Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
Garciloquiano
English translation:
as Lorca defined it / in Lorca\'s sense (of the term)
Added to glossary by
Ricardo Monasterio
Jun 5, 2019 21:58
4 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term
Venezuela
From my careful mind to your exact text
Native in: English 
, Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Puerto Rican, Argentine, Venezuelan, Mexican, US) 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Garciloquiano
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Music
Translation from Spanish
I have a critique made after a concert of a Pianist, and the writer of the piece starts with the sentence: "En la Quinta de Anauco emergió el duende garcialorquiano, en el piano de Carlos Urbaneja y en la actuación de Luigi Sciamanna. Fue un momento privilegiado, de 'emoción estética'."
My first take was: "A garcialorcanian elf emerged at the Quinta de Anauco in Carlos Urbaneja´s piano and Luigi Sciamanna performance. It was a privileged moment of 'aesthetic emotion'.".
This "garciloquiano" term seems an adjective made by this writer since there's nothing I can find similar to that anywhere. Of course, an interpretation is necessary taking Garcia Lorca as a base, but I can't figure anything.
Would you have any suggestions?
Regards.
My first take was: "A garcialorcanian elf emerged at the Quinta de Anauco in Carlos Urbaneja´s piano and Luigi Sciamanna performance. It was a privileged moment of 'aesthetic emotion'.".
This "garciloquiano" term seems an adjective made by this writer since there's nothing I can find similar to that anywhere. Of course, an interpretation is necessary taking Garcia Lorca as a base, but I can't figure anything.
Would you have any suggestions?
Regards.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +5 | as Lorca defined it / in Lorca's sense (of the term) |
Charles Davis
|
| 3 -1 | Garcilorcan muse |
Juan Arturo Blackmore Zerón
|
| 2 | García Lorcaesque |
Christian [email protected]
|
References
| Reference |
Taña Dalglish
|
Proposed translations
+5
25 mins
Selected
as Lorca defined it / in Lorca's sense (of the term)
In English we call him Lorca, not García Lorca. This is referring to Lorca's definition of duende in his 1933 lecture "Teoría y juego del duende", in which he defined this mysterious, magical spirit known as "duende", typical of flamenco when the performer is in a state of heightened awareness and emotion.
https://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Teoría_y_juego_del_duende
Personally I think you should probably keep the word "duende": it's such a specific thing and so difficult to sum up in one English word. It doesn't mean a little magical creature like an elf; it means "a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity": "Encanto misterioso e inefable", as the DLE defines it.
https://dle.rae.es/?id=EEmriFA
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Note added at 27 mins (2019-06-05 22:25:50 GMT)
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If you wanted an adjective equivalent to "garcilorquiano" it would have to be "Lorcan". But I don't recommend it; we do use adjectives like this in English, like "Shakespearean" or "Dickensian", but they sound awkward unless they're from familiar names, and I think "Lorcan" might confuse readers.
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Note added at 8 hrs (2019-06-06 06:19:50 GMT)
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I do think the word duende needs to be included in the English version, because Lorca's lecture, which is what "garcilorquiano" refers to, is about that particular Spanish word. But as John suggests, it would be useful to add an explanation because there will be readers who won't understand it. You could perhaps do it like this:
"Duende, that magical spirit defined by Lorca, could be felt in Carlos Urbaneja's piano-playing and Luigi Sciamanna's performance at the Quinta de Anauco. It was an exceptional event, one of aesthetic emotion."
I think "emerged" could work in English, suggesting the appearance of a magical spirit in the room. But on balance I think I'd prefer to say "could be felt", expressing it in terms of the listener's perception.
I would put "piano-playing", rather than just "piano", because that's what it really means, and it forms a better parallel with actuación.
"Aesthetic emotion" is not a quotation from Lorca, so I don't think Phil's suggestion applies. It's a term coined by the critic. I wouldn't put it in quotation marks in English.
I think you should reflect the comma in "Fue un momento privilegiado, de \'emoción estética\'". It means "Fue un momento privilegiado, un momento de \'emoción estética\'". I suggest "event", because "moment" would suggest that it happened at one particular point in the performance, but the author seems to mean that duende was present throughout and lasted for an extended period. "Moment" is more temporally limited in English than "momento" in Spanish.
By the way, if you're translating into American English, "aesthetic" (British spelling) should be "esthetic".
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Note added at 8 hrs (2019-06-06 06:23:08 GMT)
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(One most small point: you would call this a review in English, not a critique.)
https://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Teoría_y_juego_del_duende
Personally I think you should probably keep the word "duende": it's such a specific thing and so difficult to sum up in one English word. It doesn't mean a little magical creature like an elf; it means "a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity": "Encanto misterioso e inefable", as the DLE defines it.
https://dle.rae.es/?id=EEmriFA
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2019-06-05 22:25:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
If you wanted an adjective equivalent to "garcilorquiano" it would have to be "Lorcan". But I don't recommend it; we do use adjectives like this in English, like "Shakespearean" or "Dickensian", but they sound awkward unless they're from familiar names, and I think "Lorcan" might confuse readers.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2019-06-06 06:19:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I do think the word duende needs to be included in the English version, because Lorca's lecture, which is what "garcilorquiano" refers to, is about that particular Spanish word. But as John suggests, it would be useful to add an explanation because there will be readers who won't understand it. You could perhaps do it like this:
"Duende, that magical spirit defined by Lorca, could be felt in Carlos Urbaneja's piano-playing and Luigi Sciamanna's performance at the Quinta de Anauco. It was an exceptional event, one of aesthetic emotion."
