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pluma a comer y cenar

English translation: \"quills\" [large bird] for lunch and dinner / untranslatable play on words!!

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:pluma a comer y cenar
English translation:\"quills\" [large bird] for lunch and dinner / untranslatable play on words!!
Entered by: Lydia De Jorge

23:42 Jul 1, 2019
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / poesía barroca española - JÁCARA NUEVA DE LA ZANGARILLEJA
Spanish term or phrase: pluma a comer y cenar
Another from the same jácara. Thank you for your input!


De las cinco reglas,
solo la zangarilleja
aprendió a multiplicar,
¡zarandillo y andar!

Aunque pudo por discreta
la zangarilleja
en las cuatro consumar,
¡zarandillo y andar!

A escribir, si por tener
la zangarilleja
**pluma a comer y cenar,**
¡zarandillo y andar!
Lydia De Jorge
United States
Local time: 18:37
"plume/pen" [pork's boneless flank] for lunch and dinner / untranslatable play on words!!
Explanation:
pluma

Primary meaning,

(All definitions from DRAE)

12. f. Pieza del cerdo posterior a la presa.

Plays with these other meanings,

3. f. pluma de ave que, cortada convenientemente en la extremidad del cañón, servía para escribir.

8. f. Estilo o manera de escribir. Escribe con pluma mordaz.

9. f. Profesión o ejercicio de la escritura. María vive de la pluma.

Presa:

12. f. Pieza del cerdo en forma de abanico situada por encima de la paleta.

https://www.elespanol.com/cocinillas/recetas/carne/20190305/...

http://www.expansion.com/fueradeserie/gastro/2017/02/13/5894...

In so many words, looks like he is saying that she was illiterate, as the only "pluma" (pen) she would have, would be the pork she would eat for lunch and dinner.

The other nuance is that by eating pork, that indicated she had no Jewish blood.

Good luck on rendering this into English!


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Note added at 3 hrs (2019-07-02 03:19:07 GMT)
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You're welcome, Lydia!

I understand your feelings!

Hey, maybe there is some good play on words you could find with "eating a pen for lunch and dinner..." Mmm... Ufff! This is a challenge and a half, to say the least. Maybe some archaic word similar to pen?

With some poetic license, you might find something with a feather... ?



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Note added at 20 hrs (2019-07-02 20:08:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hey, what about using "quills"?

That is,

3 quills

another term for penne
‘a dish of pasta quills tossed in a spicy tomato sauce’

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/quill

Or maybe something with "penne" for lunch and dinner?

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/penne

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2019-07-08 16:04:57 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome!

Thanks to Carol and Charles for their aVe-some input!!! ;-)
Selected response from:

JohnMcDove
United States
Local time: 16:37
Grading comment
Thank you once more! I adapted based on your suggestion.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3"plume/pen" [pork's boneless flank] for lunch and dinner / untranslatable play on words!!
JohnMcDove
Summary of reference entries provided
José Patrício

Discussion entries: 25





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"plume/pen" [pork's boneless flank] for lunch and dinner / untranslatable play on words!!


Explanation:
pluma

Primary meaning,

(All definitions from DRAE)

12. f. Pieza del cerdo posterior a la presa.

Plays with these other meanings,

3. f. pluma de ave que, cortada convenientemente en la extremidad del cañón, servía para escribir.

8. f. Estilo o manera de escribir. Escribe con pluma mordaz.

9. f. Profesión o ejercicio de la escritura. María vive de la pluma.

Presa:

12. f. Pieza del cerdo en forma de abanico situada por encima de la paleta.

https://www.elespanol.com/cocinillas/recetas/carne/20190305/...

http://www.expansion.com/fueradeserie/gastro/2017/02/13/5894...

In so many words, looks like he is saying that she was illiterate, as the only "pluma" (pen) she would have, would be the pork she would eat for lunch and dinner.

The other nuance is that by eating pork, that indicated she had no Jewish blood.

Good luck on rendering this into English!


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2019-07-02 03:19:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome, Lydia!

I understand your feelings!

Hey, maybe there is some good play on words you could find with "eating a pen for lunch and dinner..." Mmm... Ufff! This is a challenge and a half, to say the least. Maybe some archaic word similar to pen?

With some poetic license, you might find something with a feather... ?



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 20 hrs (2019-07-02 20:08:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hey, what about using "quills"?

That is,

3 quills

another term for penne
‘a dish of pasta quills tossed in a spicy tomato sauce’

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/quill

Or maybe something with "penne" for lunch and dinner?

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/penne

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2019-07-08 16:04:57 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome!

Thanks to Carol and Charles for their aVe-some input!!! ;-)

JohnMcDove
United States
Local time: 16:37
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Thank you once more! I adapted based on your suggestion.
Notes to answerer
Asker: I'm about to eat my pen!. ;-) Thank you, John. Quite helpful.

Asker: I'll have to get creative... perhaps tomorrow with fresh eyes.

Asker: Pen is also the corral where pigs are kept. Maybe I can play with those two words.

Asker: Hi John! I have opted to use 'quills' as in 'plumas de ganso'. Thank you for all your help!

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Reference comments


54 mins
Reference

Reference information:
Yo no se de cuando es el texto, pero hasta el siglo XVI, las dos lenguas eram lo mismo: https://www.dicio.com.br/emplumar/
plumar - Variação de emplumar. - [Figurado] Pavonearse, envanecerse. engreirse
feather in one's cap: If you describe something that someone has achieved as a feather in their cap, you mean that they can be proud of it or that it might bring them some advantage.- https://www.collinsdictionary.com/pt/dictionary/english/feat...
swank [verb] a slang word for swagger - to behave or talk in a conceited way.
plumear - 2. (Méx) (= ser prostituta) → to be on the game - https://es.thefreedictionary.com/plumear

José Patrício
Portugal
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
Note to reference poster
Asker: El problema es que estas definiciones no parecen encajar en este contexto. Por lo menos yo no lo veo. 'A escribir, si por tener pluma a comer y cenar'

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