Ayuda con una traducción

Question

Hi all, I'm trying to translate an article and I'm not quite sure how to translate this line:

"But there’s something also there of smoothed veneer, of guardedness … but I’m still left with this feeling of … a bit of a wall—the veil."

My attempt:

"Pero he ahí también una cuidada fachada, una gran cautela... pero y persiste en mí la sensación de.. una barrera--el un manto (de misterio)."

Thank you

I'l vote you up, to get more answers, very difficult one! - annierats, May 5, 2012

It's about a person who's supposedly hiding something from the rest of the world, if I say who that is it may become a political argument, therefore a mess - diagonx, May 5, 2012

smoothed??? whats that? - Rey_Mysterio, May 5, 2012

smooth es como pulir, en este caso creo que se refiere al cuidado de la fachada(veneer) que tiene para no se expuesto. - diagonx, May 5, 2012

I've made afinal attempt, based more on the percieved meaning.. - annierats, May 6, 2012

Answer 1

Bueno, intento de nuevo:: Los hombres políticos son misteriosos y nunca los veamos en la luz del día ...(this is a very loose tranlation, a summary!)

I'll have a proper go tomorrow if it's still up for an answer.. - annierats, May 5, 2012

Thank you! - diagonx, May 5, 2012

Answer 2

But I feel that you carefully filter everything in your mind and heart—legitimate, admirable, really—a strength, a necessity in terms of some kind of integrity. But there’s something also there of smoothed veneer, of guardedness … but I’m still left with this feeling of … a bit of a wall—the veil.

Siento como te filtras todo en tu mente y en tu corazón, este sea de verdad legítimo admirable, algo de fuerza cuando hablamos de un típo de integridad. Pero hay tambén algo en tí, algo cautelosa com si tu te escondes detrás una chapa lizada.. A veces tengo la sensacion que pueda ver algo de la pared escondida por la vela.

This is my best attempt, to convey what might be the meaning. A very, very difficult article, Diagonx, your own attempt is surely as good as any. I have no idea if 'filtrar' is a good verb.. In fact , it's beyond me but I have tried. Thanks for giving me the opportunity anyway.

Thanks a lot annie!! I finally sticked to my first attempt, it really couldn't be really translated literally, ahd to be given a context. - diagonx, May 6, 2012

Answer 3

Hay también algo de chapa lijada, cautelosa .. ni siquiera me queda con una sensación de que....un trozo de pared velado.

This is a brave attempt as the English makes little sense without more context , is it about awall or is it figurative, about a person? If it's about a person, I have to do a re-write

. I hope my version helps, it's largely guesswork.

Good luck with the wall!

I believe that it is figurative. The wall represents the unseen/unknown. - kdrinning, May 5, 2012

Ok, I took it as an instruction for DIY building... - annierats, May 5, 2012

Plkease send a longer bit of the text, I have no feel of what it is saying.. - annierats, May 5, 2012

Answer 4

This is the whole paragraph:

And as you say, it’s not a question of intent on your part—or deliberate withholding—you feel accessible, and you are, in disarming ways. But I feel that you carefully filter everything in your mind and heart—legitimate, admirable, really—a strength, a necessity in terms of some kind of integrity. But there’s something also there of smoothed veneer, of guardedness … but I’m still left with this feeling of … a bit of a wall—the veil.

You may read the whole piece here

As I said before I'm just translating it, not opening a discussion - diagonx, May 5, 2012

Diagonix, it will have to wait until tomorrow. I totally misunderstood. And there is a Swedish program on TV, for once.. - annierats, May 5, 2012

Answer 5

The spanish version?

Yep, what do you think of my try, did it lose its meaning?? - diagonx, May 5, 2012

Answer 6

But there’s something also there of smoothed veneer, of guardedness … but I’m still left with this feeling of … a bit of a wall—the veil.

Pero hay también algo alli de suavizada enchapado, de un gran cautela...pero esta sentir restos de...un poco de la pared-de misterio.

This is how I would say it without looking at your attempt. I was afraid that it would confuse me.

Read my attemp and tell me! the thing is I didn't want it to be so literal - diagonx, May 5, 2012

I think that your attempt is very good. The only thing is that it sounds a little less mysterious than the original. - kdrinning, May 5, 2012

Answer 7

See corrections in text that someone made.

Those were made by me cause I think Y and UN fit better than the original words "but" and "the" - diagonx, May 5, 2012

Ah, so you are trying to translate from English. I don't know why I was confused. - kdrinning, May 5, 2012