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... allí donde iban ...

 

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not readily apparent based on the individual words in the expression. This forum is dedicated to discussing idioms and other sayings.


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  #1  
Old April 20, 2020, 08:22 AM
deandddd deandddd is offline
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... allí donde iban ...

People,

I was listening to a recording and the person said, in Spanish "... allí donde iban ..." , meaning "wherever they would go". And I understood it, no problem.

However, I felt that there had to be other ways, perhaps more natural, and perhaps more sophisticated, to say it than the way this person did.

Allow me to fill you all in on some background.

This person was doing a verbal translation, from English to Spanish, from a speaker who was Hindu and whose English was choppy, very choppy. I don't think that the translator had much time to think it over.

What about "dondequiera que iban" or maybe "dondequiera que fuesen"?

Why did the translator shy away from using the subjunctive? My instincts were anticipating a subjunctive form, but the native speaker of Spanish didn't use it. It was a speed bump to my listening!

Dean

Last edited by deandddd; April 20, 2020 at 08:57 AM.
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  #2  
Old April 20, 2020, 11:53 AM
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Perhaps the translator picked up the meaning as: there, where they used to go.
Certainly, in that case, the subjunctive would not be used.
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Old April 20, 2020, 01:27 PM
deandddd deandddd is offline
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Poli,

Ah, ok. So if it were "were they to go there" or something like this, then it would get the subjunctive. My instinct was wrong, then.

But if I were to employ the word "dondequiera" would it require a past tense subjunctive?

Dean

Last edited by deandddd; April 20, 2020 at 03:53 PM.
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Old April 20, 2020, 04:19 PM
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Yes, a conjugated verb following dondequiera takes the subjunctive.
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Old April 20, 2020, 06:01 PM
deandddd deandddd is offline
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Poli,

Sounds good, thanks!

Dean
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