Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
Contestar/responder a la gallega
English translation:
To answer in a vague/elusive way
Added to glossary by
Toni Castano
Oct 8, 2021 15:33
2 yrs ago
38 viewers *
Spanish term
"a la gallega" (this context)
Spanish to English
Art/Literary
Journalism
Someone is asked a complex question and they reply
-Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega"
Can anyone help me out with an equally colloquial expression in English, please?
-Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega"
Can anyone help me out with an equally colloquial expression in English, please?
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Oct 13, 2021 07:04: Toni Castano Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+2
28 mins
Selected
To answer in a vague/elusive way
A tough question, because the literal translation does not work here at all. It is necessary to know the “context” to be aware of the real meaning, i.e. what is behind of this expression. My attempt of explanation: In Spain, Galician people are considered (please note: I am not judging at all, I am just describing the situation) to be “vague” in their decisions, opinions, replies to compromising questions, i.e. it is difficult to know what they really think, to get to the very core of their soul. So some Spaniards (not Galicians, obviously) say, if someone responds a question in a vague way, without really getting involved into the discussion, they are answering “a la gallega”, i.e. in a vague or elusive way, which means, without really getting to the point.
If you have something comparable in English, it is something I don´t know, but this is the explanation and meaning of “contestar/responder a la gallega”.
All this being said with the highest respect for Galician people and their region (where I spent a part of my adolescence).
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Note added at 33 mins (2021-10-08 16:07:15 GMT)
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Here just an example:
https://www.esdiario.com/medios/634923774/La-respuesta-a-la-...
Feijóo no se ve en Madrid pero responde 'a la gallega' sobre la foto de Colón
Alberto Núñez Feijóo ha evitado pronunciarse sobre si consideraba un error la fotografía de Colón, en la que el PP se manifestó junto a Ciudadanos y Vox contra el Gobierno de Pedro Sánchez, y ha tirado de la proverbial retranca gallega para contestar con un escueto "depende". Otra cosa ha sido cuando le han preguntado sobre su salto a la política nacional. Ahí sí que ha sido cristalino.
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Note added at 1 hr (2021-10-08 16:36:14 GMT)
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Well, it seems I have to reinforce my own response: "Responder a la gallega" may or may not imply asking another question. This is not at all the key point, but the elusive way of the reply, either by avoiding a compromising answer (see my example/quote) or by asking an elusive question. As simple as that. But to respond to a question with another question is NOT what it means, not always.
If you have something comparable in English, it is something I don´t know, but this is the explanation and meaning of “contestar/responder a la gallega”.
All this being said with the highest respect for Galician people and their region (where I spent a part of my adolescence).
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 33 mins (2021-10-08 16:07:15 GMT)
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Here just an example:
https://www.esdiario.com/medios/634923774/La-respuesta-a-la-...
Feijóo no se ve en Madrid pero responde 'a la gallega' sobre la foto de Colón
Alberto Núñez Feijóo ha evitado pronunciarse sobre si consideraba un error la fotografía de Colón, en la que el PP se manifestó junto a Ciudadanos y Vox contra el Gobierno de Pedro Sánchez, y ha tirado de la proverbial retranca gallega para contestar con un escueto "depende". Otra cosa ha sido cuando le han preguntado sobre su salto a la política nacional. Ahí sí que ha sido cristalino.
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Note added at 1 hr (2021-10-08 16:36:14 GMT)
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Well, it seems I have to reinforce my own response: "Responder a la gallega" may or may not imply asking another question. This is not at all the key point, but the elusive way of the reply, either by avoiding a compromising answer (see my example/quote) or by asking an elusive question. As simple as that. But to respond to a question with another question is NOT what it means, not always.
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Cecilia Gowar
1 hr
|
Thank you Cecilia. Well, there is a new scenario now. Gosh,.. It was important that you intervened.
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agree |
neilmac
: May or may not imply responding with another question, but often does... :-)
17 hrs
|
Hi Neil, yes, right you are, but "often" is not "always", and this has been one of the key elements of this query, judging by what I have seen and experienced here.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you - in the end, lots of people said something very similar, but you answered first. :-)"
+3
2 hrs
noncommittal
i.e., ¨I'm afraid I am going to be noncommittal....¨
To reply ¨a la gallega¨es basically not to provide a proper reply, either by being ambiguous or by replying with another question.
I believe in this context it would be the first option, but I do not think anybody can admit to being ambiguous or vague when replying so maybe ¨noncommittal¨or something similar (we would need the wider context) would be suitable.
La respuesta 'a la gallega' de Rajoy a Herrera sobre si será candidato en 2020
https://www.cope.es/programas/herrera-en-cope/noticias/respu...
This is the Feijóo example, already posted by Toni:
El presidente de la Xunta tira de la proverbial retranca de su tierra para responder de manera desconcertante a una pregunta directa sobre la estrategia seguida por su partido.
https://www.esdiario.com/medios/634923774/La-respuesta-a-la-...
https://jergozo.com/significado/responder-a-la-gallega
responder a la gallega
Responder o contestar sin aclarar nada en absoluto
To reply ¨a la gallega¨es basically not to provide a proper reply, either by being ambiguous or by replying with another question.
I believe in this context it would be the first option, but I do not think anybody can admit to being ambiguous or vague when replying so maybe ¨noncommittal¨or something similar (we would need the wider context) would be suitable.
La respuesta 'a la gallega' de Rajoy a Herrera sobre si será candidato en 2020
https://www.cope.es/programas/herrera-en-cope/noticias/respu...
