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Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO] Art/Literary - Journalism / género: ensayo
Spanish term or phrase:utensilios, utensilios y herramientos
Los chimpancés son inteligentes, sensibles a la amistad y a los lazos familiares, propensos por igual a la alegria y al abatimiento, Aprenden con facilidad un número considerable de costumbres humanas - entre ellas el manejo de utensilios y herramientos - y establecen formas sofisticadas de communicación. (Antonio Muñez Molina, 1956- "Nuestros semejantes")
Explanation: The semantic range of "utensilio" in Spanish is wider than that of "utensil" in English. The latter is applied almost exclusively, in practice, to items of kitchen equipment, but "utensilio" can be applied to any object manipulated to perform a function: "objeto que sirve para cierto uso o que se emplea, manejado por las manos, para realizar cualquier trabajo u operación" (María Moliner, Diccionario de uso del español). You can have "utensilios de cocina", but also "de laboratorio, para pescar, para escribir, de pintor, de cirujano" (ibid.). You would not use "utensil" in English for items in this range of fields. The best word, I think, is "implements", which carries a similarly broad range of applications.
As for "herramientas" (note that "herramientos" is an error), "tools" is the word, as any dictionary will confirm.
Explanation: The semantic range of "utensilio" in Spanish is wider than that of "utensil" in English. The latter is applied almost exclusively, in practice, to items of kitchen equipment, but "utensilio" can be applied to any object manipulated to perform a function: "objeto que sirve para cierto uso o que se emplea, manejado por las manos, para realizar cualquier trabajo u operación" (María Moliner, Diccionario de uso del español). You can have "utensilios de cocina", but also "de laboratorio, para pescar, para escribir, de pintor, de cirujano" (ibid.). You would not use "utensil" in English for items in this range of fields. The best word, I think, is "implements", which carries a similarly broad range of applications.
As for "herramientas" (note that "herramientos" is an error), "tools" is the word, as any dictionary will confirm.
Charles Davis Local time: 09:03 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 24
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
