Re: Translation Project! (was Re: Let the hammer fall!)

Barry Garcia wrote:
> True, but i was thinking in terms of *just* that phrase, not another verb
> in front ;).
As I understand it, that's the normal form in Spanish.  C'mon, where's
the native speakers to comment?!  :-)

Okay, here we go, in my "A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish":

Third-person imperative forms consisting of que + subjunctive are
common.  They are usually translatable by some formula like "Let
him/her/them ...", "Tell him/her/them to ...":

Que pasen "Let them come in/tell them to come in"
Que ella los bañara, los vistiera, oyera sus preguntas, los enseñara a
rezar y a creer en algo (A. Mastretta, Mexico, dialogue)
"[As far as I was concerned] let her bathe them, clothe them, listen to
their questions, teach them to pray and believe in something"

It also notes:

Third-person imperatives without que are found in set phrases: ¡Dios nos
coja confesados! (archaic or humorous) "Good God!"/"heavens above!"
(lit. "May God take us after we've confessed!"), ¡Sálvese quien pueda!
"Everyone for himself!" (lit. "Save him/herself he/she who can!"

> Which reminds me.....what was the arabic phrase ojalá comes from (ya, i
> know it has been discussed here). A book i read claimed "wa sha illah".
I believe the consensus here last time we discussed it was "Inshallah!",
but I can't remember the translation, "God willing", I think?

--
ICQ: 18656696
AIM Screen-Name: NikTaylor42