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bornera
nota de despacho
Sep 18, 2008 14:35
15 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term

Le dio por escuchar

Spanish to English Art/Literary Tourism & Travel
No entiendo bien esa frase, y menos como traducirlo al inglés:

Se compró un diccionario de castellano y le dio por escuchar la radio que hablaba en ese idioma.

Como lo entiendo, ella (la cual es el sujeto de que habla el texto) compró un diccionario de castellano y lo usó junto con escuchar la radio y los locutores que también hablaban en castellano.

A traducir:

-She bought a Spanish dictionary and used it by listening to the Spanish radio.
-She bought a Spanish dictionary and with it listened to Spanish radio
-She bought a Spanish dictionary and used it by listening to announcers on the radio that also spoke Spanish.

¿Voy bien?
Proposed translations (English)
4 +14 she took to listening
4 +2 took it into her head/got the idea to listen to the radio
4 +2 she got into the habit of listening
5 ..and began listening to a Spanish-language radio station
4 She started listening to...
4 -2 she felt like listening
5 -4 used it to listen to

Discussion

esmeralda10 Sep 20, 2008:
she "lo... Before anybody jumps on this...sorry, I should have put "lo usó" and not SHE "lo usó...
esmeralda10 Sep 20, 2008:
colloquial vs. low register Álvaro is correct. I should have said colloquial and NOT low register. I realized this yesterday, but didn't have time to post. SO glad he said it and corrected the confusion I caused by using the WRONG TERM. Goes to show, the WRONG word can cause a lot of problems. As we have seen here, if Asker says, "she started listening to the radio [per baligh, below], none of this would have happened. Colloquial usage is a questionable choice (unless the context calls for it). Asker has the context and has determined that she "lo usó junto con escuchar," so I am trusting Asker's instinct. Remember, written work should use the best choice, not just something "I have heard." Thanks AGAIN to Álvaro, for the substantive comment. mea culpa ;-)
moken Sep 20, 2008:
que lo hiciera, pero en este punto no hay ninguna mención al respecto y por lo tanto, desde mi punto de vista, no cabe traducirlo en esta oración. Espero que esto te ayude. :O) :O)
moken Sep 20, 2008:
Hola srmoreno. Perdona, pero a la pregunta "¿voy bien?", pienso que no. Aunque el texto lo pueda especificar más adelante, en la frase que diste no hay ninguna indicación o evidencia de que usara el diccionario cuando escuchaba la radio. Como digo, puede
moken Sep 20, 2008:
darle a algn por // take to vs. take Regarding the register of the Spanish turn of phrase, I wouldn't say that it is formal; colloquial perhaps, but definitely not what I understand as "low register".


As for the discussion on "take", to me it's blatantly obvious: we should not be discussing the verb "take" but the collocation "take to", which is an entirely separate dictionary entry. In this particular case we would be referring to definition 1(b) for "take to" in the Oxf. EN<>ES dict.: (form habit of) to take to drink - darse a la bebida; to take to -ING: she's taken to painting - le ha dado por pintar.

The second example provided is a perfect illustration of the case at hand and, funnily enough, back-translates to "darle a algn por".
esmeralda10 Sep 19, 2008:
took, past tense of take I hope these definitions help. Note that the usage of "took" as per some of these suggestions is listed as the SIXTH definition, not anywhere close to a commonly used or accepted definition.
took, an intransitive verb meaning: 1. To acquire possession.
2. To engage or mesh; catch, as gears or other mechanical parts.
3. To start growing; root or germinate: Have the seeds taken?
4. To have the intended effect; operate or work: The skin graft took.
5. To gain popularity or favor: The television series, which didn't take, was later canceled. 6. To become: He took sick.
Noni Gilbert Riley Sep 19, 2008:
Register It's not entirely clear whether Esmeralda is saying that the English or the Spanish is low register. Here are examples of highish register in English:

"In 1788, instead of fixing the price in advance, the Company took to selling to the wholesalers by auction" (re salt tax: http://iref.homestead.com/files/Salt.htm)
"Suspicion of the new commission amongst grassroots groups could be tackled in the approach the Government took to appointing new commissioners," (Disability Rights Commission: 83.137.212.42/sitearchive/DRC/newsroom/news_releases/2006/governments_single_equality.html )
moken Sep 19, 2008:
Also in Dicc. Oxford ES<>EN Under:
dar vi. III 2 (hablando de ocurrencias, manías)
(a) -le a algn POR algo: le ha dado por decir que ya no lo quiero / he's started saying that I don't love him any more. le ha dado por beber / he's taken to drink.

