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Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

saltó al agua de cabeza.

English translation:

(and immediately he ) dived head first into the water

Added to glossary by Jeanie Eldon
Feb 26, 2022 19:26
2 yrs ago
48 viewers *
Spanish term

saltó al agua de cabeza.

Spanish to English Other Law (general) civil law
"Vi que el hombre saltó por encima de las cuerdas e inmediatamente saltó al agua de cabeza.

This is part of someone's evidence in a civil case, so I am unable to provide more context. The translation of the last part of the sentence is causing me a lot of difficulty. I don't think that "diving into the water" is the correct term, also because it could affect the outcome of the action, although my own attempt (below) doesn't sound quite right either:

"I saw the man jump over the ropes and immediately jump headfirst into the water"

I'd appreciate your suggestions. I've selected the general law field but it's not really legalese. Also, it's from Mexican Spanish, if that's any help.
Proposed translations (English)
5 +6 (and immediately he ) dived head first into the water
4 +4 dived headfirst into the water
5 +2 he immediately jumped headfirst into the water
4 +3 plunged headfirst into the water
3 jump into the water headfirst
3 pitched himself headfirst into the water
References
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictio...
Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

Non-PRO (2): Michele Fauble, patinba

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Discussion

AllegroTrans Feb 27, 2022:
Plunge? "Plunge" perhaps has the advantage of "neutrality" which may be a good idea for the asker's document. "Dive" implies a deliberate action executed with a certain amount of skill, whereas "plunge" could cover a less precise type of action. Asker hasn't told us any more about the circumstances - i.e. was the man running from danger, fleeing from arrest or messing about at a swimming pool? Etc. etc. The context could make this clearer.
Helena Chavarria Feb 27, 2022:
I've just read the phrase to my Spanish husband, who's sitting down at the table, and he immediately stuck his arms out in front of him and lowered his head, as if he was about to dive into some water.
Jeanie Eldon (asker) Feb 27, 2022:
Thank you Helena Chavarria That's a helpful clarification
Helena Chavarria Feb 27, 2022:
If someone falls head first, I don't get the impression that it was a controlled movement.
Helena Chavarria Feb 27, 2022:
In English we say dive head first but you can't translate that literally into Spanish because the term doesn't exist, so we say 'saltar de cabeza'. 'Bucear' (dive) means something else.
Jeanie Eldon (asker) Feb 27, 2022:
Thank you David Hollywood It is now, thanks!
David Hollywood Feb 27, 2022:
but that will be clear to Jeanie
David Hollywood Feb 27, 2022:
e.g. you might "jump" headfirst/head-first into a business venture
David Hollywood Feb 27, 2022:
"dive" headfirst/head-first would be literal as opposed to "jump" headfirst which would be figurative IMO
Jeanie Eldon (asker) Feb 27, 2022:
saltar al agua de cabeza The question is; how to best render the term "saltar al agua de cabeza" in a legal situation, bearing in mind that this is someone's evidence that you have sworn to give a true and faithful translation or interpretation?
To "dive" headfirst into the water or "plunge", both sound perfect to me but is this really accurate? Or is it the case that the direct translation "jump" is a better fit? In the same way that a direct translation of "plunge" is "zambullir".
Or have I spent too many hours on the computer tonight? haaaaaaaaa
Richard Cadena Feb 27, 2022:
"to dive" is the opposite of "to jump". Diving headfirst into the water is precisely that, headfirst. Jumping implies feet first. Also note that swimming pools have "diving boards", not jumping boards. As diving boards go, there is the high dive (12 ft.) vs. the low dive (3 ft.).
ormiston Feb 26, 2022:
"to plunge" gets round the problem of jumping Jumping to me conjures up landing feet first, so I'd go for
He plunged headfirst into the water

Proposed translations

+6
7 mins
Selected

(and immediately he ) dived head first into the water

I don't see what your problem is with this. Your version is quite correct, and there is no other possible meaning.
Note from asker:
Thank you, Patinaba. Will see what others think
Peer comment(s):
agree Michele Fauble
1 hr
Thank you!
agree Andrew Bramhall
1 hr
Thank you!
agree Richard Cadena
4 hrs
Thank you!
agree David Hollywood : absolutely
5 hrs
Thank you!
agree Helena Chavarria : and he immediately dived...
20 hrs
Yes. Thank you!
agree Saro Nova
2 days 14 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This was such an interesting discussion and I thank everyone who participated with so many excellent and helpful suggestions. Patinba, thank you for providing the closest match"
+2
1 hr

he immediately jumped headfirst into the water

I have just changed the word order to what the word order would be in English.
Note from asker:
Thanks Eileen
Given that this is for legal proceedings, and supposed to be translated word-for-word, of as close to the original as possible, it might just be the most suitable match
Peer comment(s):
agree Michele Fauble
23 mins
Thank you very much Michele
agree Richard Cadena : Your emphasis on word order is why I like your answer the most, although I would prefer "dived" instead of "jumped".
38 mins
Thank you very much Richard, I wouldn't use dived with "head first" but that's an option
Something went wrong...
12 mins

jump into the water headfirst

Se refiere a tirarse al agua de cabeza,
Creo que una búsqueda de imágenes puede sacarte de dudas

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2022-02-26 21:02:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://dle.rae.es/tirar
36. prnl. Arrojarse, dejarse caer.
Incluso sería recomendable incluir el verbo tirarse porque ya aparece saltar

Saltar en el drae
7. intr. Alzarse con impulso rápido, separándose de donde se está. U. t. en sent. fig. Saltar a la fama.
8. intr. Arrojarse desde una altura. Saltar desde un trampolín. Saltar en paracaídas.