I think "emerged" could work in English, suggesting the appearance of a magical spirit in the room. But on balance I think I'd prefer to say "could be felt", expressing it in terms of the listener's perception.
I would put "piano-playing", rather than just "piano", because that's what it really means, and it forms a better parallel with actuación.
"Aesthetic emotion" is not a quotation from Lorca, so I don't think Phil's suggestion applies. It's a term coined by the critic. I wouldn't put it in quotation marks in English.
I think you should reflect the comma in "Fue un momento privilegiado, de \'emoción estética\'". It means "Fue un momento privilegiado, un momento de \'emoción estética\'". I suggest "event", because "moment" would suggest that it happened at one particular point in the performance, but the author seems to mean that duende was present throughout and lasted for an extended period. "Moment" is more temporally limited in English than "momento" in Spanish.
By the way, if you're translating into American English, "aesthetic" (British spelling) should be "esthetic".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2019-06-06 06:23:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
(One most small point: you would call this a review in English, not a critique.)
Note from asker:
| Thank you for your answer. It was very informative and knowledgeable. Actually, I used your suggestion to finally compose the beginning of the translation. I used "Duende" and explained briefly what Garcia Lorca meant by it as you said. I am most thankful. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Excellent! A very knowledgeable and informative answer. Again, thank you. =-)"
-1
3 hrs
Juan Arturo Blackmore Zerón
Mexico
Mexico
Native in Spanish
Works in field
Mexico
Confianza, certeza, creatividad.
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Mexican)
Works in: English to Spanish, Italian to Spanish, French to Spanish, and 6 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Garcilorcan muse
My opinion.
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Taña Dalglish
: There is not one credible English link to support either "Garcilorcan" (shorturl.at/dfwH4) or "muse" for that matter. Have you read Charles' entry?
2 hrs
|
1 day 26 mins
Christian [email protected]
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
United States
Architect/Translator for over 30 years
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
García Lorcaesque
Perhaps?
Reference comments
26 mins
Taña Dalglish
Jamaica
Jamaica
Native in English
Jamaica
Translating the Ideas Behind the Words
Native in: English (Variant: British)
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, French to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Reference:
Reference
Out of curiosity, how are you translating "duende"? (elf?). See this rather interesting piece: https://www.dictionary.com/e/duende/
In lists compiled by linguists and translators, it seems “duende” is a word that many experts regard as the hardest word in Spanish to convey in other languages.
In the dictionary, the word is listed as “elf” or “magic.” However, in actual practice, when the word shows up in text, it is rarely in the context of a woodland spirit, although that is where the word’s etymology begins.
In 1933 Spanish poet and theater director Federico Garcia Lorca gave a lecture in Buenos Aires titled “Play and Theory of the Duende” in which he addressed the fiery spirit behind what makes great performance stir the emotions:
“The duende, then, is a power, not a work. It is a struggle, not a thought. I have heard an old maestro of the guitar say, ”The duende is not in the throat; the duende climbs up inside you, from the soles of the feet.’ Meaning this: it is not a question of ability, but of true, living style, of blood, of the most ancient culture, of spontaneous creation … everything that has black sounds in it, has duende.”
So, could this quality be translated via the use of a calque as “black sounds?” That doesn’t quite work, although Lorca does use that term in describing the qualities of duende. A meaning for the untranslatable usually ends up being borrowed from the original language and becoming a loan word.
The word “duende” often represents an emotion or response to a selected piece of art. Perhaps this is exactly what makes it so difficult to translate; can you ever really translate a feeling? How would you translate this beautiful, if difficult concept into English?
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Note added at 28 mins (2019-06-05 22:26:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Of course, just adding to what Charles said (I did not see his entry prior to posting this reference).
In lists compiled by linguists and translators, it seems “duende” is a word that many experts regard as the hardest word in Spanish to convey in other languages.
In the dictionary, the word is listed as “elf” or “magic.” However, in actual practice, when the word shows up in text, it is rarely in the context of a woodland spirit, although that is where the word’s etymology begins.
In 1933 Spanish poet and theater director Federico Garcia Lorca gave a lecture in Buenos Aires titled “Play and Theory of the Duende” in which he addressed the fiery spirit behind what makes great performance stir the emotions:
“The duende, then, is a power, not a work. It is a struggle, not a thought. I have heard an old maestro of the guitar say, ”The duende is not in the throat; the duende climbs up inside you, from the soles of the feet.’ Meaning this: it is not a question of ability, but of true, living style, of blood, of the most ancient culture, of spontaneous creation … everything that has black sounds in it, has duende.”
So, could this quality be translated via the use of a calque as “black sounds?” That doesn’t quite work, although Lorca does use that term in describing the qualities of duende. A meaning for the untranslatable usually ends up being borrowed from the original language and becoming a loan word.
The word “duende” often represents an emotion or response to a selected piece of art. Perhaps this is exactly what makes it so difficult to translate; can you ever really translate a feeling? How would you translate this beautiful, if difficult concept into English?
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 28 mins (2019-06-05 22:26:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Of course, just adding to what Charles said (I did not see his entry prior to posting this reference).
Note from asker:
| Taña, thank you very much for your notes. They were very informative too. Best regards. |
Peer comments on this reference comment:
| agree |
Helena Chavarria
14 mins
|
|
Thank you so much Helena.
|
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| agree |
JohnMcDove
5 hrs
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Many thanks John.
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