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  3. Poetry & Literature

La cueva no era una oscura gruta

English translation: Far from being a dingy cavern, ...

09:29 Nov 21, 2021
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Literature.
Spanish term or phrase: La cueva no era una oscura gruta
I would like to know the best translation from Latin American Spanish into American English. Translator colleagues from Spain, feel free to send me your suggestions as well. This is a translation about the story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves.

Is okay to translate it as The cave was not a dark cavern?

I hope that all of you are healthy and safe from The Covid19.

Here is the full paragraph for your review:

Y luego entró. ¡Menuda maravilla! La cueva no era una oscura gruta, sino que estaba muy iluminada por antorchas y lámparas de aceite. Se veían lujosas telas decorándola, y estaba repleta de sacos llenos de oro y piedras preciosas. E
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 15:48
English translation:Far from being a dingy cavern, ...
Explanation:
I would spin it around in this way.
Selected response from:

matt robinson
Spain
Local time: 21:48
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4Far from being a dingy cavern, ...
matt robinson
4The cave wasn't a dingy grotto.
Andrew Bramhall
4the cave wasn't a gloomy hollow
Barbara Cochran, MFA
4The cave was not shrouded in darkness
neilmac


  

Answers


42 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The cave wasn't a dingy grotto.


Explanation:
And then he went in - what a wonder! The cave was not a dingy grotto, but was brightly lit by torches and oil lamps. Luxurious decorative fabrics were in evidence everywhere, and it was filled with sacks full of gold and precious stones.


Andrew Bramhall
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 70
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Oliver.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: Cueva and gruta are basically the same thing, and I don't think you should reproduce this repetition in your translation.//It's like saying "my dog is a black canine" :-)
3 hrs
  -> Yes, but I used two different words;//if your dog is black Phil, then it is indeed a black canine.
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Far from being a dingy cavern, ...


Explanation:
I would spin it around in this way.

matt robinson
Spain
Local time: 21:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Mr. Robinson.

Asker: Thanks Matt.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marouchka Heijnen
1 hr
agree  philgoddard: Or gloomy.
3 hrs
agree  Simone Taylor
10 hrs
agree  Katarina Peters: Yes! Sometimes rephrasing is the best way
15 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
the cave wasn't a gloomy hollow


Explanation:
Another possibility.

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 15:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 103
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Miss Cochran.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Andrew Bramhall: Not really a valid option in my opinion;// not if the cave has a " back wall";
2 hrs
  -> Sure it is.
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The cave was not shrouded in darkness


Explanation:
"The cave was not shrouded in darkness, but [was] brightly lit by torches and oil lamps."

This option avoids having to repeat words like cave/cavern/grotto.

Example sentence(s):
  • Most of the time, the cave was shrouded in darkness or red glow.
  • ... but the farther end of the cave was shrouded in darkness...

    https://www.linguee.com/english-spanish/translation/shrouded+in+darkness.html
    https://www.wattpad.com/881949011-rel%C3%A1mpago-leo-valdez-xxv-wisdom-pays-an-olympian
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 21:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 155
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Mr. Neilmac.

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