Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

Contestar/responder a la gallega

English translation:

To answer in a vague/elusive way

Added to glossary by Toni Castano
Oct 8, 2021 15:33
2 yrs ago
38 viewers *
Spanish term

"a la gallega" (this context)

Spanish to English Art/Literary Journalism
Someone is asked a complex question and they reply
-Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega"

Can anyone help me out with an equally colloquial expression in English, please?
Change log

Oct 13, 2021 07:04: Toni Castano Created KOG entry

Discussion

O G V Oct 9, 2021:
diría que no son evasivas ni preguntas en el caso que nos traes quizá imprecisiones, ambigüedades, vaguedades, rodeos... por eso, ahora ya falta de saber qué "demos" le preguntaron, el "vague" de David parece captar muy bien el sentido.
Responder sin contestar con claridad ni determinación, sin posicionarse ni cerrar puertas, en España se percibe como costumbre de gallegos pero diría que, además de la curiosa coincidencia de los galitzios de Austria, es algo que se encuentra en la tradición popular de medio mundo, y que entronca, salvando las distancias (muchas), con el método socrático de preguntar o hacerse preguntar por lo que se defiende o cree, e incluso (más distancia aun si cabe) con el Verbo encarnado del Evangelio y su revelador mensaje.
Creo entender que el interlocutor no responde ni con preguntas ni con evasivas en sentido estricto, y sugiere a un "no voy a mojarme ni comprometerme", "no voy a decidirme por ninguna de las opciones que abres en la pregunta", quizá entendiendo o presentando las cosas desde otra perspectiva o tomando en cuenta cosas que no se consideraban en el planteamiento de quien pregunta.
ormiston Oct 9, 2021:
Is it like 'dodging the issue'?
Jessica Noyes Oct 9, 2021:
Answer should keep jocular tone The speaker is making a little joke, and the answer should reflect this rather than just defining the term. I am liking Adrian's, though there might be something even better. So using his, the translation would say, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to beat around the bush a little on this one."
O G V Oct 8, 2021:
Pulpo a la gallega No es lo mismo que responder a la gallega
Es importante decir q es un uso específico.
Dicho esto, saber de qué pregunta se trata o de qué conversan sería muy orientativo
Wilsonn Perez Reyes Oct 8, 2021:
1.4 Glossary form must be maintained Draft glossaries are generated automatically from KudoZ questions and answers. For this reason, expressions such as "see below", "IN THIS CONTEXT", etc., must not be entered in the boxes provided for terms, either when posting source terms or proposing translations. Question marks, QUOTE MARKS, unnecessary capitalization and anything else that would not be found in a dictionary, should not be entered.
https://www.proz.com/siterules/kudoz_general/1.4#1.4

Proposed translations

+2
28 mins
Selected

To answer in a vague/elusive way

A tough question, because the literal translation does not work here at all. It is necessary to know the “context” to be aware of the real meaning, i.e. what is behind of this expression. My attempt of explanation: In Spain, Galician people are considered (please note: I am not judging at all, I am just describing the situation) to be “vague” in their decisions, opinions, replies to compromising questions, i.e. it is difficult to know what they really think, to get to the very core of their soul. So some Spaniards (not Galicians, obviously) say, if someone responds a question in a vague way, without really getting involved into the discussion, they are answering “a la gallega”, i.e. in a vague or elusive way, which means, without really getting to the point.

If you have something comparable in English, it is something I don´t know, but this is the explanation and meaning of “contestar/responder a la gallega”.

All this being said with the highest respect for Galician people and their region (where I spent a part of my adolescence).


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2021-10-08 16:07:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here just an example:

https://www.esdiario.com/medios/634923774/La-respuesta-a-la-...
Feijóo no se ve en Madrid pero responde 'a la gallega' sobre la foto de Colón

