La rueda se corta

English translation: the cycle is broken

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:La rueda se corta
English translation:the cycle is broken
Entered by: Nicholas Boline

16:03 Jan 14, 2024
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Photography/Imaging (& Graphic Arts)
Spanish term or phrase: La rueda se corta
Hello! I'm translating an episode of the Argentine television series Barrabrava, which deals with the organizations of the same name. During one the dialogues, several members of the barra meet with a corrupt policeman in order to confront him about an attack that has taken place. While confronting him, the characters attempt to persuade him that in exchange for not retaliating against this attack (in which an ally of the policeman (Palacios) may be complicit, he needs to ensure the police won't interfere with some kind of action that will take place at the football match the following Saturday. I have absolutely no idea what the phrase "La rueda se corta" in this context means. Here is the dialogue:

"Este sábado la barra vuelve a ser nuestra. Ocupate de que nadie nos rompa los huevos. Sino...la rueda se corta y se pudre todo, ya sabés como es."

(Palacios piensa y suspira, no está en condiciones de negociar.)
Nicholas Boline
United States
Local time: 09:25
the cycle is broken
Explanation:
The general idea is that, as in any business, there is a series of people who benefit from an action, which in turn benefit someone else, and so on, most probably benefitting the first one.

Take an example that is being shared quite often in social media, it says that we should pay in cash, as the USD 50 we pay in a store allows the person to take those 50 and pay in the local market, and, in turn, allows the owner to pay for meat at the butcher's with that money, which will allow the butcher to use that money at the first store to buy. However, if instead of using cash, you use credit cards, the banking fees appear, and that money becomes less and less until the cycle is finally broken.

The same notion applies in crime and illegal activity. Barrabravas engage into a series of illegal activities: drug dealing, illegal reselling of tickets, illegally charging for parking spaces near the stadiums, bribes, etc, and many different groups and individuals benefit from this cycle. Now, if the police were to interfere, then the situation would be terminated... and hell breaks loose!

Hope it's clear!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2024-01-14 20:53:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've just seen that patinba provided a similar answer. It's the same idea, but I think it may be a bit too formal, but that's just my take on the subject.

Cheers!
Selected response from:

Joaquín Carrillo Bascary
Argentina
Local time: 11:25
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5the cycle is broken
Joaquín Carrillo Bascary
3the system collapses
patinba


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the system collapses


Explanation:
and everything falls apart (no more money for bribes)

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 11:25
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Joaquín Carrillo Bascary: I think it's a bit too formal, but it works nonetheless
2 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
the cycle is broken


Explanation:
The general idea is that, as in any business, there is a series of people who benefit from an action, which in turn benefit someone else, and so on, most probably benefitting the first one.

Take an example that is being shared quite often in social media, it says that we should pay in cash, as the USD 50 we pay in a store allows the person to take those 50 and pay in the local market, and, in turn, allows the owner to pay for meat at the butcher's with that money, which will allow the butcher to use that money at the first store to buy. However, if instead of using cash, you use credit cards, the banking fees appear, and that money becomes less and less until the cycle is finally broken.

The same notion applies in crime and illegal activity. Barrabravas engage into a series of illegal activities: drug dealing, illegal reselling of tickets, illegally charging for parking spaces near the stadiums, bribes, etc, and many different groups and individuals benefit from this cycle. Now, if the police were to interfere, then the situation would be terminated... and hell breaks loose!

Hope it's clear!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2024-01-14 20:53:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I've just seen that patinba provided a similar answer. It's the same idea, but I think it may be a bit too formal, but that's just my take on the subject.

Cheers!

Joaquín Carrillo Bascary
Argentina
Local time: 11:25
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lisa Jane
9 hrs

agree  Luciana Saturno
11 hrs

agree  neilmac: ... and it all goes tits up/skewiff... etc.
11 hrs

agree  Sofia Coppola
15 hrs

agree  Yvonne Gallagher: quite simply
2 days 17 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search