"retomar el camino recto"
1
vote
"Pero si ahora demuestra que tiene intenciones de trabajar y retomar el camino recto, es posible que el tribunal lo tenga en consideración y sea más indulgente."
..
"But if he now shows that he intends to work and get back on track, the court may take it into consideration and be more lenient."
..
What do you think?
- get back on track
- get back on the straight and narrow
As always, any comments and ideas are very much appreciated. Gracias! 
1570 views
updated May 21, 2011
edited by amy_moreno
posted by amy_moreno
Typos - es posible, consideración - KevinB, May 20, 2011
Gracias Kevin, debería tener más cuidado con mis typos! :) - amy_moreno, May 20, 2011
thE straight and narow; appreciatEd - hhmdirocco, May 20, 2011
This is probably obvious to you, but to some others it may not be: since the subject of your opening conditional clause is third person, singular (él/Ud.) and is not specified, it could also be translated as, "But if YOU now ... , etc." - hhmdirocco, May 20, 2011
Also, it should be "retornar AL camino recto," since he is returning TO the right way, and not returning (giving back) the right way. - hhmdirocco, May 20, 2011
Given the context and the construction of the full sentence, "y retomar el camino recto" is a perfectly correct and natural thing to say in Spanish. Nothing wrong with it. - Gekkosan, May 20, 2011
Gracias hhmdirocco and Gekkosan :) - amy_moreno, May 21, 2011
3 Answers
2
votes
I believe the "straight and narrow" option is closer to the Spanish meaning. It's not getting back on schedule, it's behaving according to the norm.
updated May 20, 2011
posted by Gekkosan
0
votes
Amy, in this case it would sound more natural, at least to me, to say "regresarse al camino derecho."
updated May 21, 2011
posted by 005faa61
Right Julian, but you know how judges and legal writers like to wax poetical. I guess they feel more authoritative if they can sound somewhat biblical. - hhmdirocco, May 20, 2011
I hadn't thought of that before, hhmdirocco, it does make sense that, in this setting and situation, they would lean towards something with religious undertones. - amy_moreno, May 21, 2011
0
votes
how about ...retake the right/correct way/path?
get back on the right/correct track/path?
updated May 20, 2011
posted by chileno
