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divorciados entre sí de sus primeras nupcias
This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
Dec 13, 2019 18:58
4 yrs ago
4 viewers *
Spanish term

tenemos que echarle liquído madre para matar los demonios

Spanish to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters Historical Romance
Contexto:

— ¿Qué dices? ¿y eso qué más da, Erik? – pero dejó de preguntar al ver la mirada asesina de su jefe. Además, Yvette había abierto los ojos y, al ver la aguja que el hombre estaba enhebrando intentó huir del regazo de Erik, a pesar de que se sentía sin fuerzas.
— Así no puedo coserla, dale hidromiel hasta que esté borracha y luego me llamas. La herida tiene mal aspecto, tenemos que echarle líquido madre para matar los demonios y ya sabes cuánto duele —cuando Erik asintió, volvió a cubierta.
El líquido madre se fabricaba con hierbas que los vikingos dejaban fermentar y, cuando se aplicaba en alguna herida, ayudaba a cicatrizar más rápidamente, pero el dolor que se sentía cuando tocaba cualquier arañazo era insoportable. Hasta los guerreros más curtidos no podían evitar gritar cuando Hjalmar se lo echaban en alguna herida.

Mil Gracias,

Barbara
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 sprinkle him with holy water to kill the demons
3 We had to salve him with base liquid to kill the demons

Discussion

Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Dec 14, 2019:
Anyway... ...the solution causes a great deal of pain to whomever it is administered to, and I don't think "holy water" does that.
Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Dec 14, 2019:
I Don't Think "Brew" Or "Holy Water" Since they talk about "mead" in this section, I don't want to sound redundant, and isn't "holy water" something administered by a priest, and not the kind of thing an unsophisticated doctor, like the one in this passage, would administer?
Muriel Vasconcellos Dec 14, 2019:
Mother brew? Maybe 'mother brew'? I have modified my answer to include this suggestion.

Anything but a chemistry term. The goal is to banish demons, not experiment in a laboratory.
Muriel Vasconcellos Dec 14, 2019:
Some of the Vikings were Christian Despite the "neutral" responses to my proposed answer, I think it was correct. I just now remembered that I have a book of Norse sagas that refers to their conversion to Christianity (given to me by my father, who was Norwegian). Erik the Red was pagan, but his son was converted to Christianity. See:

https://www.historyonthenet.com/vikings-from-pagans-to-chris...
Muriel Vasconcellos Dec 14, 2019:
The term 'mother' See Merriam-Webster definition of 'mother' as used in science, chemistry in particular:

"3 : acting as or providing parental stock — used without reference to sex *mother plant* *mother tubercle* *pollen mother cells"
Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Dec 14, 2019:
Thanks, Muriel I think I'll go with "mother solution".
Muriel Vasconcellos Dec 14, 2019:
@ Barbara 'The example of 'mother fluid' that you cite is from a contemporary website about diabetes and would look like a poor alternative for 'mother solution' or 'mother liquor', which are chemical terms used in medicine. I could find no relevant references in English for 'mother fluid'. I rejected that idea from the beginning, thinking that "madre" in your case was referring to the Virgin Mother. Depending on the historical context, that assumption may be incorrect, but I would caution against using a contemporary medical text as your source for this historical reference.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_liquor
A mother liquor is the part of a solution that is left over after crystallization. It is encountered in chemical processes including sugar refining.It is the liquid obtained by filtering the crystals by filtration.
Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Dec 14, 2019:
Have Found The Correct Translation It would be "pour mother fluid on it, to get rid of the demons", but thanks for all of your input, anyway.

https://www.thediabetescouncil.com/awesome-reasons-why-acv-i...
Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Dec 14, 2019:
The Vikings The Erik mentioned is Erik the Red.
AllegroTrans Dec 14, 2019:
More context needed please Where is this story happening and in what era? Is it a fantasy novel or something credible? I think this is vital context as it's impossible to discern what this is really about. If it isn't breaking confidentiality perhaps you could give us the name of the novel and its author

Proposed translations

15 hrs

We had to salve him with base liquid to kill the demons

IMHO, "madre" is used here in the sense of the basic liquid or mixture, cf. "madre de vino" as described here:
Los vinos finos o manzanillas se obtienen, mediante crianza biológica,
en bota o barrica, ... originando lo conocido como
"madre del vino"...
In the case of alcoholic liquids, it would be "base alcohol", but in the case in point, it appears to be a fermented herbal mixture.
Rather than sprinkling it like holy water, in the scenario described it would probably be applied as an unguent or salve.

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Note added at 15 hrs (2019-12-14 10:52:46 GMT)
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Having said that, I must admit that "base liquid" seems rather more prosaic and lacks the cachet of the "madre" expression in Spanish. A better option might be something like "anoint him with the special herbal mixture" or something like that…
Reference:

http://incual.mecd.es/documents/20195/1873863/UC0550_2_RV+-+A_GE_Documento+publicado/38469f13-b2e8-4df5-a850-2157207d2057

Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

sprinkle him with holy water to kill the demons

If you want to get rid of demons, you use holy water.

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Holy_water
Holy water is water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy or a religious figure. .... Saint Faustina in her diary (paragraph 602) said **she once sprinkled a dying sister with holy water to drive away demons**. Although this was wrong to do ...

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-12-13 20:02:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Holy Water and Demons - Spirituality - Catholic Answers Forums
https://forums.catholic.com › Catholic Living › Spirituality
Mar 8, 2006 - N the other hand **I have been told that demons will flee when holy water is sprinkled in a room never to return. Is this true?** Where did we get holy ...

https://www.ghostlyactivities.com › how-to-make-holy-water-and-fight-de...
Sep 6, 2016 - **Learn how to make holy water and protect yourself from demons.** Get step-by-step instructions for relic holy water.

**Why is it that demons need holy water to kill them?** - Quora
https://www.quora.com › Why-is-it-that-demons-need-holy-water-to-kill-them

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Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2019-12-14 20:48:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

See discussion above.

For the reasons I explained above, I stand by my answer because many of the Vikings had converted to Christianity. If that doesn't fly, then I suggest:

'mother brew'
Peer comment(s):
neutral P Forgas : El líquido madre se fabricaba con hierbas que los vikingos dejaban fermentar
1 hr
Is this a quote?
neutral AllegroTrans : I am not at all certain this is referring to the Catholic practice of sprinkling holy water; more context is needed
6 hrs
agree Rodolfo Flores : I believe "Mother Liquor" may be a better description, as the passage refers to fermented Herbs
2 days 3 hrs
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