Several more examples. In this case, the idea definitely seems to be "take to doing" rather than "take to thinking". Another English alternative provided is "to get into" or, as Lisa suggested more simply, "start".
moken Sep 19, 2008:
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp See "verbo instransitivo" II 4. in the above ref. It's crystal clear and no mention of "hillbilly usage" at all:
(hablando de manías, ocurrencias) ~le a algn por hacer algo ‹por pintar/cocinar› to take to doing sth;
moken Sep 19, 2008:
No conclusive evidence of usage w/radio Fully agree: no direct or indirect evidence in the text that she actually used the dict. when listening to the radio. The only connection between the two in this excerpt is that they demonstrate her (sudden perhaps?) interest in the Spanish language.
Ricardo Payan Sep 19, 2008:
Le dió en sentido de hecho "Le dió" indica que la escuchó, no neceriamente significa que lo siguio haciendo o que se haya aficionado a ello. Más que una idea es un hecho
esmeralda10 Sep 19, 2008:
Thinking about doing it AND doing it... Thinking about something and doing it are not mutually exclusive ideas. One can think about doing something, and then DO IT or NOT DO it. Based on this, Rosa's DISAGREE with Chris is confusing.
esmeralda10 Sep 19, 2008:
Le dio por escuchar lo usó junto con escuchar la radio, i.e., the radio to listen AND when necessary look up things she heard
Lisa McCarthy Sep 18, 2008:
Agree totally This is exactly what it´s saying. The dictionary to look up stuff and the radio to practice her listening skills, etc.
Cinnamon Nolan Sep 18, 2008:
Two separate, but related, ideas. Really, the sentence doesn't say "she used the dictionary by listening..."
1. She bought the dictionary. Why? For a Spanish class? Because she was going to visit Spain/Mexico? Because her new boyfriend was Spanish/Mexican? We really don't know.
2. She decided to start listening to Spanish on the radio. Her interest in the Spanish language, as evidenced by having bought the dictionary, lead her to take up the complementary listening activity. (Whether or not she used the dictionary while/after listening to the radio is not explicit in the sentence.)

Proposed translations

+14
2 mins
Selected

she took to listening

Cuando te aficionas a algo, empiezas a hacerlo etc.
Peer comment(s):
agree Bubo Coroman (X)
24 mins
Thanks Debs!
agree Cinnamon Nolan
25 mins
Thanks Cinn!
agree Rick Larg
30 mins
Thank you Rick.
agree Claudia Luque Bedregal
37 mins
Thanks Claudia.
agree Sarah FRUTOS BAMBERRY
50 mins
Thanks Sarah.
agree franglish
1 hr
Thank you.
agree eski : "...and took to listening..." Saludos, Noni.
2 hrs
Gracias eski!
agree Gacela20
2 hrs
Gracias.
agree Daniel Coria : Yep!
3 hrs
Gracias Daniel.
agree Mónica Sauza
3 hrs
Thanks Mónica.
disagree esmeralda10 : Very low register. This is literal, but poor usage.
4 hrs
I shall post examples of this usage where the register is definitely not low. However, thanks for your contribution.
agree bcsantos
5 hrs
Thanks!
agree moken : "Le dio por" in some way indicates she acted on a whim. However, I don't see any better way of putting it in English. :O) :O)
18 hrs
Thanks Álvaro! Walk with care round El Sauzal this w/e - a couple of my oldest friends are there for a visit!
agree Jürgen Lakhal De Muynck
19 hrs
Thanks Jürgen
agree Kate Major Patience : 'Took to' is not low register as esmeralda10 says. I don't think she knows the term at all if she claims it to have low register. A versatile term. And correct in the context, I think. :)
20 hrs
As I say in the Discussion sec. above, I'm not sure if Esmeralda isn't suggesting that it's the Sp which is low register (tho' Alvaro disagrees with that too...). Thanks for your agree Kate!
agree SP traductora
4 days
Gracias!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+2
9 mins

took it into her head/got the idea to listen to the radio

She bought a Spanish dictionary and took it into her head/got the idea to listen to the radio that spoke in that language.
Peer comment(s):
agree Alejandra Tolj
2 mins
thanks
agree Fiona N�voa
5 mins
thanks
agree esmeralda10 : "Took it into her head" is the right IDEA. "Got the idea to" is better than anything with TOOK, but the ASKER is on the right track with his/her final choice.
4 hrs
thanks esmeralda, but you are all over the place!
disagree Rosa Paredes : this is actually 'doing' not just thinking about it
5 hrs
Are you certain about that? Because my dictionary gives this meaning
Something went wrong...
11 mins

She started listening to...


