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Spanish to English translations [PRO] Agriculture / Mexican regionalisms (Chiapas)
Spanish term or phrase:pimienta de la tierra
Since we're talking about dried spices here and a region bordering on the Caribbean, I'm thinking cayenne pepper, as opposed to "pimentón", which my Colombian wife would use to mean bell pepper? The context is:
«Sabe si se secó o no la canela o la pimienta de la tierra . . . . .»
Explanation: "Pimienta de la tierra" (a Mexican term) is one of a number of names for the species Pimenta dioica, commonly known in Spanish as pimienta gorda, pimienta de Chiapa/Chiapas, pimienta de Jamaica or pimienta de Tabasco.
See the following academic study of this plant, "La pimienta de Jamaica [Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill, myrtaceae] en la Sierra Norte de Puebla (México)", by Manuel Juan Macía Barco of the Real Jardín Botánic, Madrid. The English title of his article is: "The allspice [Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill, Myrtaceae] in the Sierra Norte de Puebla (México)". The numerous Spanish names for the plant, including "pimienta de la tierra", are given in a table on p. 339. http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/27182/1/234.pdf
"La pimienta de Jamaica (...Pimenta dioica), llamada «allspice» en inglés por su rico aroma y poder de combinación con otras especias, que nos recuerda al del clavo de olor o giroflé y al de la canela." http://gastrosoler.com/pagina_nueva_100.htm
(This is a wonderful page for devotees of pepper.)
"Allspice (regional names: Pimienta gorda, Pimienta de Jamaica, Pimienta de la tierra, Xocoxochitl): Allspice berry comes from the Pimenta dioica tree" http://www.todaysdietitian.com/index.shtml
Allspice is the name of the dried spice (not the fresh pepper) so you need to ensure you make this clear in the translation.
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Answers
10 mins confidence:
pepper seeds
Explanation: Pimienta: semillas del pimentero, que son unas bolitas negras, que se emplean como condimento.
DLyons Ireland Local time: 18:59 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 24
Notes to answerer
Asker: I already used the phrase "chili peppers" for "chilitos fritos de Simojovel". This poet's prose is very precise. I could have been wrong the first time, and should have used a different translation. Could it be that he's talking about "dried" chilis in this instance?
Explanation: If it is a hot pepper (as opposed to "pimentón" which is a sweet flavor), I would go for chili pepper.
Maybe cayenne pepper is too specific though it also refers to a type of hot pepper
Virginia Koolhaas Uruguay Local time: 14:59 Native speaker of: Spanish
Explanation: Pimienta de la tierra is pepper made from red capsicum. it can be called 'red pepper' or 'cayenne'. From the context here it would probably be best to use 'cayenne peppers' if you have already used 'chili peppers' earlier on - although I agree with you that perhaps the chilitos fritos de Semijovel' should have been translated differently. see http://feistyfoodie.com/2008/12/31/frito-pie-or-chilitos/
Explanation: "Pimienta de la tierra" (a Mexican term) is one of a number of names for the species Pimenta dioica, commonly known in Spanish as pimienta gorda, pimienta de Chiapa/Chiapas, pimienta de Jamaica or pimienta de Tabasco.
See the following academic study of this plant, "La pimienta de Jamaica [Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill, myrtaceae] en la Sierra Norte de Puebla (México)", by Manuel Juan Macía Barco of the Real Jardín Botánic, Madrid. The English title of his article is: "The allspice [Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill, Myrtaceae] in the Sierra Norte de Puebla (México)". The numerous Spanish names for the plant, including "pimienta de la tierra", are given in a table on p. 339. http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/27182/1/234.pdf
"La pimienta de Jamaica (...Pimenta dioica), llamada «allspice» en inglés por su rico aroma y poder de combinación con otras especias, que nos recuerda al del clavo de olor o giroflé y al de la canela." http://gastrosoler.com/pagina_nueva_100.htm
(This is a wonderful page for devotees of pepper.)
"Allspice (regional names: Pimienta gorda, Pimienta de Jamaica, Pimienta de la tierra, Xocoxochitl): Allspice berry comes from the Pimenta dioica tree" http://www.todaysdietitian.com/index.shtml
Charles Davis Local time: 19:59 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 22
The translation workplace 