Alberto Núñez Feijóo ha evitado pronunciarse sobre si consideraba un error la fotografía de Colón, en la que el PP se manifestó junto a Ciudadanos y Vox contra el Gobierno de Pedro Sánchez, y ha tirado de la proverbial retranca gallega para contestar con un escueto "depende". Otra cosa ha sido cuando le han preguntado sobre su salto a la política nacional. Ahí sí que ha sido cristalino.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2021-10-08 16:36:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Well, it seems I have to reinforce my own response: "Responder a la gallega" may or may not imply asking another question. This is not at all the key point, but the elusive way of the reply, either by avoiding a compromising answer (see my example/quote) or by asking an elusive question. As simple as that. But to respond to a question with another question is NOT what it means, not always.
Peer comment(s):

agree Cecilia Gowar
1 hr
Thank you Cecilia. Well, there is a new scenario now. Gosh,.. It was important that you intervened.
agree neilmac : May or may not imply responding with another question, but often does... :-)
17 hrs
Hi Neil, yes, right you are, but "often" is not "always", and this has been one of the key elements of this query, judging by what I have seen and experienced here.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you - in the end, lots of people said something very similar, but you answered first. :-)"
+3
2 hrs

noncommittal

i.e., ¨I'm afraid I am going to be noncommittal....¨

To reply ¨a la gallega¨es basically not to provide a proper reply, either by being ambiguous or by replying with another question.
I believe in this context it would be the first option, but I do not think anybody can admit to being ambiguous or vague when replying so maybe ¨noncommittal¨or something similar (we would need the wider context) would be suitable.

La respuesta 'a la gallega' de Rajoy a Herrera sobre si será candidato en 2020
https://www.cope.es/programas/herrera-en-cope/noticias/respu...

This is the Feijóo example, already posted by Toni:

El presidente de la Xunta tira de la proverbial retranca de su tierra para responder de manera desconcertante a una pregunta directa sobre la estrategia seguida por su partido.
https://www.esdiario.com/medios/634923774/La-respuesta-a-la-...


https://jergozo.com/significado/responder-a-la-gallega
responder a la gallega
Responder o contestar sin aclarar nada en absoluto
Peer comment(s):

agree Toni Castano : Noncomittal is also possible, sure.
30 mins
agree neilmac
15 hrs
agree Orkoyen (X)
3 days 2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
2 hrs
Spanish term (edited): a la gallega

/beat about the bush by / throwing the question back

I've taken out the inverted commas and the rest in hono/u/r of Wilsonn.

Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega" : I fear I am going to answer that question by / beating about the bush and/ firing back a counter-question.

Coincidentally, answering one question with another was the trait of another group of Galicians in Eastern Europe, namely Galizien of the Austro-Hungarian Empire rather than Galicia in Northern Spain.

Example sentence:

ES) Mr President, Commissioner, it is said that one of the characteristics of Galicians is to answer one question with another and, as a true Galician, I shall therefore

Peer comment(s):

agree Jessica Noyes
18 hrs
Gracias and thanks Jessica.... parrying a question with a question seems to be one half of th equation and beathing about the bush the other.
Something went wrong...
4 hrs

not a clear answer

Turn it around. “I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to give you a clear answer”.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2021-10-08 19:42:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or “I’m afraid my answer is going to be a little unclear”.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2021-10-08 19:44:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also, ‘not a straight answer”.
Something went wrong...
15 hrs

(answer) a question with a question

Dodge the issue (pax David) is also great way to express the notion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2021-10-09 09:14:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Cf. A similar, although not synonymous expression is "“Hacerse el sueco”...
La expresión “Hacerse el sueco” la utilizamos cuando queremos dar a entender que alguien se hace el sordo o finge no entender para, de ese modo, evitar asumir una responsabilidad.
Example sentence:

Answering a question with a question helps evade uncomfortable topics.

Why Does the Rabbi Answer a Question with a Question? Answer: Is there any other way?

Something went wrong...
10 hrs
Spanish term (edited): \"a la gallega\" (this context)

I'm afraid I'm going to be a little vague on answering this

Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega"

I'm afraid I'm going to be a little vague on answering this one...

Contestar a la gallega = Responder o contestar sin aclarar nada en absoluto

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2021-10-09 02:26:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"dodge the issue" would fit IMO

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2021-10-10 02:24:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I will stick with "dodge the issue"
Something went wrong...
2 days 20 hrs

like a politician, no straight answer

Sorry, afraid I'll have to answer that one like a politician

I think this is the closest in English

Or
"Sorry, can't give you a straight answer to that one"

"Afraid I'm a bit hazy on the details"

I think this is the closest in English

Politicians are renowned for never giving a straight or clearcut answer but rather for prevarication and evasiviness.

https://therooster.com/blog/how-answer-questions-politician
Something went wrong...
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search