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  3. Poetry & Literature

Manto de luz

English translation: mantle of light

15:23 Mar 12, 2015
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Short Story
Spanish term or phrase: Manto de luz
No estoy muy segura de cómo traducir "manto de luz"

La frase es:

"cuando la luna salió por el horizonte y extendió un manto de luz sobre el plácido mar, la ballena se puso a cantar"

Al momento tengo "cloak of light" pero quería chequear que suena bien en inglés.
marianamaz
Argentina
Local time: 08:07
English translation:mantle of light
Explanation:
Una opción - me suena más literaria.
Selected response from:

Laura Messer
Canada
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2mantle of light
Laura Messer
5...cast a blanket of light over
Lisa McCarthy
4(it) cast its light (on)
Eileen Banks
4Pool of light
Carol Gullidge
3 +1cloak of light/ veil of light
Rosario Meriles
4spread its light
Cecilia Gowar
3ray of light
Chris Maddux
3robe of light
franglish


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
mantle of light


Explanation:
Una opción - me suena más literaria.

Laura Messer
Canada
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  George Rabel: a mi tambien
4 mins
  -> Gracias, George.
disagree  Chris Maddux: There is no such thing as a mantle of light, it doesn't even bring about a sense of any form of light word imagery.
52 mins
agree  Carol Gullidge: well, you can get a "mantle of snow", so it's only a small hop to "mantle of light". The imagery is the same: an expanse of snow/light
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Carol.
agree  Marian Vieyra: Literary is what is required here.
17 hrs
  -> Thanks, Marian.
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16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ray of light


Explanation:
Light typically comes out in the former of rays.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2015-03-12 16:43:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

If anything, it is the rays of light reflecting off the moon giving a glimmering or shimmering effect onto the water ie. moonlight cast upon the water....

Chris Maddux
United States
Local time: 04:07
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Lisa McCarthy: Chris, 'blanket of light' is pretty common imagery. If they wanted to say a 'ray of light' they would have said 'un rayo de luz'. I think you've got it wrong here.
1 hr
neutral  Carol Gullidge: with Lisa. Of course light comes in the form of rays, but "manto" suggests an expanse of light rather than merely a ray
2 hrs
neutral  Marian Vieyra: No need to be scientific, it's a literary piece, what with singing whales and all...
17 hrs
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
...cast a blanket of light over


Explanation:
Or "...draped a blanket of light over the sea/ bathed the sea in a blanket of light"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hora (2015-03-12 16:49:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another option could be "bathed the tranquil sea in a veil of light"

Lisa McCarthy
Spain
Local time: 13:07
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 104

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alex Sharp: I agree with "blanket" instead of "mantle"
32 mins
  -> Thanks, Alex :)
disagree  Chris Maddux: There is no such thing as a mantle of light, nor blanket of light, neither give the word imagery justice.
43 mins
  -> Chris, 'blanket of light' is pretty common imagery. If they wanted to say a 'ray of light' they would have said 'un rayo de luz'. I think you've got it wrong here.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
(it) cast its light (on)


Explanation:
a simple possibility

Eileen Banks
Argentina
Local time: 08:07
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 28
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
robe of light


Explanation:
When the moon emerged over the horizon and clothed the placid sea in a robe of light, the whale started to sing.


franglish
Switzerland
Local time: 13:07
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 42
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Pool of light


Explanation:
or is this well-known expression too obvious?



Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:07
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 315
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
cloak of light/ veil of light


Explanation:
the moon .... and enveloped the calm sea in a cloak of light, ...

The moon ... drew a veil of light over the calm sea, ...

Rosario Meriles
Argentina
Local time: 08:07
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Julie Thurston: Not keen on cloak, but I love veil
7 hrs
neutral  Lisa McCarthy: Just a note - the poster already mentioned 'cloak of light' and I mentioned 'veil of light' in my post:)
12 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
spread its light


Explanation:
When the moon rose on the horizon and spread its light on the quiet sea...


You can convey the idea with a verb instead.

Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 227
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