SC - Translation challenge #2

[rcmann4@earthlink.net]

And it came to pass on 7 Feb 01, , that Olwen the Odd wrote:

> I was talking about the Torte de melones which the recipe states "and when 
> it is ALMOST cooked make the crust with sugar, and cinnamon,* and WHEN IT IS 
> COOKED serve it hot".
> A seperate crust, spiced and rolled out thin and put on top to brown, in my 
> mind, is reasonable.

It is a reasonable interpretation, but I don't think that it's what is 
called for here.  Part of the problem is that the English word "crust" 
has some meanings which do not apply to the Spanish "corteza".

"Corteza" tends to mean the outer layer of things: the bark of a 
tree, the crust of a loaf of bread, lemon peel, bacon rind, cheese 
rind, etc.  I don't think I've ever seen it used to mean a pastry crust. 
 Checking through Nola, I find "corteza" used a few times.  Once in 
a baked rice recipe, in which the nearly-cooked rice is topped with 
egg yolks, and returned to the oven to form a crust.  And there are 
two recipes for roast poultry that have added crusts -- one is 
coated with egg and sprinkled with flour, and the other is coated 
with batter.

When a period Spanish recipe refers to a crust -- a flat piece of 
pastry dough -- it may use one of the several terms.  "Hoja" (leaf) is 
one; "suelo" (bottom/floor) and "tapa" (lid) are others.

I am belaboring the point not to be obnoxious, but to illustrate 
some of the subtleties of translation.  This is one reason I highly 
recommend that all translators use a mono-lingual dictionary in 
addition to a good bi-lingual dictionary.  The RAE dictionaries at 
http://www.rae.es/NIVEL1/buscon/AUTORIDAD2.HTM have been a 
lifesaver for me, because they go into detail about the various 
meanings and usages of words, with examples.  The sample 
usages of "corteza" in my first paragraph are all courtesy of the 
RAE.

Hoping this helps,
Brighid


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
now at a new address: rcmann4 at earthlink.net