mentre es fa temps

English translation: while they are waiting / killing time

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Catalan term or phrase:mentre es fa temps
English translation:while they are waiting / killing time
Entered by: Josh Goldsmith

17:19 Dec 10, 2014
Catalan to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Other / Text on cagatió
Catalan term or phrase: mentre es fa temps
Hi everyone! I'm sure this is very straightforward but I'm just not sure I've got the right meaning. Thanks for your help!

El tió de Nadal és un tronc que els nens catalans posen als menjadors de les seves llars a les primeres setmanes de desembre, i que van alimentant i cuidant cada dia, perquè no tingui gana ni fred. La finalitat és que la Nit de Nadal, el 24 de desembre, mentre van cantant una cançó, se li donin cops de bastó alhora que reclamen els aliments que li han donat en forma de regals, llaminadures o torrons.

És una tradició catalana que també es dóna a algunes localitats aragoneses (s’hi refereixen a ell com tronca) i té un marcat caràcter familiar. Pares i fills participen en tot moment, tant en el procés d’alimentar-lo com en el moment màgic en què el tió caga. El moment indicat és després de sopar, ***mentre es fa temps*** perquè arribi la mitjanit, quan la família assisteix a la Missa del Gall.
Lindsay Spratt
France
Local time: 00:59
while they were waiting / killing time (before Midnight Mass)
Explanation:
"fer temps Entretenir-se en alguna cosa secundària esperant un esdeveniment, el moment d'obrar més intensament, etc. "

http://www.diccionari.cat/lexicx.jsp?GECART=0132291
Selected response from:

Josh Goldsmith
Switzerland
Local time: 00:59
Grading comment
I used 'waiting'. Thanks for your help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4while they were waiting / killing time (before Midnight Mass)
Josh Goldsmith
2while/whilst they bide their time until midnight.....
Andy Watkinson
Summary of reference entries provided
Montse Ballesteros

  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
while they were waiting / killing time (before Midnight Mass)


Explanation:
"fer temps Entretenir-se en alguna cosa secundària esperant un esdeveniment, el moment d'obrar més intensament, etc. "

http://www.diccionari.cat/lexicx.jsp?GECART=0132291

Josh Goldsmith
Switzerland
Local time: 00:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I used 'waiting'. Thanks for your help!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Montse Ballesteros: while they "are"...
5 mins
  -> Thanks, Montse! And yes, I fully agree - in this case "are" is of course more appropriate!

agree  Linda Miranda: while they "are" waiting, of course... (better than killing time, IMO)
53 mins
  -> Thanks, Linda!

agree  Helena Chavarria: while they are waiting...
1 hr
  -> Thanks, Helena!

agree  Christopher Michael Millard: Killing time and waiting both seem like good solutions to me :)
1 day 16 hrs
  -> Thanks, Chris!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
while/whilst they bide their time until midnight.....


Explanation:
Just a thought.

Starting to think this sounds a bit sinister............

Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 00:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Christopher Michael Millard: Quite sinister, true!
1 day 9 hrs
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Reference comments


20 mins
Reference

Reference information:
"killing time" would be more to the point. I forgot to mention it before.

Montse Ballesteros
Spain
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in CatalanCatalan
PRO pts in category: 4
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