https://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish-to-english/general-conversation-greetings-letters/5570362-valga-la-palabra.html
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Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

valga la palabra

English translation:

best/truest sense of the word

Added to glossary by Evan Tomlinson
May 28, 2014 19:50
9 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Spanish term

valga la palabra

Spanish to English Social Sciences General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I encountered this in a philosophical text, but I believe it is a simple colloquialism.

Context: "She discovers that as an existent she is locutive: she is not stupid. Because the stupid person is stupefied: the person who turns away from wonder also does not discover anything in himself. The conquests of wonder are not trivial. I present them in a manner that is, [valga la palabra], intuitive"

The writer is a Spaniard.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 best/truest sense of the word
4 +1 , if I may say so,
3 true to their word

Discussion

Helena Chavarria May 28, 2014:
Valga la palabra literally means 'the word is valid'. 'Valga' is 3rd person singlular of the subjunctive of 'valer'.

http://www.wordreference.com/conj/EsVerbs.aspx?v=valer
Henry Hinds May 28, 2014:
CONTEXT All the CONTEXT around the Spanish-language term is in English. What we need is ORIGINAL CONTEXT in the source language, please.
philgoddard May 28, 2014:
It sounds like "literally", but it's not easy to tell because you've given your translation rather than the Spanish.

Proposed translations

+1
1 hr
Selected

best/truest sense of the word

My take!
Peer comment(s):
agree Helena Chavarria : I was about to post something along these lines but when I saw 'true' and 'word' in Chris' answer I decided not to post. However, 'valga la palabra' has nothing to do with values.
8 mins
Many thanks Helena! ;-)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you!"
12 mins

true to their word

That would be the colloquialism that I would think is close to that expression in English. valga has to do with value, or worth. And being "true to their word" is a value based upon the person speaking.
Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : True to whose word?
12 mins
Something went wrong...
+1
3 hrs

, if I may say so,

Esto encajaría.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2014-05-28 23:40:16 GMT)
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IF I MAY SAY SO = SI SE ME PERMITE DECIRLO
Peer comment(s):
agree Virginia Koolhaas
49 mins
Thanks. "If I may so" is a coloquiallism, as the asker says.
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