| English term or phrase: mountain to climb | I have decided to compile a somewhat thorough English-Spanish glossary, a long-standing goal I have had for many years but never actually done. In approximately 10% of the cases, I am recurring to you, my colleagues on Proz, to ask you to help me get appropriate translations into Spanish of a number of idioms.
I want to assure everyone that ALL TRANSLATIONS WILL BE SHARED on the open forum we have in Proz. The way I guarantee this is by choosing “one answer” to which I incorporate many of the other answers, and then I click to save the question and answer on the open Proz forum.
Selection criteria: 1) extensive usage throughout the Spanish-speaking world. I am counting on your help, and since usually colleagues simply agree without adding where they know the translated term to be used, I am not able to specify this in the answers. This is not a commercial enterprise, but rather an informal exercise for the benefit of all of us. 2) Many times there are really creative idioms that are used which, although not used necessarily throughout the Spanish-speaking world, would be readily understood by all. I am particularly happy to include these in the open forum so that we can all enjoy them in our use, whether literally, or perhaps with an adaptation to the degree that each translator deems appropriate for that particular target population.
Please, when you agree with an answer, mention the countries in which you know such idiom to be used, if not already mentioned by another colleague. Since this project is so time-consuming and endless, and since, like you, I have such a heavy load of translations and interpreting jobs to do and cannot spend umpteen million hours on it, I must count on your help. And although simply listing countries because another translator says so is in no way scientific, at least it is an interesting start.
Finally, I know context is everything. Quite often I will give the meaning(s) in which I am interested, and I will attempt to include a sample. Some sources, such as the Random House Dictionary, already have an example, so there is no need for me to do this, since time is of essence.
Thank you for your help.
definition: (figurative) a very difficult task
Please don't give the literal translation or a translation of the definition, i.e., una situación (tarea) muy difícil, o algo por el estilo.
Las únicas respuestas buenas serán modismos - se reconoce la creatividad.
Ejemplo:
Despite pledge, city has mountain to climb
September 16, 2005
BY LYNN SWEET SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST Advertisement
President Bush pledged a sweeping package of federal assistance to rebuild New Orleans, twinning his signature "compassionate conservatism'' with emphasis on moving the Crescent City's underclass into the "ownership society'' his administration has long been promoting.
"We will stay as long as it takes, to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives'' Bush said Thursday night, speaking from the French Quarter.
This is Bush's fourth visit to the Gulf region in two weeks and his prime-time address comes as the administration is under fire for a botched federal response to Hurricane Katrina and Bush's approval ratings are at an all-time low. Four years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush for the second time this week said Americans had a right to expect better, as he tried to look ahead.
Bush said, "There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again.'' But residents of New Orleans may find that they can't exactly go home again |
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| un hueso duro de roer (México) | Explanation:
Hola Mike,
Una expresión coloquial que usamos mucho en México cuando algo que se nos presenta es difícil de lograr.
Buena suerte y saludos del Oso ¶:^)
ser alguien o algo un hueso difícil (o duro) de roer. loc. Ser una persona o tarea o empresa difícil.
(Diccionario Breve de Mexicanismos)
academia.org.mx
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Note added at 2005-12-15 05:21:57 (GMT)
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Otra expresión mexicana que me gusta mucho es ***¡échate ese trompo a la uña!*** que se usa más en plan de interjección o exclamación para denotar que algo es sumamente difícil de lograr. El trompo es un juguete de madera al que se le hace girar con una cuerda. Ya de por sí es difícil hacer \"bailar\" al trompo, es decir, hacer que gire, ¡ahora, imáginate lograr lo mismo sobre una uña! De ahí el origen de nuestra expresión. ¶:^) |
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