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conter-se

English translation: contain themselves

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Portuguese term or phrase:conter-se
English translation:contain themselves
Entered by: Fiona N�voa

18:58 Apr 28, 2003
Portuguese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary
Portuguese term or phrase: conter-se
" Quando Augusto entrou em casa, as crianças não se contiveram e iniciou-se a gritaria. A felicidade era geral".
marinacast
Local time: 05:06
contain themselves
Explanation:
the children couldn't contain themselves any longer and started shouting
Selected response from:

Fiona N�voa
Portugal
Local time: 09:06
Grading comment
Thank you very much.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +9contain themselves
Fiona N�voa
5 +1control
Roberto Cavalcanti
5 +1help
Karin Usher
5refrain from
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
5they couldn't restrain themselves from yelling/screaming
Rafa Lombardino
5contain themselves
cpcoronel
5...couldn't contain themselves and burst into shrieks.
Edward Lines
3 +1help
Luciano Monteiro
4bursted into shrieks
TDoherty (X)


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
help


Explanation:
the children were unable to help themselves

Luciano Monteiro
Brazil
Local time: 11:06
Native speaker of: Portuguese
PRO pts in pair: 103

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): yes this could be it
18 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
control


Explanation:
refrain

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Note added at 2003-04-28 19:14:27 (GMT)
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children couldn\'t refrain themselves

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Note added at 2003-04-28 23:04:35 (GMT)
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Dear Mrs. Lamb
I\'m not that expert in English language to make such a categoric statement like you, but there are some people that use this verb as reflexive, as you can find at the links below

www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~emcd/index24.htm
hcgl.eng.ohio-state.edu/~gozon/gozmont_1712.doc

Roberto Cavalcanti
Brazil
Local time: 05:06
Native speaker of: Portuguese
PRO pts in pair: 309

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Norbert Hermann
13 mins
  -> Grato
agree  Valeria Verona
31 mins
  -> Grato
disagree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): sorry guys this is incorrect ....
50 mins
  -> I really don't like your comments. You disagree without telling why. Why this Mrs. Lamb?
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +9
contain themselves


Explanation:
the children couldn't contain themselves any longer and started shouting

Fiona N�voa
Portugal
Local time: 09:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 259
Grading comment
Thank you very much.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): right
25 mins
agree  Lucy Phillips
26 mins
agree  Manuela Brehm
56 mins
agree  Daniel Marcus
2 hrs
agree  Vanessa Marques
3 hrs
agree  Madalena: I agree. I think this would be the correct answer.
19 hrs
agree  Amy Duncan (X)
1 day 1 hr
agree  Clauwolf
2 days 10 mins
agree  Edward Lines
7 days
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
help


Explanation:
When Augusto arrived home, the children couldn't help and started shouting.

---

I do not agree with help "themselves"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-05-01 12:11:48 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your comments below! I realise I did not write the correct sentence, what I meant was:

When Augusto arrived home, the children couldn\'t help but start shouting.



Karin Usher
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:06
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in pair: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): to not be able to help oneself is correct. The children couldn't help themselves is correct. You could also say"couldn't help IT" but not couldn't help. :) Please don't be insulted
14 mins
  -> I am not insulted. You can see my comments above.
neutral  Daniel Marcus: Couldn't help what? Jane is right!
20 hrs
  -> Please see above!
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
refrain from


Explanation:
note to robcav

You may not like my comments but I am trying to say it is not correct. The other day someone got really mad at me for saying what it was. You can't make everyone happy.
You cannot say "refrain oneself", the verb contain can be reflexive but the verb refrain cannot.

refrain FROM doing something....
That';s the explanation.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-04-29 13:21:34 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

NOTE:

1) The only correct answer until now are Fibi and Luciano Monteiro.
2) allow me to give you a taste of the other answers backtranslated:

- As crianças não se controlaram
- As crianças romp\"iram com\" gritos
- As crianças não podiam se reprimir.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-04-29 13:28:47 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Note to Robcav:

the first example you gave is at least King James English or simulating it....and the other is equally antiquated....o

refrain oneself is not modern English

So there it is...

conter as used here can be:

couldn\'t help themselves
were not able to help themselves
were unable to help themselves
couldn\'t help it
couldn\'t contain themselves....



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-04-29 18:03:30 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

restrain is no good either:
See Rafaela dictionary entry:
1 a : to prevent from doing, exhibiting, or expressing something <restrained the child from jumping> b : to limit, restrict , or keep under control <try to restrain your anger>



The term is not used in the reflexive.

An agent has to CARRY out the restraining...
If you say,
the children could not restrain themselves it MEANS

they could not forcefully hold themselves back from...
so you either need an agent to do the restraining OR an object that is restrained:

the child could not restrain the dog on the leash

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in pair: 3273
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
bursted into shrieks


Explanation:
I would combine the two ideas and say ...the children bursted into shrieks...Good luck, Tulla

TDoherty (X)
Local time: 04:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
they couldn't restrain themselves from yelling/screaming


Explanation:
AS YOU CAN SEE, ***RESTRAIN*** IS WIDER THAN ***REFRAIN*** AND COULD BE A GOOD OPTION FOR WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND. GOOD LUCK!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Main Entry: re·strain
Pronunciation: ri-'strAn
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English restraynen, from Middle French restraindre, from Latin restringere to restrain, restrict, from re- + stringere to bind tight -- more at STRAIN
Date: 14th century
1 a : to prevent from doing, exhibiting, or expressing something <restrained the child from jumping> b : to limit, restrict , or keep under control <try to restrain your anger>
2 : to moderate or limit the force, effect, development, or full exercise of <restrain trade>
3 : to deprive of liberty; especially : to place under arrest or restraint
- re·strain·able /-'strA-n&-b&l/ adjective
- re·strain·er noun
synonyms RESTRAIN, CHECK, CURB, BRIDLE mean to hold back from or control in doing something. RESTRAIN suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes <restrained themselves from laughing>. CHECK implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus <trying to check government spending>. CURB suggests an abrupt or drastic checking <learn to curb your appetite>. BRIDLE implies keeping under control by subduing or holding in <bridle an impulse to throw the book down>.

==============================================================

Main Entry: 1re·frain
Pronunciation: ri-'frAn
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English refreynen, from Middle French refreiner, refrener, from Latin refrenare, from re- + frenum bridle -- more at FRENUM
Date: 14th century
transitive senses archaic : CURB, RESTRAIN
intransitive senses : to keep oneself from doing, feeling, or indulging in something and especially from following a passing impulse
- re·frain·ment /-m&nt/ noun

Rafa Lombardino
United States
Local time: 01:06
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 137
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2 days 22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
contain themselves


Explanation:
What about this option:

When Augusto came home, the children couldn't contain themselves from yelling and screaming.


"Yelling and screaming" is a daily used expression




    daily usage of the language
cpcoronel
PRO pts in pair: 4
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7 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
...couldn't contain themselves and burst into shrieks.


Explanation:
Combine Fibi and Tulla and it's just fine.
I agree with Jane. Refrain is not reflexive

Edward Lines
Local time: 09:06
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 8
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