Jun 1, 2011 05:48
12 yrs ago
Spanish term

le marchtaban

Spanish to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
Tendría unos quince años y aunque la comida escasa, el agua mala, el desaliño y la rustiquez le marchitaban la juventud, bajo aquella miseria de mugre y greñas hirsutas se adivinaba un rostro de facciones perfectas.

She was about fifteen years old and despite the lack of food, the bad water, the untidiness and the bad manners fade away her youth, under that misery of dirt and wiry untidy hair it make out a face of perfect features.

Proposed translations

+1
1 hr
Spanish term (edited): le marchitaban
Selected

although...were eating away at/ robbing her of/taken their toll on her youth, below the misery...

This evil surrounds her, draining her life force and eating away at her youth. She looks to the sky, an endless sea of black smoke and gas. ...
"Marchitar" is a verb in Spanish, but I would reword this sentence to make it less awkward.. Either of the traditional translations (fade or wither) could be used by restructuring: She was 15 years old and though...her youth/youthfulness was fading/whithering away due to... Examples of eating away/robbing her (and another option "taking its/their toll": his evil surrounds her, draining her life force and eating away at her youth. She looks to the sky, an endless sea of black smoke and gas. ...
www.themedullareview.com/Kris_Duffy.html - En caché; Ten years of endless struggles had taken their toll: her youth was gone and she ...
en.wikipedia.org/.../Maria_Luisa_of_Spain,_Duchess_of_Lucca - En caché - Similares;When Veronica's transmigrations start robbing her of her youth, Dominic realizes the true paradox of the situation; and, ultimately finds himself faced with ...; as well as time, had taken their toll on her appearance. ... Maintaining her youth and vitality became central to this developing plot; ...
abacom.com/~jkrause/bathory.html - En caché - Similares
www.leftfromhollywood.com/.../Youth Without Youth (4).htm - En caché;
Peer comment(s):

agree franglish
6 mins
Cheers and thanks, franglish.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
31 mins
Spanish term (edited): le marchitaban

were withering ... away

... were withering her youth away

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Note added at 32 mins (2011-06-01 06:21:10 GMT)
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"... and although ..." instead of "... despite ..."
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33 mins

languish / fade away

Saludos

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Note added at 33 minutos (2011-06-01 06:22:07 GMT)
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fading away...
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