This is the Feijóo example, already posted by Toni:
El presidente de la Xunta tira de la proverbial retranca de su tierra para responder de manera desconcertante a una pregunta directa sobre la estrategia seguida por su partido.
https://www.esdiario.com/medios/634923774/La-respuesta-a-la-...
https://jergozo.com/significado/responder-a-la-gallega
responder a la gallega
Responder o contestar sin aclarar nada en absoluto
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Toni Castano
: Noncomittal is also possible, sure.
30 mins
|
agree |
neilmac
15 hrs
|
agree |
Orkoyen (X)
3 days 2 hrs
|
+1
2 hrs
Spanish term (edited):
a la gallega
/beat about the bush by / throwing the question back
I've taken out the inverted commas and the rest in hono/u/r of Wilsonn.
Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega" : I fear I am going to answer that question by / beating about the bush and/ firing back a counter-question.
Coincidentally, answering one question with another was the trait of another group of Galicians in Eastern Europe, namely Galizien of the Austro-Hungarian Empire rather than Galicia in Northern Spain.
Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega" : I fear I am going to answer that question by / beating about the bush and/ firing back a counter-question.
Coincidentally, answering one question with another was the trait of another group of Galicians in Eastern Europe, namely Galizien of the Austro-Hungarian Empire rather than Galicia in Northern Spain.
Example sentence:
ES) Mr President, Commissioner, it is said that one of the characteristics of Galicians is to answer one question with another and, as a true Galician, I shall therefore
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Jessica Noyes
18 hrs
|
Gracias and thanks Jessica.... parrying a question with a question seems to be one half of th equation and beathing about the bush the other.
|
4 hrs
not a clear answer
Turn it around. “I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to give you a clear answer”.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2021-10-08 19:42:26 GMT)
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Or “I’m afraid my answer is going to be a little unclear”.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2021-10-08 19:44:37 GMT)
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Also, ‘not a straight answer”.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2021-10-08 19:42:26 GMT)
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Or “I’m afraid my answer is going to be a little unclear”.
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Note added at 4 hrs (2021-10-08 19:44:37 GMT)
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Also, ‘not a straight answer”.
15 hrs
(answer) a question with a question
Dodge the issue (pax David) is also great way to express the notion.
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Note added at 17 hrs (2021-10-09 09:14:51 GMT)
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Cf. A similar, although not synonymous expression is "“Hacerse el sueco”...
La expresión “Hacerse el sueco” la utilizamos cuando queremos dar a entender que alguien se hace el sordo o finge no entender para, de ese modo, evitar asumir una responsabilidad.
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Note added at 17 hrs (2021-10-09 09:14:51 GMT)
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Cf. A similar, although not synonymous expression is "“Hacerse el sueco”...
La expresión “Hacerse el sueco” la utilizamos cuando queremos dar a entender que alguien se hace el sordo o finge no entender para, de ese modo, evitar asumir una responsabilidad.
Example sentence:
Answering a question with a question helps evade uncomfortable topics.
Why Does the Rabbi Answer a Question with a Question? Answer: Is there any other way?
10 hrs
Spanish term (edited):
\"a la gallega\" (this context)
I'm afraid I'm going to be a little vague on answering this
Me temo que voy a contestar un poco “a la gallega"
I'm afraid I'm going to be a little vague on answering this one...
Contestar a la gallega = Responder o contestar sin aclarar nada en absoluto
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Note added at 10 hrs (2021-10-09 02:26:19 GMT)
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"dodge the issue" would fit IMO
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Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2021-10-10 02:24:51 GMT)
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I will stick with "dodge the issue"
I'm afraid I'm going to be a little vague on answering this one...
Contestar a la gallega = Responder o contestar sin aclarar nada en absoluto
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Note added at 10 hrs (2021-10-09 02:26:19 GMT)
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"dodge the issue" would fit IMO
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Note added at 1 day 10 hrs (2021-10-10 02:24:51 GMT)
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I will stick with "dodge the issue"
2 days 20 hrs
like a politician, no straight answer
Sorry, afraid I'll have to answer that one like a politician
I think this is the closest in English
Or
"Sorry, can't give you a straight answer to that one"
"Afraid I'm a bit hazy on the details"
I think this is the closest in English
Politicians are renowned for never giving a straight or clearcut answer but rather for prevarication and evasiviness.
https://therooster.com/blog/how-answer-questions-politician
I think this is the closest in English
Or
"Sorry, can't give you a straight answer to that one"
"Afraid I'm a bit hazy on the details"
I think this is the closest in English
Politicians are renowned for never giving a straight or clearcut answer but rather for prevarication and evasiviness.
https://therooster.com/blog/how-answer-questions-politician
Discussion
Responder sin contestar con claridad ni determinación, sin posicionarse ni cerrar puertas, en España se percibe como costumbre de gallegos pero diría que, además de la curiosa coincidencia de los galitzios de Austria, es algo que se encuentra en la tradición popular de medio mundo, y que entronca, salvando las distancias (muchas), con el método socrático de preguntar o hacerse preguntar por lo que se defiende o cree, e incluso (más distancia aun si cabe) con el Verbo encarnado del Evangelio y su revelador mensaje.
Creo entender que el interlocutor no responde ni con preguntas ni con evasivas en sentido estricto, y sugiere a un "no voy a mojarme ni comprometerme", "no voy a decidirme por ninguna de las opciones que abres en la pregunta", quizá entendiendo o presentando las cosas desde otra perspectiva o tomando en cuenta cosas que no se consideraban en el planteamiento de quien pregunta.
Es importante decir q es un uso específico.
Dicho esto, saber de qué pregunta se trata o de qué conversan sería muy orientativo
https://www.proz.com/siterules/kudoz_general/1.4#1.4