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21:12 Feb 14, 2004
Spanish to English translations [Non-PRO] Slang
Spanish term or phrase:orale carnal
A friend asked me to transcribe a short fragment of the film "Blood In Blood Out". The characters are Hispanic prisoners in America and I'm pretty sure one of them says "orale carnal" at one point. I have found out the meaning of "carnal" in prison slang:
Carnal: Homeboy. Street Language. (Sp.) http://dictionary.prisonwall.org/
Carnal - Hispanic prison/street gang member; a brother http://www.gangsorus.com/lettersa.html
But I still don't understand the meaning of the phrase. Can someone please explain? Here's the dialogue:
Miklo: OK, Popeye. There’ll be a blank space next to your name in my book. I’ll keep it up here, in my memory.
Popeye: Orale carnal. I’ll be tiding good when you get out. Whatever you want, just ask.
Explanation: "orale" is a very hard word to translate, and it depends on the context it is said, it can be translated as "OK" but also can be something as "let's go", or "hurry up" or "wait and you'll see", as I said before, it all depends.
"Carnal" means "Bro", as it has already been mentioned,it has the meaning of a brother, and also a friend who is very close, like a brother. "Hermano Carnal" is a brother who comes from the same mother and father as opposed to an adopted child who becomes your brother, therefore, the meaning, even when used to address a friend, is the one of a person who is really, very close to you.
I wish we had more context to let you know what the person means when saying that phrase
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2004-02-15 15:58:17 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I have tried to find a closer menaning for \"órale\", an American friend of mine who learned Spanish in Mexico defined it as: \"you never know the exact meaning of \"orale\" until you get to use it\". In this context, I agree it can be just \"OK\" but, is there a more \"slangy\" way to say OK?
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2004-02-15 15:59:09 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I woul add it is a \"strong OK\" , very much from the heart, if you know what I mean
Miklo agrees to erase Popeye's debt (in return for Popeye's vote which will get Miklo into the council of an organisation called La Onda) and Popeye is extremely grateful to him; so I think, Maria, that you are right and he wants to express his friendship.
xxxLia Fail Spain Local time: 13:07 Native speaker of: English
32 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +4
ok, bro
Explanation: "orale" is a very hard word to translate, and it depends on the context it is said, it can be translated as "OK" but also can be something as "let's go", or "hurry up" or "wait and you'll see", as I said before, it all depends.
"Carnal" means "Bro", as it has already been mentioned,it has the meaning of a brother, and also a friend who is very close, like a brother. "Hermano Carnal" is a brother who comes from the same mother and father as opposed to an adopted child who becomes your brother, therefore, the meaning, even when used to address a friend, is the one of a person who is really, very close to you.
I wish we had more context to let you know what the person means when saying that phrase
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2004-02-15 15:58:17 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I have tried to find a closer menaning for \"órale\", an American friend of mine who learned Spanish in Mexico defined it as: \"you never know the exact meaning of \"orale\" until you get to use it\". In this context, I agree it can be just \"OK\" but, is there a more \"slangy\" way to say OK?
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 2004-02-15 15:59:09 (GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I woul add it is a \"strong OK\" , very much from the heart, if you know what I mean
Maria Lemus Local time: 06:07 Native speaker of: Spanish
Grading comment
Thank you, your explanations and suggestions have been very helpful.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
