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"A"; "P"; "I"
repuestos, partes y piezas
Sep 26, 2023 15:20
8 mos ago
53 viewers *
Spanish term

sabiéndome a muy poco

Spanish to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
This appears in a text on an interview with an author. From Spain for translation into American English.

Context is as follows:

El autor:
Mire. Ya es un disparate la cantidad de países que existen en nuestro planeta, pues ello supone un gran riesgo para la humanidad.
Lo único que hace falta es que unos políticos y periodistas manipuladores se dediquen a intentar crear más divisiones y fronteras, en vez de ayudar a caminar hacia algún sistema de unión de las naciones para intentar poner fin a los peligros nacidos de la tecnología y de la ciencia aplicada a las armas.

Por desgracia hasta aquí llegó mi charla con él, ***sabiéndome a muy poco***, ya que mi interlocutor recibió una llamada telefónica y hubimos de interrumpir la conversación. Fue una pena, pues me hubiese gustado continuar ya que ha quedado mucho en el tintero.
Demasiado.

I think it means 'knowing myself to be of little importance'.

Any input appreciated. TIA.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 (which was) nowhere near enough/far too short
4 +2 cutting it short
4 +2 that left me wanting
3 +1 leaving me very much in limbo
3 I longed to keep
3 I missed out somewhat
4 -3 it was too few / I just enjoyed a little part

Discussion

O G V Sep 27, 2023:
@Toni & @Jane Let me note that is a very normal thing to take asker's suggest and propose it as an answer. It is a frequent fact in many kudoz questions, and I have done it as an asker and have seen it as an answerer and also in other colleague's questions/interventions.
And the point is that the asker can not create an answer. When it is a suggestion or a proposal from another kudozian (who can make an entry with the answer) is different. But in this case, it is an asker's suggestion.
Just wanted to remark that.
I also must state that I appreciate the current entries from Bea and Jennifer:)

¡Saludos!
Jane Martin (asker) Sep 27, 2023:
@ Toni Thank you.
Toni Castano Sep 27, 2023:
@Jane No, I shall not. You deserve the points. Your initial suspicion was correct and going in the right direction. I posted without examining the information exchange between you and Juan Jacob, my error. Your idea, I insist on it again, was the right one.
You have all my respect in all senses. Best of luck with your translation project.
Jane Martin (asker) Sep 27, 2023:
@ Toni Could you reinstate your answer as that is the version I ended using then I can award you the points.
Andrew Bramhall Sep 27, 2023:
The construct " saber a poco" "Estuve con ella todo el verano, pero, aún y asi me supo a poco"
"I was with her all summer long, but even still, I wanted to be with her for longer"

" A pesar de haberme comido dos raciones, aún me supo apoco"
"Despite (already) having eaten two portions, I still wanted more" (Oliver Twist style)

Those are two excellent examples posted by Alberto which precisely illustrate the exact meaning of the Spanish phrase.Also,TC's Dual Text post is spot on.
Toni Castano Sep 27, 2023:
Saber a poco It may be interesting to take a look at this link:
https://www.espanolavanzado.com/significados/2973-saber-a-po...
saber a poco: resultar (algo bueno) insuficiente, de modo que uno se queda con ganas de más.
Jennifer Levey Sep 27, 2023:
@OGV In support of your assertion saber en este caso es de sabor, it may help if I mention that if the quoted author had been Chilean, (s)he would most probably have said gusto a poco, meaning 'I wish there'd been more' of something. The ES-ES and ES-CL expressions are metaphors alluding to that feeling one has when one's portion of grandma's delicious apple crumble is far too small.
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro Sep 27, 2023:
Different verb OGV, is right.

The verb is "saber" in this aception:
saber vi (tener cierto sabor) taste⇒ vi
https://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=sab...
Gerund > sabiendo

"Saborear" is a different verb. Gerund > saboreando

"Saber a" refers to the actual taste of smth. "Saborear" its the act of tasting.
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/saber-a-saborear-com...
Andrew Bramhall Sep 27, 2023:
@O G V If relating to ' sabor' rather than ' saber', why then isn't the gerund ' saboreándome', rather than 'sabiéndome'?
O G V Sep 26, 2023:
saber en este caso es de sabor no se refiere a saber/conocer en el sentido habitual.
7. intr. Dicho de una cosa, especialmente de algo comestible: Tener un determinado sabor. La salsa sabía muy fuerte. Esta sopa sabe A ajo.
8. intr. Dicho de una cosa: Producir en el ánimo el efecto expresado. Le supo mal que no vinieras.
saber a poco algo
1. loc. verb. coloq. Resultar insuficiente cuando se estima que en mayor cantidad habría producido una satisfacción aún mayor.

"saberme" en este caso quiere decir que me sabe [a mí], no que yo me conozca o me sepa (aunque los juegos de palabras permitan añadir ese sentido).

supongo que ya estaba claro pero me pareció bien precisarlo.
Jane Martin (asker) Sep 26, 2023:
@ Toni No worries - to be honest, the fact that you suggested it too helped me to come to a decision. : )
Toni Castano Sep 26, 2023:
@Jane I beg your pardon. I did not realise that you had exactly suggested what I have proposed, and what I deem a perfect interpretation of the source text. I can confirm that your take is the right one. I shall remove my suggestion. But if you finally wish to go this way, do not forget to add "very" (muy) to "unsatisfied", which is important.
Please accept my apologies.
Jane Martin (asker) Sep 26, 2023:
@ Juan Gracias. : )
Juan Jacob Sep 26, 2023:
Jane... ...eso es, sí. Esperemos respuestas en inglés.
Jane Martin (asker) Sep 26, 2023:
@ Juan Gracias. Ya lo había visto. Quizas, 'leaving me unsatisfied' entonces?
Juan Jacob Sep 26, 2023:
Ver la expresión "Saber a poco".

