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Botella al mar...

English translation: Message in a bottle...

21:11 Apr 29, 2001
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary
Spanish term or phrase: Botella al mar...
I'm a fellow-translator looking for an existing translation into English of "Botella al mar para el dios de las palabras" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This is an 1997 essay.
I've had no luck yet. Your guidance will be greatly appreciated.
Gabriela Mellado
United States
Local time: 05:22
English translation:Message in a bottle...
Explanation:
I agree with previous respondants that this not-so-literal translation is much more meaningful in English. I looked at the website quoted in the first response, and I have to say that I found the English translation to be very poorly done. There are obvious errors, such as "señor cura" being translated as "gentleman cures" when "cura" is obviously referring to a priest in this case. Unfortunately, all of the websites that I found, even ones with English translations posted, had just as many errors. Maybe a book would have it?
Selected response from:

Jennifer Struna
Grading comment
Thank you for your personal help.
Gabriela Hussong
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
naBottle to the sea for the God of words
trans4u (X)
naMessage in a Bottle for the God of Words
Parrot
na"Bottle to the sea for the God of the words"
Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
namessage in a bottle for the God of words
Noss
naMessage in a bottle...
Jennifer Struna
naps
Jennifer Struna


  

Answers


17 mins
Bottle to the sea for the God of words


Explanation:
Botella al mar para el dios de las palabras Gabriel García Márquez. La Jornada,
México, 8 de abril de 1997 Exprese su opinión en nuestro foro sobre la nueva ...
www.analitica.com/bitblioteca/ggm/botella.asp - 17k - Cached - Similar pages

Bottle to the sea for the God of the words
Gabriel García Márquez

The Day Mexico, 8 of April of 1997
Express his opinion in our forum on the new spelling of the Real Spanish Academy

To my twelve years of age I was on the verge of being run over by a bicycle. A gentleman cures that he happened saved to me with a shout: Taken care of! The cyclist fell to earth. The gentleman cures, without stopping, said me: He already saw what is the power of the word? That day I knew it. Now we know, in addition, that the Mayans knew it from the times of Christ, and with as much rigor, that they had a special God for the words.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://w...

This is just one of 1,980 Google hits on this subject.
http://espanol.yahoo.com (when you get to the window that says Yahoo! en Español,Google-inicia-ayuda, click on google and enter your search.)

Saludos,

Bye

trans4u (X)
PRO pts in pair: 308

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Betina Frisone
Jon Zuber (X)
Davorka Grgic
samsi
chernandez
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs
Message in a Bottle for the God of Words


Explanation:
I'm saying this because "message in a bottle" is easier for an English speaker to associate with the idea of "Botella al mar".

Parrot
Spain
Local time: 14:22
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 7645

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Jon Zuber (X)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

16 hrs
"Bottle to the sea for the God of the words"


Explanation:
Sounds very "literal"? I found this page, take a look at it:

http://www.prosol-bo.org/Testi/Numero02/marquez01.htm


Hope it helps!

Saludos #:)


Gabriela Tenenbaum (X)
Uruguay
Local time: 09:22
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in pair: 113
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 11 hrs
message in a bottle for the God of words


Explanation:
I agree with a former answer that states that this is the best english translation.

Noss
Local time: 13:22
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 23 hrs
Message in a bottle...


Explanation:
I agree with previous respondants that this not-so-literal translation is much more meaningful in English. I looked at the website quoted in the first response, and I have to say that I found the English translation to be very poorly done. There are obvious errors, such as "señor cura" being translated as "gentleman cures" when "cura" is obviously referring to a priest in this case. Unfortunately, all of the websites that I found, even ones with English translations posted, had just as many errors. Maybe a book would have it?

Jennifer Struna
PRO pts in pair: 7
Grading comment
Thank you for your personal help.
Gabriela Hussong
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 23 hrs
ps


Explanation:
PS - if you don't speak Spanish and need a translation for your own reading, let me know - I particularly love to translate poetry and wouldn't mind translating such a short poem just for fun! It's a good one.

Jennifer Struna
PRO pts in pair: 7
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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