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words clipped at the edges

Spanish translation: palabras seleccionadas cuidadosamente

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:words clipped at the edges
Spanish translation:palabras seleccionadas cuidadosamente
Entered by: Lydia De Jorge

10:44 May 17, 2020
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / idiomatic expression
English term or phrase: words clipped at the edges
Hello everyone,
I found this expression in a novel, "Her words sound clipped at the edges". The character is trying to be nice in a tense situation, does it means that she is talking softly but her voice sounds cold or artificial?
Thanks in advance for your help!!
Best regards
María
María San Raimundo Vega
Spain
Local time: 03:14
palabras seleccionadas cuidadosamente
Explanation:
Me parece que se cuidaba de usar las palabras correctas para salvaguardar sus emociones.
Selected response from:

Lydia De Jorge
United States
Local time: 20:14
Grading comment
Sí, creo que estás en lo cierto, ¡gracias!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3palabras entrecortadas
Jesús de Cos
3 +1tajantes
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
3 +1(Parecía) cortar el aire con sus palabras
Mónica Algazi
4[hablaba] entrecortadamente, sin terminar las palabras
Marta Moreno Lobera
4palabras seleccionadas cuidadosamente
Lydia De Jorge


  

Answers


18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
tajantes


Explanation:
Creo que "tajante" recoge bien la idea.
Sugerencias de traducción libre según el contexto:

- "sus palabras suenan amables/suaves pero tajantes"
- "sus palabras son educadas/suaves/tranquilas pero tajantes"
- "con palabras amables/educadas/suaves/tranquilas pero tajantes"


Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Spain
Local time: 03:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 1758
Notes to answerer
Asker: ¡Muchas gracias!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rebecca Reddin: Quizá es un poco fuerte, pero es más bien esta idea.
7 days
  -> Gracias Rebeca - Bea
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
palabras entrecortadas


Explanation:
Posiblemente tu traducción es la correcta, María. No obstante, y a riesgo de aumentar la confusión en vez de aclarar las cosas, sugiero: "palabras entrecortadas", porque es lo que me sugiere "clipped" usado como adjetivo de words. Si la persona estaba nerviosa, parece comprensible que su respiración alterada provocase este recorte de las palabras.

Example sentence(s):
  • hablaba con palabras entrecortadas
Jesús de Cos
Spain
Local time: 03:14
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
Notes to answerer
Asker: ¡Muchas gracias!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Toni Castano: Creo que se refiere simplemente a "to clip words", es decir, "to shorten them", probablemente en sus extremos (edges), aunque de esto último no estoy tan seguro.
1 hr
agree  patinba
2 hrs
agree  Sonia García
9 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
(Parecía) cortar el aire con sus palabras


Explanation:
Otra posibilidad.

Mónica Algazi
Uruguay
Local time: 22:14
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 443
Notes to answerer
Asker: ¡Muchas gracias!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rebecca Reddin: Confirma el ambiente negativo de una forma en la que no sé si "seleccionar palabras" llega a transmitir.
7 days
  -> Gracias, Rebecca.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
[hablaba] entrecortadamente, sin terminar las palabras


Explanation:
Es decir, con intermitencias, como trabándose. En este caso, no termina de pronunciar las palabras (las emite inacabadas), puede ser como reacción ante la situación en que se encuentra el personaje.

Marta Moreno Lobera
Spain
Local time: 03:14
Works in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 112
Notes to answerer
Asker: ¡Muchas gracias!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
palabras seleccionadas cuidadosamente


Explanation:
Me parece que se cuidaba de usar las palabras correctas para salvaguardar sus emociones.

Lydia De Jorge
United States
Local time: 20:14
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 303
Grading comment
Sí, creo que estás en lo cierto, ¡gracias!
Notes to answerer
Asker: ¡Muchas gracias!

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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