Nada más - any other connotation?

Question

The Spanish version of the book I'm reading goes: "Nada más empezar a recorrer el dibujo con la mirada."

While the English version says: "As his gaze began to trace the inlay."

Which obviously makes sense, but where does nada más fit in?

I cut and pasted them literally, so there's no omission of comma or anything.

If you happen to ask why I didn't consult the machine first, this is how the machine translation goes: "Very beginning to explore the drawing with his eyes."

Answer 1

Hi, babalou! welcome to the forum!

"Nada más empezar" means "as soon as he began", hence the "as his gaze began..."

Not even a second had passed since he began, nothing passed since he began.

I am not sure of that cogumela, to say that the statement means that It has to say: "Nada más empezó" - Dakie, Jan 12, 2011

No estoy de acuerdo, Dakie. "Tan pronto como empezó" o "nada más empezar" son correctos. Seguro que no dirías "justo al empezó" :) - cogumela, Jan 12, 2011

Answer 2

Similar to the English "he no sooner began to ... ".

Answer 3

You are missing some context here such as a prior sentence or more of the sentence you have posted. If it were something like ¿Qué tenía que hacer para resolver el misterio? Nada más empezar a recorrer el dibujo con la mirada., then "Nada más" would be the same as "Sólo" or "Solamente."

Thank you. - babalou, Jan 12, 2011

Answer 4

I could be near to write that It's wrong because actually It doesn't mean the same thing but maybe the posterior or previous context explains what does the spanish translator wanted to say, why don't you write it please?.