Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

breath of life

Spanish translation:

soplo de vida (Argentina, España, Chile, Uruguay); aliento de vida (Argentina, España); hálito de vida (España) [Proz]

Added to glossary by Michael Powers (PhD)
Dec 11, 2005 12:55
18 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term

breath of life

English to Spanish Social Sciences Idioms / Maxims / Sayings eat (have) someone for breakfast
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 through 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.

Something that someone needs of depends on.

Example:

Wounded warriors often find a breath of life through the paralympics, thus ending or mitigating depression that is quite prevalent after such accidents.

Proposed translations

+13
2 mins
Selected

un soplo de vida

very close to literal but widely used in Argentina
Peer comment(s):

agree Clare Macnamara : That's what I would have said too (Spain).
1 min
gracias!
agree Eugenio Llorente : Si, muy bien Chelin.
23 mins
Gracias!
agree Graciela Guzman
42 mins
gracias!
agree Juan Hernández
57 mins
gracias!
agree Miguel Martin : diste en el clavo
1 hr
gracias!
agree dawn45 (X) : y en España. Un saludo.
1 hr
gracias!
agree Victoria Gil Talavera : Sí, en España también
2 hrs
gracias!
agree Pilar T. Bayle (X)
4 hrs
gracias!
agree Ramon Inglada
5 hrs
gracias!
agree Carmen Riadi
6 hrs
gracias!
agree Fernando Muela Sopeña
17 hrs
gracias!
agree Ángela María Gómez
19 hrs
gracias!
agree Walter Landesman
1 day 7 hrs
gracias!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "muchísimas gracias Mike :)"
+3
3 mins

aliento (de vida)

another option
Peer comment(s):

agree Juan Hernández
55 mins
gracias!
agree dawn45 (X) : y en España, sí: soplo / aliento de vida :-)
1 hr
gracias!
agree Pilar T. Bayle (X)
4 hrs
gracias!
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

hálito / resuello de vida (España)

Muy usual "hálito de vida".
Poco usual "resuello de vida".

hálito.
(Del lat. halĭtus).
1. m. aliento.

resuello.

1. m. Aliento o respiración, especialmente la violenta.

Un cordial saludo.


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Note added at 2 hrs 23 mins (2005-12-11 15:19:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

. de vaciedad, pero ese aire no es otra cosa que el **hálito de vida**, ...
very air is nothing other than the **breath of life**, returned to God when man dies. ...
mula.forodigital.es/abe/ABE325.html
---------------------------------------
Nunca podré agradecer suficientemente a Dios y a esta Iglesia por ese **resuello de vida** y por aquel exiguo pero inspirador espacio de libertad y participación ...
www.pdc-cuba.org/dago_cente.htm
Something went wrong...
9 hrs

una última esperanza

En este contexto parece ser que la persona encuentra una esperanza en este tipo de evento, que los puede hacer sentirse útiles y triunfadores, etc... Pero en otro contexto pensaría que es un último aliento o algo así.
Something went wrong...
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