Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
retrovisor
English translation:
wing mirror
Added to glossary by
Wendy Cummings
Apr 15, 2014 09:26
10 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Spanish term
United Kingdom
The highest professional standards
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English
retrovisor
Spanish to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I am translating a witness statement for a RTA. As far as I can tell, a "retrovisor" is an external mirror on a car, yet many people seem to translate it as rear-view mirror, which in English usually means the mirror inside the car on the windscreen. Here is the sentence:
Para tratar de evitar el golpe, simultáneamente, en un instante, hice las ráfagas, frené y me fui todo lo posible a la izquierda, pero había la mediana de hormigón a mi izquierda que no me daba espacio para esquivar más, pude esquivar al acompañante que se paró pero no pude hacer nada más, el otro chico se abalanzó por mi lado derecho, a la altura de mi retrovisor.
Is there ambiguity in this sentence? Could it mean wing mirror OR rear-view mirror, or does the context indicate it has to be the wing mirror, as the pedestrian came out on the driver's right?
Thanks.
Para tratar de evitar el golpe, simultáneamente, en un instante, hice las ráfagas, frené y me fui todo lo posible a la izquierda, pero había la mediana de hormigón a mi izquierda que no me daba espacio para esquivar más, pude esquivar al acompañante que se paró pero no pude hacer nada más, el otro chico se abalanzó por mi lado derecho, a la altura de mi retrovisor.
Is there ambiguity in this sentence? Could it mean wing mirror OR rear-view mirror, or does the context indicate it has to be the wing mirror, as the pedestrian came out on the driver's right?
Thanks.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +7 | wing mirror |
Jenny Westwell
|
| 4 +4 | side mirror |
eski
|
| 5 | Back view mirror |
Phoenix III
|
Proposed translations
+7
15 mins
Jenny Westwell
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
Insightful, timely, accurate
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish, English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
wing mirror
"Retrovisor" can mean either "rear-view mirror" or "wing mirror" and needs the qualifier "exterior" or "interior" if there is a doubt. But from the context here, I don't think the speaker would be describing the position of the pedestrian in relation to the rear-view mirror inside his car. It makes much more sense if he is referring to his wing mirror on the right-hand side.
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Note added at 24 mins (2014-04-15 09:51:33 GMT)
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So, in other words, yes, there is ambiguity! I suppose the way to reproduce that ambiguity would be to use just "mirror" for "retrovisor", then the reader of the English version would receive exactly the same amount of information as the reader of the Spanish version.
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Note added at 33 mins (2014-04-15 10:00:37 GMT)
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You are right and these are all possibilities as to what he means, that's why I added the note above. I think the best plan is to avoid conjecture as to what actually happened and translate only the information contained in the words used, ambiguities included.
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Note added at 24 mins (2014-04-15 09:51:33 GMT)
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So, in other words, yes, there is ambiguity! I suppose the way to reproduce that ambiguity would be to use just "mirror" for "retrovisor", then the reader of the English version would receive exactly the same amount of information as the reader of the Spanish version.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2014-04-15 10:00:37 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
You are right and these are all possibilities as to what he means, that's why I added the note above. I think the best plan is to avoid conjecture as to what actually happened and translate only the information contained in the words used, ambiguities included.
Note from asker:
| That is what I am inclined to think, but if the pedestrian was at the side of the car, it is unclear how he hit him. Is it possible that the pedestrian could have suddenly appeared to the driver right in the middle of his view? |
| Hmm, unless he means the pedestrian appeared in front of the car, in line with the wing mirror longitudinally i.e. by the headlights |
| Yes, I think that is what I'll do. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Peter Guest
1 min
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Thank you, Peter.
|
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| agree |
Charles Davis
: Wing mirror here, must be.
15 mins
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Thank you, Charles.
|
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| agree |
AllegroTrans
47 mins
|
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Thank you, AllegroTrans.
|
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| agree |
Claudia Luque Bedregal
1 hr
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Thanks, Claudia.
|
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| agree |
Cristina Gonzalez
4 hrs
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Thanks, Cristina.
|
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| agree |
franglish
5 hrs
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Thank you, franglish.
|
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| agree |
James A. Walsh
11 hrs
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Thanks, James.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "In the end I used "mirror", erring on the side of caution, although I think it ought to be wing mirror."
+4
4 hrs
side mirror
Side Car Mirror at JCWhitney.com
www.jcwhitney.com/mirrors-side-view/c3201j1s17.jcwx
JCWhitney.com has a large selection of side car mirrors available today. Browse our wide selection of side car mirrors, many with a 30-day Guarantee.
www.caranddriver.com › Features
For the past few years, various carmakers have been offering blind-spot detection systems for their cars' side mirrors. Often complex, these systems employ ...
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid...
Aug 9, 2008 - Accidentally broke my right side mirror while backing up. ... are still in beta but they have a ton of data on what car parts and repairs should cost.
eski :)
www.jcwhitney.com/mirrors-side-view/c3201j1s17.jcwx
JCWhitney.com has a large selection of side car mirrors available today. Browse our wide selection of side car mirrors, many with a 30-day Guarantee.
www.caranddriver.com › Features
For the past few years, various carmakers have been offering blind-spot detection systems for their cars' side mirrors. Often complex, these systems employ ...
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid...
Aug 9, 2008 - Accidentally broke my right side mirror while backing up. ... are still in beta but they have a ton of data on what car parts and repairs should cost.
eski :)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Henry Hinds
: right side mirror
1 hr
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Thanks & muchos saludos, Henry. :)
|
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| agree |
Charles Davis
: Hi, Eski! Correct for American English, but never called "side mirror" in British English (which Wendy is probably using).
1 hr
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Thanks , Charles: I appreciate your comments. :)
|
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| agree |
Mario Freitas
: That's what I'd call them, too, but my ENG is US.
4 hrs
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Thanks Mario: yes, "side mirror" is pretty common on this side of the 'pond'. :))
|
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| agree |
James A. Walsh
: Yes agree this would be spot on for American English. Hope you're well, Eski - saludos! ;)
7 hrs
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Thanks James; can't complain! Best regards, eski :)
|
1 day 16 hrs
Phoenix III
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
True words...
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
, Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: Spanish to English, Spanish, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Back view mirror
The term applies to any mirror that provides a side or back view.
Discussion