#1  
Old June 26, 2010, 08:48 AM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
Question Out of whole cloth

out of whole cloth, without foundation in fact; fictitious: a story made out of whole cloth.

How would you translate this into Spanish?
(¿Una historia sacada de la manga?)
(Also, to be made (up) out of whole cloth = ser pura invención or puro invento)

Any other sense for "whole cloth"?
Like, what would be the sense in this sentence "they were beginning to embrace that philosophy whole cloth."?
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."

Last edited by JPablo; June 26, 2010 at 08:51 AM. Reason: Added another possible translation
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old June 26, 2010, 09:04 AM
Perikles's Avatar
Perikles Perikles is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Tenerife
Posts: 4,814
Native Language: Inglés
Perikles is on a distinguished road
Although it does exist, I have never heard the expression myself. The BNC only gives one instance of its use:

"A mythology can not be created for literary purposes out of whole cloth; it must be the work of a race."

Your suggestion "they were beginning to embrace that philosophy whole cloth." makes no sense to me.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old June 26, 2010, 10:05 AM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
Thank you, Perikles.
Yep, the expression is rather obscure... or at least, pretty highbrow... the second sentence, which is where I actually found the "expression", I believe that has something to do with "accepting that philosophy in full" or some such idea, but I have not found a definition to sustain that... only by the context...
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old June 26, 2010, 10:36 AM
hermit hermit is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: scotsburn, nova scotia
Posts: 617
Native Language: english
hermit is on a distinguished road
"...in full" sounds right; one definition I came across for "whole cloth"
was "broadcloth, as yet uncut to a pattern shape".

The other, for "out of whole cloth" was "a complete fabrication with no
basis in truth". I remember hearing the phrase from professors of English
Literature...
__________________
"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long."
miguel de cervantes saavedra
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old June 26, 2010, 11:03 AM
wafflestomp wafflestomp is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 350
Native Language: American English
wafflestomp is on a distinguished road
Never heard it myself.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old June 26, 2010, 08:14 PM
JPablo's Avatar
JPablo JPablo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 5,579
Native Language: Spanish (Castilian, peninsular)
JPablo is on a distinguished road
Well, thank you, Hermit and thank you, Wafflestomp...
Hermit, that definitely helps to understand it much better in context. (At least, that does it for me.)
English is an amazing language, and like Spanish and many other languages has 'limitless' expressions... which gives one a great freedom to create and to communicate... You can create, if you wish a new expression, out of whole cloth is you wish, and be able to be understood... and understand...
__________________
Lo propio de la verdad es que se basta a sí misma, aquel que la posee no intenta convencer a nadie.
"An enemy is somebody who flatters you. A friend is somebody who criticizes the living daylights out of you."
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:41 AM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X