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silcificado
que tiene algo de intercrecimiento de malaquita

Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

copa (in this context)

English translation:

something stronger

Added to glossary by Kate Major Patience
Dec 19, 2008 19:43
15 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Spanish term

copa

Spanish to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature modern novel
OK guys. We're talking about copas of the kind you would get in a bar or pub. This has always annoyed me. I know you can say long drink, or you could say specifically what it is - rum and coke or whatever - but have a look at my context below. Any ideas to make this flow nicely? Two guys drinking and discussing relationships in a bar.

En mi fuero interno sabía que Santo estaba de acuerdo con buena parte de lo que le estaba diciendo —llevado por una inspiración etílica que ***un par de cervezas o una copa más transmutarían en delirio***— aunque nuestro habitual funcionamiento de llevarnos la contra in aeternum no sólo le impedía reconocerlo sino que le obligaba a contradecirme sin objeción…

What should I do here? Your advice and suggestions are very welcome, and thanks in advance. Also,
season's greetings to you all.
Cheers.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 something stronger
5 +7 one more drink...
5 +5 any other drink
4 Mixed Drink/Well Drink/Cocktail
4 highball
3 +1 the kind of drinks
3 a stiff drink
3 swig; snifter; slug; glass; sip

Discussion

Lydia De Jorge Dec 22, 2008:
cgowar, it was not my intention to 'copy' your remark to Nora's answer - I did not see it. Perhaps you should have posted your own answer as 'one more drink' is not the same as 'any other drink'. Happy Holidays!
Cecilia Gowar Dec 22, 2008:
...perhaps the rules of the site should be made a bit more clear?
Cecilia Gowar Dec 22, 2008:
I am puzzled to see Lydia's answer (at 57 minutes) is exactly what I wrote in my agree to Nora Ferrer (at 46). I refrained from writing it as my own answer because she was the one proposing the word drink which I believe is the right one...
jack_speak Dec 20, 2008:
I agreed that "copa" in this context means a mixed drink, one that is stronger than beer. That's why I thought a clever solution would be to say another stiff drink. It leaves it clear the speaker is referring to a mixed drink, not beer.
Lydia De Jorge Dec 20, 2008:
solve it by just saying "a few more drinks" or "a little more alcohol" which would cover both.
Lydia De Jorge Dec 20, 2008:
I suppose it depends on the country. To me 'going out for a beer' and 'going out for a drink' are two different thinks - even though technically a beer is a drink. I think the important thing here is to get Santos drunk enough to agree, so I would
Kate Major Patience (asker) Dec 20, 2008:
...Hence why Santo will have to drink 2 beers or a copa: beers are weaker and so one copas would be equivalent to drinking 2 beers in the effect it had on your judgement. :)
Kate Major Patience (asker) Dec 20, 2008:
By the way, in response to Carol's comment above: I have already pointed out below on Lydia's answer in a comment addressed to yourself, that when these boys are out they drink beer or copas (long drinks) and only drink wine at dinner. Hope that helps.
Kate Major Patience (asker) Dec 20, 2008:
Yes, Lydia, you understand the text very well! Perfect. But I still think that in English, we say this differently, and that "a drink" includes beer, making the translation more tricky. Therefore, to my ears at least "a beer or another drink" won't work. But your input is very useful as usual, and you understand my question perfectly. Thanks. :)
Lydia De Jorge Dec 20, 2008:
From the context I gather the two had been drinking for a while and if Santos were to have a few more beers or one more drink (a drink is stronger than a beer), he might get drunk enough to agree with whatever they are discussing...
Carol Gullidge Dec 20, 2008:
... tipple is. But only you can supply that from the context
Carol Gullidge Dec 20, 2008:
doh, I've been incredibly dense (or perhaps not so incredibly!!). The penny has finally dropped, and I see now why "drink" doesn't really work. But also, I suppose you can't really be specific either - unless you happen to know what these blokes' usual
Lydia De Jorge Dec 20, 2008:
AFAIK 'copas' by itself refers to hard liquor or wine and is a separate category from beer (don't know why...) "te tomas un par de copas" "te tomas un par de cervezas"
Carol Gullidge Dec 19, 2008:
pallofa, cuba libre, vino, una caña, lumumba, or even tinto de verano on a hot day in Granada - anything goes (glug glug) Well, OK, there are limits: even I think estomacal is pretty ghastly
Kate Major Patience (asker) Dec 19, 2008:
Haha. I stick to beer myself... ;)
Carol Gullidge Dec 19, 2008:
well, after all, I suppose any old alcoholic drink will put you "in your cups"...
ugh!!
Kate Major Patience (asker) Dec 19, 2008:
Well I don't know if anyone would like to corroborate this -I'll check with the author too at some point- but where I live and mostly elswhere too, I believe "copa de vino" is a glass of wine, but if you just say "copa" as in "ir de copas" it usually means going out drinking rum and cokes or vodka tonics or equivalent. And although traditionally it's a glass with a stem, not always. If I order a "copa" in a bar, it never comes in a glass with a stem. Most likely a balloon or a "tubo".
Carol Gullidge Dec 19, 2008:
Kate: where does the "long drink" come in? Afaik, a copa is just a drink or a glass, and if I go into my local in Menorca and ask for una copa de vino, I get given a glass of wine, albeit in a decent-sized glass (but not a long one!)

Proposed translations

+1
2 hrs
Selected

something stronger

Common (UK) English expressions for anything alcoholic that constitues a step beyond 'mere' beer.

