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Conservación y restauración del Patrimonio Cultural Edificado

Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

aguada

English translation:

limp

Added to glossary by Michael Powers (PhD)
Jun 17, 2007 22:23
16 yrs ago
9 viewers *
Spanish term

aguada

May offend Spanish to English Other Slang slang from Guatemala
I assume in this context it either means a hardon and not limp, but since this is going to court, I would like confirmation.

Suspect Ajá

Interpreter Somos adultos.

Suspect Ajá

Interpreter Nada de lo que vas a explicar a nosotros, va a … Oímos todo.

Suspect Ajá.

Interpreter [pointing to the Detective] ¿Puedes enseñárle a él, como fue?

L.Ortiz Bueno, yo estaba en el baño. Ya que estaba en el baño, ella se paró aquí. Eso es cuando la agarré la mano y se la, aquí.

Interpreter ¿Por cuánto tiempo?

L. Ortiz Ella solamente me tocó y me la guardé.

Interpreter She touched it.

Detective Were you excited? Did you have an erection?

Interpreter ¿El pene estaba duro cuando pasó?

Detective No sé cómo estaba. ¿Cómo? No estaba aguada porque estaba orinando.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 limp
Change log

Jun 17, 2007 22:32: Michael Powers (PhD) changed "Field (specific)" from "Linguistics" to "Slang"

Discussion

Alan R King Jun 18, 2007:
Marcelo: You're right, I wasn't saying NOT limp, I meant it CAN also be limp in the context (my syntax was ambiguous). That's why I was AGREEing with you, not DISAGREEing! I've edited my note to clarify. Whatever its extension, definitely means this in CA
Alan R King Jun 18, 2007:
Further notes: There's nothing obscene about the word "aguado". It's not slang, but ordinary regional Spanish, unmarked for register in this region. Anything soft=blando can be aguado (a bed, skin...). BTW it does not mean "watery" (as it would in Spain).
Henry Hinds Jun 17, 2007:
3.- The interpreter's renderings suffer heavily from what is called "Third Language Syndrome"; you probably know the term and can use it to explain. Pop it into Google for more info.
Henry Hinds Jun 17, 2007:
Interesting series, Mike.

1.- Do you have an idea of the suspect's nationality?

2.- Also, do not hesitate to include a note explaining the interpreter's obvious incompetence, poor command of Spanish and unprofessionalism.
Joseph Tein Jun 17, 2007:
To find the NAJIT web site, and register to receive mail from the listserve: http://www.najit.org/
Joseph Tein Jun 17, 2007:
Michael, for you and anyone else interested, the NAJIT list is a great forum for discussing legal interpreting issues, vocabulary and terminology, and just about anything else relating to the legal/court interpreting profession.
Michael Powers (PhD) (asker) Jun 17, 2007:
NAJIT Joseph, I appreciate the list. I am a member of NAJIT even though I have not participated hardlly at all nor do I know what it does. I will need to be more active with it. I joined it after it successfully got federally certified interpreters a raise for the first time in many years some years back. I reallly appreciate what it did for me and many colleagues.
Joseph Tein Jun 17, 2007:
... [email protected]. You can get answers from a whole group of helpful, expert, competent judicial interpreters, who also 'have heard it all' and got paid to translate it!
Joseph Tein Jun 17, 2007:
I notice that the interpreter isn't translating all of the suspect's words ... like 'me la guardé' or the detective's ...'Were you excited'? (unless you're leaving out some transcribed text). Try the NAJIT listserve also for help with slang terms ...

Proposed translations

+4
9 mins
Selected

limp

With the context, I would guess that a comma is missing in there and it should be "No, estaba aguada porque estaba orinando." It makes more sense for the penis to be limp if the individual is peeing at the time.

If there is no comma and no mistake, you're right, it would mean "it wasn't limp because I was urinating," which doesn't make that much sense to me.
Note from asker:
I agree with you logical entirely, but after listening to more of it, I am sure there was no pause. We cannot assume that he is really telling everything as it actually was, obviously, given the repercussions.
Peer comment(s):
agree Henry Hinds : With or w/o comma or pause this defintely makes sense. One would have to hear it of course, and the interpreter was completely unprofessional.
20 mins
Thanks Henry....same opinion over here.
agree AZjuancarlos
5 hrs
agree Alan R King : Aguado means soft, limp (in this context), not hard/firm [SEE MY NOTE ABOVE]. I lived in El Salvador (next door to Guate), and my wife is from there. With or without a pause, it can only mean that. Not standard Spanish; cf "blando, flojo" in Eur. Spanish
8 hrs
Oops, I obviously got your original comment wrong! Anyway, yes, you're definitely right!
agree Juan Jacob : Aguada Vs. dura, simple.
1 day 1 hr
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks, Mike :)"
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