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a portagayola

English translation: blindly / in the dark / without truly understanding

18:09 Apr 3, 2021
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Fiction, Seville
Spanish term or phrase: a portagayola
Hello,

I was wondering if any linguists or Spanish native speakers could help me to understand this term "a portagayola" in this context:

"Entenderá que para Sevilla esa semana es el momento medular del año, caballero, y no le hablo sólo de una cuestión de fe. Justo antes de recogerle, a portagayola , en el ascensor, he estado hablando con el presidente de la Asociación de Hoteleros Sevillanos. Me ha pedido explicaciones, porque una historia como la del Asesino de la regañá, descontrolada, puede ser nefasta."


It's a passage from a book called El asesino de la regañá by Julio Muñoz Gijón. The character speaking is the police commissioner in Sevilla and he is talking to a detective who has arrived from Madrid. He sent for the detective because of a murder that happened under strange circumstances in Sevilla, which has happened less than a month before Holy Week. The commissioner is expressing his worries about how news of the murder might affect the Holy Week celebrations. So he is describing how he is having to talk to the President of the Asociación de Hoteleros Sevillanos about the murder in order to calm his concerns.

I understand that a portagayola is the moment in bullfighting where the matador goes down on his knees before the bull comes out of the gate and then dodges it using his cape. So that maybe made me think that he is saying he was talking to the President during this moment at a bullfight. However he says "justo antes de recogerle", which is referring to how he has just now met the detective at the elevator so that they could have their meeting, which is happening in a police station, not a bullfighting ring. So that makes me a little confused, is he maybe saying he met the President in the elevator at the bullfighting ring?

I have also seen some people say this phrase can be used to say somebody is doing or saying something 'cheekily' or 'cockily', however I'm not sure how that would fit into this context.

I also considered whether this was maybe referring to a restaurant in Seville called Porta Gayola, but then it would be two words and capitalised in the book I think.

Sorry for such a long query, but if anyone could provide their understanding of this sentence then I would hugely appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
matthew richmond
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:30
English translation:blindly / in the dark / without truly understanding
Explanation:
The use of the term here is metaphoric. It means that the did it blindly, without protection but with courage and determination because he knew something difficult was coming but couldn't do anything to avoid it but to prepare himself to receive it. The metaphor with the bullfightings means that you can wait for the bull behind the barrier or without protection but with courage. I hope this will give you the idea of the meaning to find the best translation. I just propose something that I think can fit but I am not English native.
Selected response from:

Susana Monsalve Antoranz
Spain
Local time: 01:30
Grading comment
Yes this is a similar idea to that mentioned by Cecilia in the discussion about how the commissioner wasn't expecting the conversation with the President of the Association and just had to do the best he could. Thanks so much for your help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3on tenterhooks
neilmac
3blindly / in the dark / without truly understanding
Susana Monsalve Antoranz


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
on tenterhooks


Explanation:
As one should when greeting/meeting an an important figure or interlocutor. Or waiting for a fighting bull to come charging out. In a sort of blend of apprehension and anticipation.
At least, that is what I get from the bullfight metaphor, the idea of waiting respectfully (kneeling) to "take the bull by the horns" (= talk to the detective),so to speak. :-)

Example sentence(s):
  • The phrase "on tenterhooks" means "waiting nervously for something to happen."

    https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/on-tenterhooks-origin-meaning-phrase
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 01:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 155
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 days 21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
blindly / in the dark / without truly understanding


Explanation:
The use of the term here is metaphoric. It means that the did it blindly, without protection but with courage and determination because he knew something difficult was coming but couldn't do anything to avoid it but to prepare himself to receive it. The metaphor with the bullfightings means that you can wait for the bull behind the barrier or without protection but with courage. I hope this will give you the idea of the meaning to find the best translation. I just propose something that I think can fit but I am not English native.

Susana Monsalve Antoranz
Spain
Local time: 01:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Yes this is a similar idea to that mentioned by Cecilia in the discussion about how the commissioner wasn't expecting the conversation with the President of the Association and just had to do the best he could. Thanks so much for your help!
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