... un par de cervezas o una copa ...
-->
... a couple of beers or (maybe) something stronger ...
Note from asker:
I like this mediamatrix. That's the idea here.
Peer comment(s):
agree kironne : This would also work in this context.
49 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: ""...after a couple more beers or perhaps something stronger"... There is no way, in my opinion, that "after a couple more beers or drinks" or anything similar would make sense in this context: although "drinks" works as a synonym in many other contexts, I needed something more appropriate to my question. I had no idea that this question would raise such debate, however, and I want to thank ALL the answerers for their input here: very interesting.Cheers. Happy holidays."
+5
7 mins

any other drink

driven by an alcoholic inspiration that a couple of beers or any other drink would turn into delirium...

:)
Peer comment(s):
agree Wes Freeman : I like it.
17 mins
Thanks!
agree Tarik Boussetta : yes another drink other than cerveza:)
26 mins
Thanks, Tarik!
agree Cecilia Gowar : a couple of beers or one more drink...
46 mins
Thanks!
agree Laurie Price : I like the "any other" -- variety. Beers and ...
4 hrs
Thanks, Laurie!
agree Carol Gullidge : yes, now that I've finally cottoned on, I think this also works!
19 hrs
Thanks, Carol!
Something went wrong...
13 mins

Mixed Drink/Well Drink/Cocktail

I think a well drink refers specifically to a mixed drink made with the "house" or cheapest liquor...a cocktail implies some kind of skill in the making (I don't know if I would consider rum and coke a cocktail...any thoughts?).

So I'd go with "mixed drink" most likely

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2008-12-19 19:58:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And Season's Greetings to you too Kate- getting 18 inches of snow today/tonight in Rochester...how's the weather over there? :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 48 mins (2008-12-19 20:32:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've seen "well drink" quite a bit over here...usually in the context of specials (ie "two dollar beers and well drinks" meaning including mixed drinks not made with top shelf liquor). The snow *looks* magic, but shoveling is not :).
Note from asker:
Well drink's a new one for me! Here in Granada it's all blue skies, glistening frosty white mountains and golden leaves. No snow on my hill though! But beautiful... Wow, 18 inches of snow: magic!
Is "well drink" quite common over there then? I get a lot of hits for it...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Carol Gullidge : surely a copa is just a glass or a glassful (ie, a drink). certainly, una copa de vino is a glass of wine//yes, I know she did, but the context doesn't explain why. A copa is a copa, not a long drink. Guess I'll have to ask!
1 hr
Fair point Carol....but as Kate mentioned she was looking for other ways to phrase "Long Drink"
Something went wrong...
+7
57 mins

one more drink...

una copa mas = one more drink
Note from asker:
To answer Carol's comment below, this is going to be a rum and coke or similar, not wine. The characters only drink wine with dinner. When they're out, it's beer or 'copas'. If I ask for a copa in a bar, they expect me to ask for a mixed drink with spirits. I would have to say "una copa de vino tinto", or whatever, for them not to assume I wanted something harder... "drink" might work, but in that case I would have to remove "beer", which is also a "drink". :)
Peer comment(s):
agree Aldona Parra
5 mins
Thanks!
agree Carol Gullidge : yes, not sure where the problem is, or where the long drink enters the equation. Una copa is any old drink in a glass, in my experiance, a glass of wine
37 mins
Ditto!
agree kironne : A copa is just a drink, indeed.
1 hr
That's how I know it!
agree Sandra Cravero
3 hrs
Gracias Sandra!
agree Carla_am
5 hrs
Gracias nuevamente!
agree Rosa Elena Lozano Arton : This is full of "wisdom", I just wonder ha ha!
16 hrs
Ok, you got me! I confess to having a 'copa' here and there...Saludos!
agree De Novi : Yes, oh yes!
1 day 4 hrs
Bottoms up!
Something went wrong...
54 mins

highball

... that two more beers or a highball would turn into...

A highball can be whisky with club soda or ginger ale, but it is also generic for alcohol mixed with a soft drink.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 58 mins (2008-12-19 20:42:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

highball (noun )
a mixed drink made of alcoholic liquor mixed with water or a carbonated beverage and served in a tall glass.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/highball

A highball is the name for a family of mixed drinks that are composed of an alcoholic base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highball_(cocktail)

Read a review for Marks & Spencer Vodka Highball and make a good deal. ... (+) It's got tequila in it (-) Not many places are selling it in the UK (*) ...
www.ciao.co.uk/Marks_Spencer_Vodka_Highball__5329774

Recipe 97553 --- English Highball: Mixed Drinks Beverages English ...Mixed Drinks Beverages English England Uk European British English - Recipe ... Pour brandy, gin, and sweet vermouth into a highball glass over ice cubes. ...
fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=97553

And Jingle Jollies to you, too, Kate! ;->
Peer comment(s):
neutral Carol Gullidge : a copa isn't any specific drink, as far as I know. And if it is, then it's a glass of wine, at least in Menorca :) But I think it simply refers to any drink
46 mins
As Kate and Lydia explain, "tomar una copa" is to have a mixed drink/highball/long drink, etc., 99% of the time in a "tubo" here in Castilla y León.
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

a stiff drink

a couple of beers or another stiff drink..

-just an idea....
Something went wrong...
+1
6 hrs

the kind of drinks

Cheers
Peer comment(s):
agree Carol Gullidge : yes, eg, "one more cuba libre", or whatever it is that you happen to know is their usual tipple// Merry Christmas!
8 hrs
Thanks Carol, happy holidays.
Something went wrong...
15 hrs

swig; snifter; slug; glass; sip

If you don't know what it is they usually drink, then perhaps not a good idea to specify anything in particular - which would be an overinterpretation.

Since the register is pretty casual, you might get away with any of the above (except "sip"!)

To keep it non-specific, you could try something along the lines of:


another couple of beers or just one more swig/glass of whatever they happen to be drinking


Collins gives both drink and glass for "copa", but no mention of what the drink might be or what the glass may contain
Something went wrong...
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