Translations for embozar

Question

Over the years and while reading the many stories written by José Milla about old Guatemala, he uses the word *embozar(se) quite often. In searching many, many on-line dictionaries, I have never been completely satisfied with how I am translating the word. For example: Como a las once don Fernando se ciñó la espada, trabó dos pistolas en el talabarte, se embozó en su capa .... Often I might translate that relevant part as "..he disguised himself in his cape". Or, "concealed his face in his cape". Or, "muffled himself in his cape". Anyone have any other variations?

Another example: No tardó en encontrarse a poca distancia del carretón, que vió tirado por dos mulas, que conducía un hombre embozado.

... un hombre embozado: a masked man. a muzzled man. a man whose face was concealed / hidden by his cape. a disguised man.

Other thoughts, anyone? anyone? (with apologies to Ferris Bueller).

Answer 1

Here from the RAE:

embozar.

1. transitive. Cubrir el rostro por la parte inferior hasta las narices o los ojos. Usado. más. como. pronominal.

2. transitive. Disfrazar, ocultar con palabras o con acciones algo para que no se entienda fácilmente.

3. tr. Aragón. Obstruir un conducto.

4. tr. anticuado. Contener, refrenar.

Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

I think that "to cloak" sounds reasonable...We cloak ideas in language to make them sound better or in the case we do not want others to understand what we are saying easily, don't we?

agreed. - Beatrice-Codder, Feb 17, 2011

Yes. It all depends on what part or motive of the action that you want to highlight. If it's the act of drawing it over it's one thing, and if it's the intent of concealment it's another. That was what I was going for. - Echoline, Feb 17, 2011

Answer 2

....oh...what about sometimes "envelope" (pronounced en vél op, accent on the second syllable)

I found that translation in a Spanish-German dictionary...then translated the German to English.

Answer 3

English does have a verb "to cloak"...perhaps antiquated, but ....

ps., what does the RAE say? Let me look myself.

Answer 4

I think that you have run up against one of those words that has many ways to say it in English, but none of them as elegantly as it is said in Spanish with the word "embozar". As far as I know, we do not have a single verb that conveys that motion if one is using a cape. I would guess that, at least in America, we do not have a traditionj of wearing capes. Perhaps there is an archaic word for it that I am not familiar with, but we certainly wouldn't use the word "muffled", as, at least here, the drawing of a cape over one's face would be perceived as an attempt to conceal one's features, not one's voice.