", or some variation. But that's the idea. :-) (I give some other options too...)
49 mins
agree Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
2 hrs
agree Andy Watkinson : Nails, heads, etc....
3 hrs
disagree Juan Arturo Blackmore Zerón : No se trata de que suene bien, se trata de que se entienda. Es una frase para motivar, entonces ¿tienes lo peor adelante? Además reflexionen en el significado de "pick up speed", aumentar la velocidad.
3 hrs
agree Charles Davis : Nicely double-edged, just like the original; cuesta abajo: plain sailing or decline
8 hrs
agree Noni Gilbert Riley : Yes; the original doesn't make it entirely clear that it is not good news, although I suspect the slant. Made me chuckle.
9 hrs
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+2
1 hr

De los cuarenta para arriba, no te mojes la barriga

Even if you may consider it an "unduly" free translation, I'd think this old Spanish saying captures the essence of the concept, keeping the festive tone.

http://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/refranero/ficha.aspx?Par=5846...

Here you have good variations in Spanish and English, some of them as funny as the one you note, but could be a source of inspiration.

http://www.tomisimo.org/idioms/en/over-the-hill-921.html

Another idea would be,
"Cuando se te ha pasado el arroz... ya es hora de comerselo"

"A la vejez, viruelas".

Aunque este no se usa mucho en la actualidad, mi madre lo mencionaba muy a menudo...

http://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/refranero/ficha.aspx?Par=5808...

Buena suerte...

Todo lo que sube... baja...

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-05-15 22:55:55 GMT)
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Oxford:
to be over the hill [colloquial]
estar para el arrastre or (River Plate area) para el deje [colloquial]

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/translate/english-spanish/...

Algunas invenciones, basadas en lo que aporta Oxford,

Cuando ya estés para el arrastre... no puedes ser ya un pillastre.

Cuando estés para el arrastre... deshazte de todo lastre.

Cuando uno está para el arrastre... ¿Quién necesita ya un sastre?

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-05-15 22:57:47 GMT)
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Si ya has superado tu máxima altura, todo va cuesta abajo… hasta la sepultura.

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Note added at 1 hr (2015-05-15 23:15:11 GMT)
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Incluso el conocido:

"Nunca es tarde, si la dicha es buena..." tal vez podría funcionar aquí.

http://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/refranero/ficha.aspx?Par=5924...
Peer comment(s):
agree Danik 2014 : Me encantó!
2 hrs
Muchas gracias, Danik! :-) Me alegro!
agree Ana María Valdenebro : This is a Spanish quote. I think this non-literary translation is a very good one.
14 hrs
Muchas gracias, Ana María. :-) (He estado interpretando en un congreso esta semana y no había seguido esta pregunta...) (Supongo que querías decir "non-literal"… ;-)
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