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Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

mirando su obra en señal de luto

English translation:

a sense of mourning ensued as both of them surveyed their handiwork

Added to glossary by Barbara Cochran, MFA
Sep 8, 2014 14:14
9 yrs ago
Spanish term

mirando su obra en señal de luto

Spanish to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters In A Novel
Contexto:

Tras cubrir la tumba e igualar los montones de tierra por la superficie, ambos se quedaron mirando su obra en señal de luto.

- ¡Dejémosla descansar en paz!

- ¿Es que no vas a guarder un luto?

¡No! ¡Bastante tengo ya en qué pensar!

¡Era tu esposa! ¿No vas a llorar su muerte?

Two lovers have just buried the wife of one of them in a shallow grave.

Gracias,

Barbara
Proposed translations (English)
4 +2 a sense of mourning ensued as they surveyed their work
4 +3 looking upon their work as a gesture of mourning
4 +1 regarded their work in a sign of mourning
4 they both stood looking at their respective gestures of mourning.
3 they both looked at their handiwork with a mourning stance
Change log

Sep 15, 2014 11:14: Barbara Cochran, MFA Created KOG entry

Proposed translations

+2
2 hrs
Spanish term (edited): ambos se quedaron mirando su obra en señal de luto
Selected

a sense of mourning ensued as they surveyed their work

This would be my take on it. You could say "efforts" either for "work".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2014-09-08 16:58:09 GMT)
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You're welcome. And I agree, "handiwork" works very well here.
Note from asker:
I think the first part of your translation is much more on the mark than the rest of those offered, but I had actually used the word "handiwork" as part of my original translation of the phrase, so I'm going to go along with that. Thank You
Peer comment(s):
agree neilmac : I like this version best so far...
22 mins
Cheers Neil
agree Robert Forstag : I agree with Neil. ("Afterward, they mournfully surveyed their handiwork," might be another option.
58 mins
Thanks Robert
Something went wrong...
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
7 mins

regarded their work in a sign of mourning

I think this should work here. Hope it helps.
Peer comment(s):
agree Carol Gullidge : "In a sign of" doesn't work in English, but you could get away with "in a SHOW of mourning", which would also suggest insincerity - which the context may (or may not) be implying. We would need more context in order to be certain if this is in fact valid.
1 hr
Thanks Carol!
Something went wrong...
+3
9 mins

looking upon their work as a gesture of mourning

I think this is pretty straight forward, especially given the fact that one of those involved in the conversation that follows seems to think that having buried his wife is sufficient mourning.
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher
20 mins
Thank you, Gallagy!
agree Jessica F. Rhodes
34 mins
Thank you, Jessica!
agree Estela Quintero-Weldon
2 days 10 hrs
Something went wrong...
15 mins

they both stood looking at their respective gestures of mourning.

It says in the previous part of the sentence what they have done, perhaps you don't need to use the word 'work' for this part. Just another way of putting it.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : Carol has a point so changing to neutral though I presume they're standing, probably leaning on their spades :-) ...
14 mins
Thanks!// Best to be sure, so understand the change!
neutral Carol Gullidge : we don't know for certain that they ARE standing (they could be kneeling or squatting), and where does "respective" come from? This was one joint effort.// I see. So they were each contemplating the pile of earth they had personally smoothed over. // :O))
35 mins
Thanks for your comment Carol. Respective was because there is more than one 'montón' on a single grave. However, you are right, it doesn't specify if they are standing.// Yes, the husband his pile and the lover the other one...odd for sure!// ;)
Something went wrong...
7 mins

they both looked at their handiwork with a mourning stance

I deliberately chose "stance" since we don't know how genuine is the grief the either one of them feels.

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Note added at 1 hr (2014-09-08 15:55:44 GMT)
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Performance, Iconography, Reception : Studies in Honour of ...

books.google.com/books?isbn=019155250X

Martin Revermann, ‎Peter Wilson - 2008 - ‎Literary Criticism
... is most concretely and amply exemplified in the scene of Euadne's death (980–1112), which seems to serve as a foil to the mourning stance of the mothers.
______________________________________________________________

Dream World - Page 461 - Google Books Result

books.google.com/books?isbn=1456823515

Belinda Weston Gulley - 2011 - ‎Juvenile Fiction
He lowered his head but not in defeat, it was almost in a mourning stance as if he remembered the other generations that have lost their lives to these people ...
_______________________________________________________________

Printable Version - List Entry

list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle_print.aspx?...

English Heritage


... breaking forwards and continued upwards as an elaborate pedestal to the Crucifix, which is flanked by statues of a sailor and a soldier in mourning stance.
__________________________________________________________________

Pensiveness in French, translation, English-French Dictionary

glosbe.com › English-French Dictionary


Translate this page
The relief shows the goddess Athena in a pensive or mourning stance. Le relief illustre la déesse Athéna dans une pose illustrant la réflexion ou le deuil. Giga-
____________________________________________________________________
Chapter 26: Ministry of Peace and Harbinger of Destruction ...

www.fimfiction.net/.../chapter-26-ministry-of-peace-and-har...

I looked at Linger whom had blood gushing out of his shin sprawling everywhere gagging in pain, I arose from my mourning stance and walked to Linger as I ...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Carol Gullidge : sorry but "with a mourning stance" isn't idiomatic in English. / Forgot to say, I do like "handiwork"!// you cd get away with "IN" but you can't look at anything with a stance. And your last ref is truly ghastly writing :(( Whom had blood gushing?
38 mins
Thanks, Carol. Would you kindly explain what isn't idiomatic about "with a mourning stance." Is it the use of "with" or the whole thing? I was intrigued, so I looked up a few references. Please see them above.//Yes, that last one is really awful! : )
neutral Yvonne Gallagher : I agree with Carol. A total of 2 ghits for "with a mourning stance" (including yours!) and 72 ghits without "with"//No, it's just not idiomatic at all. Maybe "took up a mourning stance" but don't even like that:-)
1 hr
Yes, and the other one was from Yemen. Would you replace "with" with "in" and leave the "mourning stance" as is?
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