Plural vs singular conjugations for reflexive verbs
Thread poster: Caiman
Caiman
Caiman
United States
Local time: 19:06
Spanish to English
Jan 4, 2019

Here is a dilemma I constantly encounter in my translations. Here is an example, taken from an academic test report.

- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observaron ocho errores en la mecánica

- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observó ocho errores en la mecánica

Which is correct?

I get that we are trying to say "were observed" which is a passive / reflexive grammatical d
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Here is a dilemma I constantly encounter in my translations. Here is an example, taken from an academic test report.

- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observaron ocho errores en la mecánica

- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observó ocho errores en la mecánica

Which is correct?

I get that we are trying to say "were observed" which is a passive / reflexive grammatical device that seems appropriate. My confusion stems from the fact that it was the test administrator that observed the errors, rather than the errors themselves. So wouldn't the 2nd option be correct? And if so, why does Google Translate consistently produce the former grammatical construction. Thanks....
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Yaotl Altan
 
Angie Garbarino
Angie Garbarino  Identity Verified
Local time: 00:06
Member (2003)
French to Italian
+ ...
Observaron Jan 8, 2019

No soy nativa y hago muchos errores, pero creo que siendo 8 errores, lo correcto tiene que ser observaron, esperamos lo que opinan los nativos

I am not native and I do many mistakes in Spanish, but I think that OBSERVARON is correct, as the errors involved are 8, but wait for the Spanish native's opinion



[Edited at 2019-01-08 13:1
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No soy nativa y hago muchos errores, pero creo que siendo 8 errores, lo correcto tiene que ser observaron, esperamos lo que opinan los nativos

I am not native and I do many mistakes in Spanish, but I think that OBSERVARON is correct, as the errors involved are 8, but wait for the Spanish native's opinion



[Edited at 2019-01-08 13:16 GMT]
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Yolanda Broad
Yaotl Altan
 
Leopoldo Gurman
Leopoldo Gurman
United States
Local time: 19:06
English to Spanish
The first one is correct (I would shorten it) Jan 8, 2019

This one is gramatically correct:
- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observaron ocho errores en la mecánica.
Though I would shorten it to something like:
- Se notó un error de semántica y gramática, y ocho errores en la mecánica.
And perhaps get rid of the passive voice:
- Notamos/encontramos un error de semántica y gramática, y ocho errores en la mecánica.

Finally, I'm curious about the translation of "mechani
... See more
This one is gramatically correct:
- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observaron ocho errores en la mecánica.
Though I would shorten it to something like:
- Se notó un error de semántica y gramática, y ocho errores en la mecánica.
And perhaps get rid of the passive voice:
- Notamos/encontramos un error de semántica y gramática, y ocho errores en la mecánica.

Finally, I'm curious about the translation of "mechanics". Wouldn't you go for "ortotipografía" or "uso de signos ortográficos" instead of "mecánica"?

There is concordance error here, which translates as "Errors was observed".
- Se notó un error en la semántica y la gramática, mientras que se observó ocho errores en la mecánica.

[Edited at 2019-01-08 13:25 GMT]

[Edited at 2019-01-08 13:26 GMT]
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María G. Lagartera
Yolanda Broad
 
Michele Fauble
Michele Fauble  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 16:06
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
Subject position in Spanish Jan 8, 2019

I think you’re confused because the subject is after the verb in your examples.
‘Se notó un error.’ ‘Se observaron ocho errores’.
‘Un error’, ‘ocho errores’ are subjects, not objects, and so the verb agrees with them.


Rachel Fell
 
Kirsten Larsen (X)
Kirsten Larsen (X)
Spain
Spanish to Danish
+ ...
Esto te puede ayudar. Jan 8, 2019

Aquí te lo explica.
http://www.rae.es/consultas/se-venden-casas-se-buscan-actores-frente-se-busca-los-culpables

Kirsten

[Editado a las 2019-01-08 22:28 GMT]


Walter Landesman
Angie Garbarino
Michele Fauble
mareug
 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 17:06
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
And the winner is... Jan 15, 2019

I would use "se observaron 8 errores".

Angie Garbarino
 


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Plural vs singular conjugations for reflexive verbs






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