a mí me parece un perfecto sinónimo

Quizá no lo usan, o sea, que en México no se debe escuchar mucho eso de tirarse en estos casos y se dice más saltar

https://dem.colmex.mx/ver/saltar
2 Echarse o tirarse una persona o un animal desde cierta altura: saltar en paracaídas, saltar de un tren, saltar de un árbol

Quitar se puede entender que cuando se dice saltar hay una altura que se gana y cuando se dice tirarse parece que no se presta tanta atención a que se levante o coja altura
Pero creo que no es el caso
Vamos que salta al agua
No es un salto de trampolín en el que toma altura


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2022-02-26 21:09:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Y creo podrías poner jump o puedes poner también si lo prefieres dive
Tirarse a la piscina es lo que se dice, al menos por España, coloquialmente,
saltar sonaría más deportivo
parecen ser dos formas de decir lo mismo

Note from asker:
Gracias Villarino. Creo que hay una diferencia entre saltar y tirarse, ¿no? "Saltar" es la palabra que me da problemas. Si fuera "tirar" lo habría traducido simplemente como "diving". No sé si lo he dejado claro
Something went wrong...
+4
9 mins

dived headfirst into the water

Since he went in "headfirst", I think "dived" would be the proper description and translation for "saltar", in this case.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2022-02-26 20:59:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Jeanie. How about "threw himself headfirst into the water", then?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2022-02-26 21:04:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

BTW, I also wanted to mention that I think it would be better it you replaced "immediately" with "then" or "quickly": ..."and then/quickly threw himself into the water".

Hope it helps.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2022-02-26 21:14:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I also thought of this at one point: "...quickly hopped into the water." I think that might reflect "saltar" better, and get rid of the connotation of forcefulness found with thrusting oneself/diving into the water. In this case, I don't think that "hopping" would be very controlled kind of movement at all, unlike what you find with "hopscotch".
Note from asker:
Thanks Barbara, as I already wrote to Villarino, my problem with translating this as "dive" is because the word "saltar" is used instead of "tirarse"
Thanks Barbara. Again I think "threw himself" is closer to "tirarse" than saltar. As for "diving", it seems to me that it's more of a controlled movement, compared to "jumping"
Peer comment(s):
agree Wyoming (X)
1 hr
Thanks, Wyoming.
agree Richard Cadena : The only thing missing is the adverb "immediately", either before the verb or after the object of a preposition in the complement.
4 hrs
Thank you, Richard. But like I mentioned above, I would shy away from using "Immediately" in the translation."
agree David Hollywood : "immediately" in asker's text but "dived headfirst etc." perfect in term asked if literal but "ojo" "jump headfirst/head-first " if not...and hence the quandary...
5 hrs
Thank you, David. But like I mentioned above, I would shy away from using "Immediately" in the translation.
agree neilmac : A search for "dived headfirst" gets 99,000 results...
14 hrs
Thank you, neilmac.
Something went wrong...
1 hr

pitched himself headfirst into the water

A headfirst jump into the water, with intent and energy.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2022-02-26 21:54:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

and straightaway pitched himself headfirst into the water.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2022-02-26 21:59:40 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Immediately = straightaway: https://www.audioenglish.org/dictionary/straightaway.htm
Note from asker:
Thanks Wyoming. Sounds good.
Something went wrong...
+3
5 hrs

plunged headfirst into the water


plunge
/plʌn(d)ʒ/
Learn to pronounce
See definitions in:
all


1.
jump or dive quickly and energetically.
"our little daughters whooped as they plunged into the sea"
h
Similar:
jump

dive
hurl oneself
throw oneself
fling oneself
launch oneself
catapult oneself
cast oneself
pitch oneself

fall suddenly and uncontrollably.
"a car swerved to avoid a bus and plunged into a ravine"

Similar:
crash

plummet
pitch
drop
fall
fall headlong
tumble
nosedive
take a nosedive
crash-dive
descend
embark impetuously on a speech or course of action.
"he came to a decision, and plunged on before he had time to reconsider it"
suffer a rapid decrease in value.
"shares in the company plunged 18p on news that profits had fallen"
h
Similar:
fall steeply/sharply
plummet
drop rapidly
go down
tumble
sink
slump
crash
nosedive
take a nosedive
(of a ship) pitch.
"the ship plunged through the 20-foot seas"
h
Similar:
lurch
pitch
roll
reel
toss about
keel
list
wallow
labour
flounder
make heavy weather

pitchpole
(of a horse) rear violently.
"the frightened horse plunged and bolted"

2.
push or thrust quickly.
"he plunged his hands into his pockets"
h
Similar:
thrust
stick
ram
drive
jab
stab
push
shove
force
sink

quickly immerse in liquid.
"to peel fruit, cover with boiling water and then plunge them into iced water"
h
Similar:
immerse

submerge
sink
dip
dunk
douse
duck
suddenly bring into a specified condition or state.
"for a moment the scene was illuminated, then it was plunged back into darkness"
h
Similar:
throw
cast

pitch
sink (a pot containing a plant) in the ground.
"pot up and plunge spring-flowering bulbs"

noun
noun: plunge; plural noun: plunges

an act of jumping or diving into water.
"fanatics went straight from the hot room to take a cold plunge"
Note from asker:
Thanks AllegroTrans
Peer comment(s):
agree neilmac : Nice get-out... :-)
8 hrs
Thanks
agree ormiston : As per my comment above! But I didn't post it as an answer, so my bad!
10 hrs
I am so sorry, but I genuinely had not seen your comment in dBox when I posted this answer
agree Michele Fauble
1 day 15 hrs
thanks
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

5 hrs
Reference:

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