Proposed translations

+3
53 mins
Selected

(which was) nowhere near enough/far too short

Referring back to the chat being insufficient.
Note from asker:
Thank you. I actually went with my own suggestion but your offering was the closest to it.
Peer comment(s):
agree AllegroTrans : far too short
1 hr
Many thanks! ;-)
agree Alan Otero : I'd add "for me" if the asker goes with "nowhere near enough"..
2 hrs
Many thanks Alan! ;-)
agree Marie Wilson
15 hrs
Many thanks Marie! ;-)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-3
36 mins

it was too few / I just enjoyed a little part

Nothing to do with "importance", I am afraid, Jane, but with quantity of something. He/she who uses this expression conveys the message that have had the impression of having had very little of something and would have liked to have more.
Example sentence:

Estuve con ella todo el verano, pero aún y así me supo a poco

A pesar de haberme comido dos raciones, aún me supo a poco

Peer comment(s):
disagree AllegroTrans : "it was too few" in relation to a conversation is totally incorrect use of English // and I think you would do well to learn from English native speakers instead of arrogantly disagreeing
1 hr
You are terribly wrong, as usual...the expression "it was too few" is absolutely correct....I think you'd better off reading more English books rather than chasing people here
disagree Andrew Bramhall : No, Allegro is terribly RIGHT, in fact.//@Alberto: your example sentences are actually excellent, but not your translation; see discussion box above.
11 hrs
disagree Jennifer Levey : As is so often the case, AT and AB are right when it comes to native English us(e)age.
21 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
51 mins

cutting it short

Unfortunately, this was as far as my conversation with him went, and I had to cut it short, as the person I was speaking to received a phone call and we had to interrupt the conversation. It was a pity, because I would have liked to continue, as there was a lot left unsaid.

Absolutely nothing to do with "knowing myself to be of little importance", that perception is completely skewed Jane!!
Note from asker:
Thanks Andrew. I realize that now!
Thank you.
Peer comment(s):
agree AllegroTrans
1 hr
Thank you!
agree neilmac : Best in show IMHO. Short and sweet. Like the interview per se.
2 hrs
Thank you! yes,no need for excess verbiage!
Something went wrong...
+2
51 mins

that left me wanting

would have liked to continue the chat
Peer comment(s):
agree Alan Otero : that left me wanting *more*
2 hrs
neutral AllegroTrans : Sounds incomplete; i.e. wanting *what*?; also confusion with "me being inadequate"
4 hrs
agree Jennifer Levey : With Alan.
21 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
3 hrs

leaving me very much in limbo

It is sabiéndo*me* so the accusative pronoun as well as 'a muy poco' need (to) be reflected, rather than reverting to ambiguous truncations.

Limbo could work and capture the flavo(u)r of the original - even for us native English speakers familiar with the expression - better than hiatus.
Example sentence:

limbo: an uncertain situation that you cannot control and in which there is no progress

Reference:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/example/english/kind-of-limbo

http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hiatus

Peer comment(s):
neutral Andrew Bramhall : No, the "me" is a REFLEXIVE pronoun, not an accusative one./@AW- actually not; the reflexive pronoun includes the dative 'to'; reference to the vocative/ablative obviously harking back to AW's school boy Latin there!
8 hrs
neutral Jennifer Levey : What was left 'in limbo' (if anything...) was the conversation, not the speaker.
21 hrs
agree Andy Watkinson : Nothing to do with you, Adrian - just to point out to Andrew that if we're going to get all nom. acc. gen.date.abl. vocative about things, "me" here would be dative, not reflexive.
1 day 5 hrs
neutral AllegroTrans : Jennifer rather does have a point...
5 days
Something went wrong...
22 hrs

I longed to keep

I longed to keep the conversation going, sadly it was cut short when he received a phone call.

The sentence in Spanish feels repetitive, but the main idea is that he wants to keep on chatting. I think this is a shorter version that conveys the meaning without using the same structure of Spanish.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Andrew Bramhall : That is an extrapolation and circumscription, but nonetheless correct in meaning
1 hr
Thanks for your comment Andrew. My intention is to provide another suitable option that respects the meaning. After all that is the main objective while translating. The information is there and the style of the Spanish here is also convey..
neutral AllegroTrans : too much departure from the ST
2 hrs
Sorry Allegro, but I don't agree. The meaning is there and keeping the sentence structure of Spanish sounds a bit robotic for me.
Something went wrong...
1 day 25 mins

I missed out somewhat

Don't miss out on the conversation
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https://informaconnect.com › dont-miss-out-on-the-conv...
Don't miss out on the conversation. Author. Sarah Rose. Published. 11 Nov 2008. Share this article. Chris Brogan recently wrote a post the continuing ...

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Twitter
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how is the anime overall? when I was following it I read the manga and I feel like I may have missed out somewhat. 1:53 PM · Jul 24, 2019 · 3. Likes.

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