Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
Apenas un amago
English translation:
barely perceptible / fleeting gesture/poor effort/vain attempt
Added to glossary by
Kate Major Patience
Sep 29, 2008 11:11
15 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Spain
Analytical and creative (DipTrans, MA)
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, Galician to English, English
Apenas un amago
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Modern Novel
—Esto te lo ha preparado mi mujer... por haberle ayudado antes a subir la compra.
No pudo hacer otra cosa que corresponderle con lo más parecido a un gesto de gratitud. ***Apenas un amago***. Lo único que su cara de estúpido podía interpretar.
OK so one of the protagonists, a youngish guy, has slept with the butcher's wife. On passing the butcher's, the guy calls him over. Our hero thinks he's going to get a hiding, but in fact, he gets given a packet of lamb chops because the wife has told him that the young guy (who lives in the same building) helped her with her shopping. I'm not sure of the meaning of the above term in this context.
Thanks for your help in advance. Much appreciated. UK Eng please! :)
No pudo hacer otra cosa que corresponderle con lo más parecido a un gesto de gratitud. ***Apenas un amago***. Lo único que su cara de estúpido podía interpretar.
OK so one of the protagonists, a youngish guy, has slept with the butcher's wife. On passing the butcher's, the guy calls him over. Our hero thinks he's going to get a hiding, but in fact, he gets given a packet of lamb chops because the wife has told him that the young guy (who lives in the same building) helped her with her shopping. I'm not sure of the meaning of the above term in this context.
Thanks for your help in advance. Much appreciated. UK Eng please! :)
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
12 mins
Selected
barely perceptible / fleeting
Hi Kate,
In reference to the 'thank you' gesture. Might not work as a standalone sentence in English - perhaps blend it in with the previous sentence (though I'm not sure if stylistically recommendable).
Good luck!
Álvaro :O)
In reference to the 'thank you' gesture. Might not work as a standalone sentence in English - perhaps blend it in with the previous sentence (though I'm not sure if stylistically recommendable).
Good luck!
Álvaro :O)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks everyone. I actually went for "a poor effort" in the end, but this was the closest to what I used. Thanks again: great suggestions and explanations. :)"
+1
11 mins
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Spain
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Accredited translators 20 yrs experience
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
84
(with) a faint smile / a faint glimmer of gratitude / an outbreak of gratitude
Suerte
14 mins
barely noticeable
an option
1 hr
Nancy Cortell
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
Argentina
Eng Spa Portu Sworn Translator
Native in: English 
, Spanish
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, English to Portuguese, and 46 more.
Just an attempt
Amago is an attempt of doing something and usually not being very successful.
amago m
1 (señal) first sign: tiene un amago de bronquitis, he has a touch of bronchitis
2 (intento) attempt
3 fig (gesto de amenaza) threat
amago m
1 (señal) first sign: tiene un amago de bronquitis, he has a touch of bronchitis
2 (intento) attempt
3 fig (gesto de amenaza) threat
1 day 9 hrs
He screwed his features into a gawkish/gawky expression of thanks.
gawky: awkward, clumsy (to match the sentence which follows)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gawky
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gawky
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