Glossary entry (derived from question below)
español term or phrase:
débiles de conveniencia
inglés translation:
those who intentionally play the weakling
Added to glossary by
Rachel Freeman
May 29, 2013 09:43
11 yrs ago
español term
débiles de conveniencia
español al inglés
Técnico/Ingeniería
General / Conversación / Saludos / Cartas
Sociology
Hi everyone,
This is from a Spanish article about advice literature. The author wants US English.
In this section, the author is discussing about how in self-help literature others are often placed into categories of being "medicinal" (helpful or positive) or "toxic" (harmful or unhelpful).
Entre las personas “tóxicas” se incluyen los “débiles de conveniencia (...) parásitos que nunca aprenderán a construir sus propias vidas y se convertirán en una pesadísima e insoportable carga para los fuertes y para la sociedad”
I'm having a hard time getting the right wording. Any ideas? Thank you in advance for your help.
This is from a Spanish article about advice literature. The author wants US English.
In this section, the author is discussing about how in self-help literature others are often placed into categories of being "medicinal" (helpful or positive) or "toxic" (harmful or unhelpful).
Entre las personas “tóxicas” se incluyen los “débiles de conveniencia (...) parásitos que nunca aprenderán a construir sus propias vidas y se convertirán en una pesadísima e insoportable carga para los fuertes y para la sociedad”
I'm having a hard time getting the right wording. Any ideas? Thank you in advance for your help.
Proposed translations
7 minutos
Selected
those who intentionally play the weakling
Perhaps something along these lines?
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks Isamar, I think this is the best fit."
7 minutos
Cristina Gonzalez
Estados Unidos
Estados Unidos
Native in español
&
inglés
Estados Unidos
ATA Certified English to Spanish
Native in: inglés (Variants: British, US South, US, Canadian) 
, español (Variants: Latin American, Canarian, Standard-Spain) 
Works in: inglés al español, español al inglés, italiano al inglés, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
conveniently frail
...my try...
2 horas
Robert Forstag
Estados Unidos
Estados Unidos
Native in inglés
Estados Unidos
Translating words, preserving meaning
Native in: inglés
Works in: español al inglés, inglés
Related KudoZ points
:
318
those who have comfortably settled into a role of impotence and ineffectuality
A rather free translation, I recognize, but I don't think that "weak" or "weakling" really work here, and this does seem to be what the author is getting at. I can't think of a single word offhand to cover "débiles."
Suerte.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2013-05-29 12:25:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Perhaps a more elegant alternative here would be one single word:
"malingerers"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2013-05-29 12:26:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
www.thefreedictionary.com/malingerer
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2013-05-29 12:28:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
www.thefreedictionary.com/malingerer
Suerte.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2013-05-29 12:25:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Perhaps a more elegant alternative here would be one single word:
"malingerers"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2013-05-29 12:26:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
www.thefreedictionary.com/malingerer
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2013-05-29 12:28:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
www.thefreedictionary.com/malingerer
5 horas
shirker/slaker
the shirker
– a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime) 1
the slacker ; the shirker
– a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime) 1
http://www.interglot.com/dictionary/en/en/translate/shirker
– a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime) 1
the slacker ; the shirker
– a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime) 1
http://www.interglot.com/dictionary/en/en/translate/shirker
+1
13 minutos
Carol Gullidge
Reino Unido
Reino Unido
Native in inglés
Specializes in field
Reino Unido
poetically precise prose with... panache
Native in: inglés
Works in: francés al inglés, español al inglés, inglés
Related KudoZ points
:
214
benefit scroungers
not a guess exactly, but low CR as I'm not US
Benefit scroungers are those who have convenient illnesses or disabilities that let them off having to look for work - sometimes indefinitely.
Not to be confused with the genuinely sick and disabled, who really need all the sickness benefit they can get, and probably more...
was tempted to post "Drop-outs", but these are simply people who opt out of earning a living, without resorting to feigning illness
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 days (2013-06-03 09:21:33 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
fair enough, but it's "leeches" :)
Benefit scroungers are those who have convenient illnesses or disabilities that let them off having to look for work - sometimes indefinitely.
Not to be confused with the genuinely sick and disabled, who really need all the sickness benefit they can get, and probably more...
was tempted to post "Drop-outs", but these are simply people who opt out of earning a living, without resorting to feigning illness
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 days (2013-06-03 09:21:33 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
fair enough, but it's "leeches" :)
Note from asker:
| Thanks for your answer Carol, but the article isn't talking about people who feign illness to avoid work. It's really more about those who are emotional leaches. In a different context this might work. |
| Oops, you're right. Leeches. Too long in front of the computer. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Adriana Uribe
: The tone of the text suggests this should be the best fit for the translation.
4 horas
|
|
thanks Adriana! I think it captures the connotations of "swinging the lead" - or feigning illness in order to avoid work
|
Discussion