She bought a Spanish dictionary and she started listening to the radio which spoke that language
Peer comment(s):
disagree Rosa Paredes : it does not convey the idea
5 hrs
agree esmeralda10 : This DOES convey the idea. Baligh is correct. (Indeed. Perhaps you and I are assuming too much. :) )
9 hrs
Thank you Esmeralda, I wish they could see it! : )
Something went wrong...
-2
14 mins

she felt like listening

..."Le dio por"... como refiriéndose a "le dieron ganas de", es bien informal, pero lo he escuchado y yo lo uso con ese sentido. Suerte.

Example sentence:

Le dio por salir de compras...

Le dio por visitar a una amiga...

Peer comment(s):
disagree esmeralda10 : Yes, "le dio ganas," but this is not the best choice for a translation of the meaning.
4 hrs
disagree Rosa Paredes : 'le dio por' implies actually 'doing' not just 'feeling like doing"
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
30 mins

she got into the habit of listening

"le dio por escuchar" significa que ha comenzado a hacerlo a menudo. Por ejemplo, a una mujer embarazada, "le da por comer fresas con sal" o sea ha comenzado un habito que antes no tenia.
Example sentence:

Desde que esta embarazada, a Susana le ha dado por comer fresas con sal, ¡imagínate!

Peer comment(s):
agree Daniel Coria : Me gusta también...
2 hrs
agree Rosa Paredes : This is also a good option
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
55 mins

..and began listening to a Spanish-language radio station

"She bought herself a Spanish dictionary and began listening to a Spanish-language radio station."

I think we should stress "Spanish language" as opposed to a Spanish radio station as it could be broadcast in a Spanish-speaking country apart from Spain.
Peer comment(s):
agree esmeralda10 : This is a good substitute for ASKER's last choice.
3 hrs
Thanks Esmeralda
disagree Rosa Paredes : 'began listening' does not convey the message
5 hrs
I think you´re splitting hairs here. So she had the idea only but didn´t do anything with it??
Something went wrong...
-4
4 hrs

used it to listen to

Your last choice is the best, with the following changes shown in caps: She bought a Spanish dictionary and used it TO LISTEN TO announcers on the radio that also spoke Spanish.
Remember, you want to translate the meaning, not the words. Note: "took to listening" would be a VERY low register, perhaps a hillbilly speaking.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2008-09-18 19:07:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I did a search on google. "took to listen to" is found in a lot of blogs about country music, and also some jacket covers, etc., for soul records. Perhaps it is also acceptable Black English. Your final choice (with slight editing) is good, sorry, you may also want to say "WHO also spoke Spanish." The choice of THAT works, but who is slightly better.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2008-09-19 19:44:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Black English is defined as non-standard English, as is any other patois. This is not my call, it is from the dictionary. For readers to say it is impolite means that they think less of people who use patois; I do not, I am just seeking to DEFINE for Asker the nature of the suggestion. I TAKE the point from UK; perhaps there it is used by the general public. And, no, you don't listen to the radio ON a dictionary. You use the dictionary to look up what you hear.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day5 hrs (2008-09-19 19:47:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Perhaps an example: She used the dictionary to listen to the radio and look up unfamiliar terms that she heard. This is what I had in mind; sorry for assuming people would TAKE the point. :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2008-09-19 20:59:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Have just found it in the Oxford...Given as sentido IV under dar. As per the front matter, usages are given in order of preference.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Rosa Paredes : Sorry, but I think you completely missed the point.
1 hr
Please reconsider. She used it to listen to announcers who spoke in Spanish (so she could learn or verify her understanding of terms used. How does this miss the point?
disagree moken : No indication she used the dictionary when listening to the radio. // You've mixed up the source text with interpretation made by the asker - who in turn admitted to not understanding the source phrase. :O)
14 hrs
From Asker, I quote, "lo usó junto con escuchar la radio "
disagree Kate Major Patience : Can't listen to the radio on a dictionary. Sounds bizarre. I also disagree with your comments on register, and would say that it is perhaps not polite to suggest that all country music fans are hillbillies, all soul fans black, and both low register!
16 hrs
I added an explanatory note. I am at a loss as to why you feel that I said ALL, and why you feel the noun hillbilly is pejoraitve. Check your dictionary. Perhaps people would feel better if I had said it is nonstandard English. :)
disagree RamonaCotrus : This translation has a totally different meaning
16 hrs
See my notes that I just added. Sorry if I assumed too much by not giving a sample sentence. :)
Something went wrong...
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