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  3. Poetry & Literature

la grieta se vio ante los ojos del leñador,

English translation: the crack caught the woodsman's eyes/attention

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase: la grieta se vio ante los ojos del leñador,
English translation:the crack caught the woodsman's eyes/attention
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

07:40 Dec 13, 2021
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Literature.
Spanish term or phrase: la grieta se vio ante los ojos del leñador,
I would like to know the best translation of this phrase 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 crack was seen before his eyes? or the crack was seen before the eyes?

Here is the full paragraph for your review:

Dijo impaciente, una y otra vez hasta que la grieta se vio ante los ojos del leñador, que tenía el cesto de la leña en la mano y se imaginaba ya tocando el oro del interior con sus manos.

Una vez dentro, Alí Babá tanteó como pudo el interior de la cueva, pues a medida que se adentraba en el orificio, la luz del exterior disminuía y avanzar suponía un gran esfuerzo......
yugoslavia
United States
Local time: 06:19
the crack caught the woodsman's eyes/attention
Explanation:
A couple of non-literal interpretations.
Selected response from:

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 06:19
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3the crack caught the woodsman's eyes/attention
Barbara Cochran, MFA
4 +2the (a) crack (finally) opened up in front of the woodcutter
Cecilia Gowar


Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
the crack caught the woodsman's eyes/attention


Explanation:
A couple of non-literal interpretations.

Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 06:19
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)
agree  Andrew Bramhall
45 mins
  -> Thanks, Andrew.
agree  Simone Taylor
58 mins
  -> Thank you, Simone.
agree  Sergio Kot: You may as well take care of the entire project for this "anonymous" asker, Barbara...
58 mins
  -> OK, but thanks, anyway, Sergio.
agree  Marian Vieyra: Agree with suggestion and also agree with Sergio Kot!
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Marian.
neutral  Cecilia Gowar: I do not think that is the meaning, although the original Sp is badly written
4 hrs
  -> Agree with your second comment.
disagree  Toni Castano: The source is faulty. Sorry, but this makes no sense.
9 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
the (a) crack (finally) opened up in front of the woodcutter


Explanation:
Está pésimamente escrito en el original
No tiene sentido usar ¨se¨ en esta construcción, ni como pronombre ni como reflexivo. Tampoco se trata de una oración impersonal. Copio debajo el enlace de la RAE sobre ¨se¨.
Lo que quieren indicar es que la grieta se abrió ante los ojos del leñador, luego de varios intentos.
No lo puede haber sorprendido, dado que intentaba provocarlo.
Tampoco debería hablarse de ´la grieta¨cuando es la primera vez que se menciona en el texto.
En realidad, sería más lógico decir:
¨A crack finally opened up in front of the woodcutter/the woodcutter`s eyes¨...

https://www.rae.es/dpd/se


Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 227
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Cecilia. I have just got your message. I was also thinking the same when I was reading the Spanish text. I'm sorry about the delay in responding. I lost my internet connection for around 30 hours.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Toni Castano: Yes, madam, I can only agree. See my post above in the discussion box.
4 hrs
  -> Thanks Toni! I've just read it!
agree  Andrew Bramhall
6 hrs
  -> Thanks Andrew!
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