una como indefinible afluencia de efluvios misteriosos

English translation: as it were an indescribable gush of mysterious flows

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:una como indefinible afluencia de efluvios misteriosos
English translation:as it were an indescribable gush of mysterious flows
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

23:16 Jan 3, 2021
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / In An Autobiography
Spanish term or phrase: una como indefinible afluencia de efluvios misteriosos
Contexto:

Se le oprimía el pecho; en los senos experimentaba una como indefinible afluencia de efluvios misteriosos, y en el bajo vientre como silenciosos desgarramientos. ¿Qué era aquello, Dios mío? ¿Dónde estaría Lucas?

Mil Gracias,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 04:38
as it were an indescribable gush of mysterious flows
Explanation:
indefinible translates well to indefinable in English, yet indescribable seems a synonym of more common usage.
Selected response from:

Wordrow (X)
United States
Local time: 04:38
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1an indefinable/inexpressible surge/wave of strange/mysterious outpourings
David Hollywood
3like an indefinable confluence of mysterious effluents
Steven Huddleston
3a sort of undefinable afflux of mysterious emanations
Pablo Waldman
3as it were an indescribable gush of mysterious flows
Wordrow (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
like an indefinable confluence of mysterious effluents


Explanation:
I think the author was going for some sort of "flow" in this composition. I tried to preserve it in the translation.

Steven Huddleston
Mexico
Local time: 02:38
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 39
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
an indefinable/inexpressible surge/wave of strange/mysterious outpourings


Explanation:
couple of ideas to work with

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Note added at 5 hrs (2021-01-04 04:31:41 GMT)
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so many ways to render this and a couple of ideas

David Hollywood
Local time: 05:38
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 136

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marian Vieyra: Inexpressible surge... Lovely.
6 hrs
  -> tyvm Marian
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a sort of undefinable afflux of mysterious emanations


Explanation:
I chose "a sort of" to reflect the informality of "una como."

"Afluencia" is the act of "afluir":
3. intr. Fís. Dicho de una cosa: Fluir hacia un punto.
https://dle.rae.es/afluir
afflux:
n. A flow to or toward an area, especially of blood or other fluid toward a body part.
https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=afflux

"Efluvios" is tricky, I went with "emanations" because of its abstract meaning:
emanation
1. An abstract but perceptible thing that issues or originates from a source.
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/emanation

Pablo Waldman
Argentina
Local time: 05:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12
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46 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
as it were an indescribable gush of mysterious flows


Explanation:
indefinible translates well to indefinable in English, yet indescribable seems a synonym of more common usage.

Wordrow (X)
United States
Local time: 04:38
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Excellent! A gushing out is exactly what was happening here. Thank you!

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