Jan 19, 2017 03:53
7 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term

no me quedaban espacios para hacerlo

Spanish to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature Murder mystery novel
Good Evening Prozians,
I’m translating a murder mystery and this part is when Lian is administering electric shocks (by an electrocephalagram, I think) to the lady and he has her strapped down to a gurney. He wants to make the electroshocks more powerful now. I’m struggling with the equivalent of “no me quedaban espacios para hacerlo."

Context: -Estamos listos para el próximo nivel, respira que esta vez será más fuerte.
-Noooo… Lian… Noooo, esper…
Sólo sentí dolor, me aplastaban la cabeza contra la mesa, mi cuerpo daba brincos más altos y cada parte en mi interior parecía desencajarse de su posición. Ya el esfínter se había vaciado de todo lo que tenía en el estómago. Traté de gritar, pero no me quedaban espacios para hacerlo, la electricidad me tenía tomada por completo; sentí un leve olor a quemado y lo último que vi fue a Lían, riendo a carcajadas.


My attempt: “We’re ready to go up to the next level, breathe because this time it will be stronger.”
“Noooo…Lian…Noooo, wait…plea…
I just hurt so bad, I banged my head against the table, my body was jumping up so high and each part of my body became dislocated. Now my bladder had already completely emptied itself of all the urine in my body. I tried to scream, but there was no room left in my body (lungs) to do it, the electricity had completely took over me; I smelled a slight burning odor and my last glimpse of Lian was of him laughing his heart out.
Proposed translations (English)
2 +1 hadn't the breath

Discussion

Lucy Breen Jan 19, 2017:
Agree with Wendy Yes, I'm with Wendy. I like her translation and also that the "esfínter se había vaciado de todo lo que tenía en el estómago" refers to stomach and bowels rather than bladder
Wendy Streitparth Jan 19, 2017:
@ Angelv04: are you sure the text is talking about the bladder?
Marie Wilson Jan 19, 2017:
I like Taña's suggestion of "I couldn't muster the strength to do so" .
Taña Dalglish Jan 19, 2017:
... but no sound escaped me/I could not muster the strength to do so (or words to that effect), as --- had overtaken me completely; The idea is that she had nothing left within herself to cry out. She was gutted. I am sure other colleagues can come up with more eloquent ideas. HTH.

Proposed translations

+1
12 hrs

hadn't the breath

see reference entry
Peer comment(s):

agree C. Ortega
157 days
Thank you!
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

4 hrs
Reference:

hadn't the breath

Seems to me as though the person is so tormented she hasn't the time even to breathe.

I was walking around in the normal calm way and I wanted to shout out 'Air Raid Warning Red' to everyone but I hadn't the breath to do so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/42/a21253...

I wanted to ask where we would go and where we would hide but I hadn’t the breath to spare. It wasn’t long before my legs burned, my lunges ached and every sobbing breath pained me.
http://www.australianwritersforum.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php...
Peer comments on this reference comment:

agree Romina Pérez Escorihuela
6 hrs
Thanks, Romina
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