This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
Jun 29, 2021 13:17
2 yrs ago
29 viewers *
Spanish term
tenmeaquí (tenmeacá)
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
childhood expression (portmanteau)
Hi, All,
This is a literary text (Mexican short story, though nothing about it is localized, regional, etc.)
Apparently there is an expression, ya en desuso, in which, in order to get children to leave the room (so adults can talk), or to just be pacified, adults might say, "Ve a que te den un tenmeacá/tenmeaquí" or "dile a la abuela que te de un tecito de tenmeacá". The idea being that the child would be kept here/there and not disturbing the others.
At any rate, I am looking for something that could be analogous in English (and if it were a portmanteau, that would be wonderful).
To complicate matters, the text I have here is not using the term in this way, but as a metaphor for smart phones, which keep us embobados, pasivos, etc. So in the text I have there are simply references to things like "encendió su tenmeaquí y miró la pantallita" and "su tenmeadquí le indicó que se fuera por la segunda calle" etc.
I would love some suggestions on this! Initially I was debating things lilke Hereyougo (to indicate places - here - and "going") but I'm not very satisfied with it.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
This is a literary text (Mexican short story, though nothing about it is localized, regional, etc.)
Apparently there is an expression, ya en desuso, in which, in order to get children to leave the room (so adults can talk), or to just be pacified, adults might say, "Ve a que te den un tenmeacá/tenmeaquí" or "dile a la abuela que te de un tecito de tenmeacá". The idea being that the child would be kept here/there and not disturbing the others.
At any rate, I am looking for something that could be analogous in English (and if it were a portmanteau, that would be wonderful).
To complicate matters, the text I have here is not using the term in this way, but as a metaphor for smart phones, which keep us embobados, pasivos, etc. So in the text I have there are simply references to things like "encendió su tenmeaquí y miró la pantallita" and "su tenmeadquí le indicó que se fuera por la segunda calle" etc.
I would love some suggestions on this! Initially I was debating things lilke Hereyougo (to indicate places - here - and "going") but I'm not very satisfied with it.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +3 | pacifier |
patinba
|
| 3 | ensorcellphone |
Adoración Bodoque Martínez
|
References
| Explanation |
philgoddard
|
Proposed translations
+3
23 hrs
pacifier
I think any reader would immediately get the implicit meaning, and does not seem too forced. The idea behind a "tenmeaca" also contains an element of "keeping quiet".
Your phone is an "adult pacifier."
"Consumers tend to convey feelings or thoughts that are more private or intimate on their smartphones, which is captured by the use of 'I' or 'we' and mentioning family and friends," Melumad told the Wall Street Journal.Jun 22, 2020
Wharton Study: Smartphones Are 'Adult Pacifiers' That Lull Us ...
That appears to be in part because our smartphones are, in Melumad's memorable words, "adult pacifiers" that soothe and calm us, creating a sense of safety that lulls us into giving away more personal and honest information than we intended.
The Smartphone as a Pacifier and its Consequences Young ...https://dl.acm.org › doi › fullHtml
by S Diefenbach · 2019 · Cited by 8 — The Smartphone as a Pacifier and its Consequences Young adults' smartphone usage in moments of solitude and correlations to self-reflection. Sarah Diefenbach ...
Your phone is an "adult pacifier."
"Consumers tend to convey feelings or thoughts that are more private or intimate on their smartphones, which is captured by the use of 'I' or 'we' and mentioning family and friends," Melumad told the Wall Street Journal.Jun 22, 2020
Wharton Study: Smartphones Are 'Adult Pacifiers' That Lull Us ...
That appears to be in part because our smartphones are, in Melumad's memorable words, "adult pacifiers" that soothe and calm us, creating a sense of safety that lulls us into giving away more personal and honest information than we intended.
The Smartphone as a Pacifier and its Consequences Young ...https://dl.acm.org › doi › fullHtml
by S Diefenbach · 2019 · Cited by 8 — The Smartphone as a Pacifier and its Consequences Young adults' smartphone usage in moments of solitude and correlations to self-reflection. Sarah Diefenbach ...
Note from asker:
| Yes, I had thought about pacifier (or maybe even better "dummy," as they're called in British English) but am also looking for a word that is neologistic. But I think playing off of the pacifier is very helpful. Thank you! |
| Yes, I had thought about pacifier (or maybe even better "dummy," as they're called in British English) but am also looking for a word that is neologistic. But I think playing off of the pacifier is very helpful. Thank you! |
| I very much appreciate your input and effort. The meaning here is correct, but the literary aspect is missing. I am going to keep hunting in my brain and picking those of people around me, but Proz is asking me to close the query so wanted to thank you first! xLisa |
2 hrs
Adoración Bodoque Martínez
Ireland
Ireland
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Ireland
B.A. Eng. & Ling., DipTrans IoLET, MCIL
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Standard-Spain) 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
28
ensorcellphone
It is made up, but it might work well here. And it is a portmanteau word, made up of "ensorcell" and "cellphone".
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Note added at 1 day 23 mins (2021-06-30 13:40:22 GMT)
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Thank you, Idillma! Yes, I do like the sound of 'spell-phone'. The only problem is the ambiguity of the word 'spell'. It may not be immediately obvious what it is referring to.
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Note added at 8 days (2021-07-07 17:04:49 GMT)
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I understand, Idillma. Thank you, anyway. I hope it was helpful!
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Note added at 1 day 23 mins (2021-06-30 13:40:22 GMT)
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Thank you, Idillma! Yes, I do like the sound of 'spell-phone'. The only problem is the ambiguity of the word 'spell'. It may not be immediately obvious what it is referring to.
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Note added at 8 days (2021-07-07 17:04:49 GMT)
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I understand, Idillma. Thank you, anyway. I hope it was helpful!
Note from asker:
| Hm, this is interesting. I wonder about playing around with things like "spell-phone". I will keep thinking about this, thank you! |
| I very much appreciate your input and effort. The creativity/portmanteau aspect here works, but I'm afraid too many readers would miss the intention. Since Proz is asking me to close the query I wanted to thank you first! xLisa |
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
philgoddard
: This is a good idea, but it won't work because 'ensorcell', meaning enchant, is an archaic word that no one will know. I had to look it up.
1 hr
|
|
I admit it is not widely used, but I would not say it is archaic.
|
Reference comments
20 mins
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
64
Reference:
Explanation
Que te den un tenmeacá.
Literal translation: Go so they give you a tenmeacá
Who didn’t hear this growing up in Mexico. Grownups tell kids this sentence so they go away, and not bother them so adults can gossip without the little ones hearing. A tenmeacá is not an actual word but the merging of these two: tenme-acá. Which means “keep me here” as in “keep me here with you so I don’t hear what they are saying.”
See this example of a variant:
Dile a tu mamá que te de una varita de tenmeaquí.
Tell your mom to give you a stick of keep-me-here.
https://www.spanish.academy/blog/chismeando/how-tospread-gos...
This is not translatable in my opinion, so maybe we're looking for a derogatory term for a smartphone.
Literal translation: Go so they give you a tenmeacá
Who didn’t hear this growing up in Mexico. Grownups tell kids this sentence so they go away, and not bother them so adults can gossip without the little ones hearing. A tenmeacá is not an actual word but the merging of these two: tenme-acá. Which means “keep me here” as in “keep me here with you so I don’t hear what they are saying.”
See this example of a variant:
Dile a tu mamá que te de una varita de tenmeaquí.
Tell your mom to give you a stick of keep-me-here.
https://www.spanish.academy/blog/chismeando/how-tospread-gos...
This is not translatable in my opinion, so maybe we're looking for a derogatory term for a smartphone.
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