Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
volver
English translation:
homecoming
Added to glossary by
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
May 28, 2021 22:05
3 yrs ago
42 viewers *
Spanish term
Spain
Golf, Literature and Religion Specialist
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, Spanish
volver
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Tourism & Travel
Dear colleagues,
I would appreciate your help with a text that I have been pushed into translating in the (for me) wrong direction.
The title is “volver”, and it’s all about coming back to one’s hometown, so “volver” is a key word.
Here is the beginning and the end of the story:
VOLVER (title)
"Volver. Una palabra de 6 letras. Un verbo que puede tener miles de significados. Os lo explico."
Then comes the story, and these are the finishing lines:
"Volver, una palabra de 6 letras. Volver para un día, para un fin de semana, para un mes o para una vida. No es que haya vuelto. Es que en realidad… nunca me marché."
"Return" seems the obvious translation, but I don't know if it would work on its own as a title. Maybe "returning", or something completely different?
TIA
I would appreciate your help with a text that I have been pushed into translating in the (for me) wrong direction.
The title is “volver”, and it’s all about coming back to one’s hometown, so “volver” is a key word.
Here is the beginning and the end of the story:
VOLVER (title)
"Volver. Una palabra de 6 letras. Un verbo que puede tener miles de significados. Os lo explico."
Then comes the story, and these are the finishing lines:
"Volver, una palabra de 6 letras. Volver para un día, para un fin de semana, para un mes o para una vida. No es que haya vuelto. Es que en realidad… nunca me marché."
"Return" seems the obvious translation, but I don't know if it would work on its own as a title. Maybe "returning", or something completely different?
TIA
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +6 | homecoming |
Katarina Peters
|
| 4 +1 | To come back/Coming back |
Cecilia Gowar
|
| 4 -1 | hometown |
Maria Azul Bassi
|
| 3 | reawaken |
Orkoyen (X)
|
| 3 | make the journey back |
Barbara Cochran, MFA
|
| 3 | Return |
María Nuñez Laluz
|
Proposed translations
+6
2 hrs
Katarina Peters
Canada
Canada
Native in English
Works in field
Canada
Accuracy and A1 presentation
Native in: Hungarian 
, English (Variant: US)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Hungarian to English, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
homecoming
in this context (not in that of college tradition)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
David Hollywood
: spot on and no doubt about it
2 hrs
|
|
Thank you, David! :)
|
|
| agree |
neilmac
: Nicely fits the source text...
7 hrs
|
|
Thanks, neilmac! :)
|
|
| agree |
AllegroTrans
: perfect
14 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Allegro! :)
|
|
| agree |
Michele Fauble
15 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Michele!
|
|
| agree |
Wendy Streitparth
16 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Wendy!
|
|
| agree |
Maria Azul Bassi
23 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Maria!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Just what I needed! Thank you so much, Katarina"
-1
20 mins
Maria Azul Bassi
Argentina
Argentina
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
Argentina
Your gamer translator and streamer!
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Latin American, US, Argentine)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, Spanish
hometown
This would be a nice way to keep the "nostalgia" and using only one word. You could say
HOMETOWN
"Hometown. A word with 8 letters. A noun that can have many meanings." (Many meanings in the sense that one's hometown means something different for each person). You would have to play with the noun instead of the verb.
"It's not that I went back to my hometown. Actually, I never left".
I don't think "returning" is a bad idea.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2021-05-28 22:36:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or even better, instead of establishing a comparison between "I went back to my hometown" and "I never left" you could compare how one's hometown is always a home away from home, or home itself.
HOMETOWN
"Hometown. A word with 8 letters. A noun that can have many meanings." (Many meanings in the sense that one's hometown means something different for each person). You would have to play with the noun instead of the verb.
"It's not that I went back to my hometown. Actually, I never left".
I don't think "returning" is a bad idea.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2021-05-28 22:36:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or even better, instead of establishing a comparison between "I went back to my hometown" and "I never left" you could compare how one's hometown is always a home away from home, or home itself.
Note from asker:
| Thank you so much. Your ideas have been really helpful. |
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
María Nuñez Laluz
: The original is a verb
18 hrs
|
|
Yes, this would be a case of transposition. But thanks for the feedback!
|
50 mins
reawaken
To emerge again, in the same state or condition
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2021-05-28 23:17:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or awaken, for the 6-letter effect.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2021-05-28 23:17:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or awaken, for the 6-letter effect.
Note from asker:
| Thank you very much! |
6 mins
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
make the journey back
A non-literal literary option.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2021-05-28 22:13:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
After going through experiences, not necessarily all good, in other places, perhaps far away from home.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2021-05-28 22:16:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or "making the journey back hone".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2021-05-28 22:17:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The idea that you can never escape your roots.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2021-05-28 22:21:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oh, excuse me... I forgot that the context is travel & tourism! But I would still got with "making the journey back", because the place has made such an impression on the speaker.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2021-05-28 22:23:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
" a lasting impression"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 30 mins (2021-05-28 22:35:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oh, but I see again that travel & tourism is NOT the appropriate classification for your question, so I'll go with my original comments.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2021-05-28 22:36:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
You could also just say for the title, "The Journey Back".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2021-05-28 23:18:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or "The Journey Back Home", if you want to emphasize the home aspect of it.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2021-05-28 22:13:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
After going through experiences, not necessarily all good, in other places, perhaps far away from home.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2021-05-28 22:16:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or "making the journey back hone".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2021-05-28 22:17:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The idea that you can never escape your roots.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 mins (2021-05-28 22:21:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oh, excuse me... I forgot that the context is travel & tourism! But I would still got with "making the journey back", because the place has made such an impression on the speaker.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2021-05-28 22:23:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
" a lasting impression"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 30 mins (2021-05-28 22:35:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oh, but I see again that travel & tourism is NOT the appropriate classification for your question, so I'll go with my original comments.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 31 mins (2021-05-28 22:36:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
You could also just say for the title, "The Journey Back".
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2021-05-28 23:18:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Or "The Journey Back Home", if you want to emphasize the home aspect of it.
Note from asker:
| Thank you, Barbara, great help! |
+1
9 hrs
Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
I read the Alethiometer
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
56
To come back/Coming back
I like it better than "returning" in this context. It is also more used in lyrics, for instance.
Here's a couple of songs which use it as title and in the words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uJQAODCnE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoxkP7PyaU
Of course, you'll have to modify the "six words" mention :)
Here's a couple of songs which use it as title and in the words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16uJQAODCnE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoxkP7PyaU
Of course, you'll have to modify the "six words" mention :)
Note from asker:
| Mil gracias, Cecilia. Me ha venido muy bien tu ayuda. |
18 hrs
María Nuñez Laluz
Uruguay
Uruguay
Native in Spanish
Works in field
Uruguay
ING>
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Uruguayan, Standard-Spain, Argentine)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, Portuguese to Spanish
Return
"Volver" is the translation of "return". This will have the same meaning. Not "returning" because it refers to the action being done.
Note from asker:
| Gracias, Victoria. |
Discussion
Lyrics to the song:
"I don't know what I'm searching for,
I never have opened the door.
Tomorrow may find me at last,
Turning my back on the past.
But time will tell of stars that fell,
A million years ago.
Memories can never take you back,
Home, sweet, home.
You can never go home any more."
Perhaps he was talking about a reaction formation? Many people reject their roots throughout their life, starting as early as late adolescence, in some cases.