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#1
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Algún registro
Lyrics from Máquina de vapor (a Mecano song):
Él le aprieta algunas tuercas Ella da un beso de gas El programa algún registro Que la haga disfrutar El trabajo se convierte en su máxima pasión El hombre se ha enamorado de su propia creación I’m having a little difficulty translating Lines 3 and 4 above. My attempt: Some record of a program That allows him to enjoy it (la máquina). Any help here appreciated. Thank you. |
#2
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Lines 3 and 4 translated literally are "He programs a register that makes it (the machine) have a good time." To translate the meaning of "He programs a register" is another thing. It could mean many things, including "He adjusts a setting", "He inputs some data", "He sets a value", "He modifies an option", or "He makes an adjustment".
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If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it! |
#3
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I think David's proposals are valid, and I don't know much about programming language, but I think we could also say something like: "he writes a code that makes her (the machine) enjoy herself/have pleasant feelings/feel happy..."
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♪ ♫ ♪ Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays... ♪ ♫ ♪ |
#4
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Quote:
However, I think that computers are a red herring here. The song is about a steam engine, not an electronic android. The relevant meaning is almost certainly the DRAE's third one: Quote:
* To be clear, my profession is computer programmer, not lexicographer. |
#5
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Quote:
Well, I think it's worth noting that this was written in 1982, when computers, androids, space-ships, etc., were much more fantasy than science (even now, I dare to say), and also the fact that the song talks about a machine that is personified as a woman with whom the creator has fallen in love and who will respond to stimuli at his will. So I'm perfectly at ease with the idea of the machine being a steampunk programmable android if there is any need to justify the verse.
__________________
♪ ♫ ♪ Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays... ♪ ♫ ♪ |
#6
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Ah, I see now that there is an accent missing on the 'e' in "El" in Line 3, which changes the game completely. I had assumed this 'el' was a definite article, which is why I struggled. Strangely, the official song lyrics omit the accent here, and even though it's not compulsory for capital letters, Line 1 does include the accent. Thanks for your help, people.
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#8
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I agree with Rusty; the accent in capital letters is compulsory.
In the past before computers, when there were only typewriters, the accent couldn't be placed on top of the capital letters (the typer bar stroke in the middle of it); that is why in typed documents there were no accents on capital letters. Also, some printing press criteria thought accented capital letters were ugly. In any case, as you said, the person who published this did write the accent in the first "Él", so they should have done the same with the next.
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♪ ♫ ♪ Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays... ♪ ♫ ♪ |
#9
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If we want the line to reflect programming, I might try:
"He writes some code." "He programs a line." "He codes a line." "He writes a command." "He inputs a code." etc.
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If you find something wrong with my Spanish, please correct it! |
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programar, programar registro, registro |
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