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retrovisor

English translation: wing mirror

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:retrovisor
English translation:wing mirror
Entered by: Wendy Cummings

09:26 Apr 15, 2014
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Spanish term or phrase: retrovisor
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.
Wendy Cummings
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:21
wing mirror
Explanation:
"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.

--------------------------------------------------
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.
Selected response from:

Jenny Westwell
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:21
Grading comment
In the end I used "mirror", erring on the side of caution, although I think it ought to be wing mirror.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7wing mirror
Jenny Westwell
4 +4side mirror
eski
5Back view mirror
Phoenix III


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
wing mirror


Explanation:
"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.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2014-04-15 09:51:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

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.

Jenny Westwell
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
In the end I used "mirror", erring on the side of caution, although I think it ought to be wing mirror.
Notes to answerer
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?

Asker: Hmm, unless he means the pedestrian appeared in front of the car, in line with the wing mirror longitudinally i.e. by the headlights

Asker: Yes, I think that is what I'll do.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Peter Guest
1 min
  -> Thank you, Peter.
agree  Charles Davis: Wing mirror here, must be.
15 mins
  -> Thank you, Charles.
agree  AllegroTrans
47 mins
  -> Thank you, AllegroTrans.
agree  Claudia Luque Bedregal
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Claudia.
agree  Cristina Gonzalez
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Cristina.
agree  franglish
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, franglish.
agree  James A. Walsh
11 hrs
  -> Thanks, James.
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
side mirror


Explanation:
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 :)

eski
Mexico
Local time: 17:21
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Henry Hinds: right side mirror
1 hr
  -> Thanks & muchos saludos, Henry. :)
agree  Charles Davis: Hi, Eski! Correct for American English, but never called "side mirror" in British English (which Wendy is probably using).
1 hr
  -> Thanks , Charles: I appreciate your comments. :)
agree  Mario Freitas: That's what I'd call them, too, but my ENG is US.
4 hrs
  -> Thanks Mario: yes, "side mirror" is pretty common on this side of the 'pond'. :))
agree  James A. Walsh: Yes agree this would be spot on for American English. Hope you're well, Eski - saludos! ;)
7 hrs
  -> Thanks James; can't complain! Best regards, eski :)
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1 day 16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Back view mirror


Explanation:
The term applies to any mirror that provides a side or back view.

Phoenix III
United States
Local time: 19:21
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12
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