Se Había Puesto, etc.

Question

Hola,

I'm still on chapter 3 of Da Vinci Code and I feel exhausted cracking on this particular paragraph. My resources are my Mexican officemate who has poor English and therefore a suspect, a Colombian who is much more educated but still a suspect and not into novels, and the translating machine. I have already consulted them and they have varying intepretations.

This scene is when the program announcer is introducing the main protagonist as a speaker and is being flattered to his chagrin.

Langdon esbozó una sonrisa de compromiso. Sabía lo que venía a continuación, una frase ridícula que decía algo de «Harrison Ford con traje de tweed», y como aquella tarde se había creído estar a salvo de todo aquello y se había puesto, en efecto, su tweed y su suéter Burberry de cuello alto, decidió anticiparse a los hechos.

My own interpretation: He knew what would come next. She will say about that ridiculous phrase that said something about HFord in tweed and like that afternoon he believed he is saved from all those but in effect, he had worn his tweed and high-collared Burberry sweater, decided to anticipate the events.

My thoughts: The protagonist knew what will happen in that event fearful of being teased but he still decided to wear those eye-catching tweed and high collar sweater. It doesn't make sense!

Is se había puesto here means 'had been' or 'had worn'? With regards to the last phrase "decidió anticiparse a los hechos", I could have interpreted it wrongly throwing off the real meaning of the thought.

I don't know if I'm spilling my stupidity here but please help me solve this puzzle. Thanks.

Answer 1

Babalou, welcome to the forum

I don't know if I'm spilling my stupidity here but please help me solve this puzzle. Thanks.

Great sense of humour!

I loved your "suspects", jeje

In this case you are right, he had put on his tweed, his coat that is.

Ponerse = to put on

is being flattered to his chagrin.

New word, interesting, hacerle la pelota

We need one more piece of context: what is he going to talk about?

He leído el libro y no tengo ni idea de qué va este párrafo,

I don't know your level,, but this is a hard task you are facing, my friend

Thank you for answering, He will talk on his expertise as a symbologist but the lady introducing him keep on flattering him on his looks. If I can get an answer to this I better borrow an English verison of this novel in the library. Thanks. - babalou, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 2

Babalou,

I have been using a Spanish translation of the Da Vinci code as a learning tool myself. I read passages, mark the words and phrases I don't understand, and have created a chapter-by-chapter listing of those as a reference. Slow, but an enjoyable (for me) way to build on my vocabulary. It's also helpful that I know the story well enough that there are many phrases that I can figure out based on the context of the scene.

Let me know how this has been working for you.

Answer 3

Try reading it this way: se había puesto (en efecto) su tweed y su suéter Burberry de cuello alto...

so, he was wearing a tweed and a burberry´s sweater - veroz, Jan 4, 2011

Answer 4

I'll leave the natives to help with the full translation but ponerse is one of the many verbs that can be translated as 'to become'