A propósito de huesos
I wonder if a propósito means by the way here or if something different. Context follows.
- ¿Hay algo que podemos ir haciendo?
- Is there something that we can (start) doing? (IR + gerundio = slowly start)
- Si, prácticas de caminar sin arrastrar sus huesos por el suelo.
- Yes , practice walking with dragging your bones (knuckles) on the floor
- Albert, a propósito de huesos. Una vez le tumbé de un puñetazo, y me sentí mal después de hacerlo. La próxima vez voy a sentir un gran placer.
- Albert, by the way about bones. One time I knocked you over with a punch, and I felt bad after doing it. Next time I am going to feel really good about it.
Gracias.
5 Answers
In the dictionary it says that it can mean "in regards to". I would say that a more natural translation would be "Speaking of bones..."
"a proposito," ought to mean "regarding the afore mentioned" (as does the English usage of the French "á propos"). However, in actual usage, it is also used to mean "by the way" (signaling a shift in topic [perhaps, short for "a proposito de nada"]). This, however, applies to its use to begin a sentence. "A proposito de ... "(followed by some sort of topic [usually a noun]), should introduce additional information related to the topic under discussion.
Doesn't anyone else think this is a very strange exchange? Neither the dragging one's bones by the on the floor bit, not the one about "about bones, I punched him /you once.." make a whole lot of sense to me, either in English or Spanish!
Si, prácticas de caminar sin arrastrar sus huesos por el suelo. This sentence is strange because it starts with "If" unless the missing accent mark is a mistake, "Practice" is in present indicative (Tú), and should be imperative. "Sus" doesn't match "Tú" so the whole sentence should be one or the other, "Tú" or "Usted." And "de" isn't necessary before "caminar."
Nevertheless, your translation is right.
Twin Peaks is amazing and I higly suggest all people watch it in both languages!!
