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"mal de muchos"

English translation: many people's distress

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:"mal de muchos"
English translation:many people's distress
Entered by: Golden Hawk

18:17 May 26, 2004
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Other / Other
Spanish term or phrase: "mal de muchos"
Se trata de una expresión idiomática que significa "que le ocurre a mucha gente", muy usada en Español...Se les ocurre alguna buena traducción?
Desde ya, muchas gracias por la colaboración.

ORACIÓN COMPLETA: "El Parkinson es un mal de muchos"
debbiepamo
Parkinson: many people's distress
Explanation:
Sólo una propuesta por si quieres hacer referencia al dicho en inglés:

Two in distress makes sorrow less.

O "not only two people's distress".
Selected response from:

Golden Hawk
Local time: 02:19
Grading comment
Gracias a todos!!!!
Besos, Débora de Argentina
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5Parkinsons is a disease that affects many people
Rantes
4 +4afflicts lots of people / afflicts a lot of people
swisstell
5Many people suffer from the Parkinson desease
Verónica Dolan
5it plagues many -- it is a plague to many -- also, scourge, curse
kellyn (X)
4Parkinson: many people's distress
Golden Hawk
2The public distress of famous sufferers lessens the sorrow for others afflicted by the disease.
pawlik
1"Consuelo de tontos"
Andy Watkinson


  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
"Consuelo de tontos"


Explanation:
Como anécdota,

"Mal de muchos" se escucha mucho en España, pero como forma abreviada del dicho: "mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos"

Es decir, los que alivian sus penas pensando que por lo menos hay otros que están en su misma situación.

por... (mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos, pero... ...
MENTIRAS DICHAS POR.... (MAL DE MUCHOS, CONSUELO DE TONTOS, PERO...) Envia
tu mentira, Preservativos Prime. "Te digo ..... no se que me pasa .... ...
www.mi-novia.com.ar/mentiras.htm - 34k - En caché - Páginas similares

CubaNet - News/Noticias: MAL DE MUCHOS, CONSUELO DE TONTOS/Foro
Distribuido por CubaNet. DESDE CUBA: MAL DE MUCHOS, CONSUELO DE TONTOS.
por Tomas Perez Morejon, Asociacion Foro por la Reforma. PINAR ...
64.21.33.164/CNews/y96/aug96/14malde.html - 4k - En caché - Páginas similares

A contar..... - Daniela Romo - Univision
... joaquin406 Miembro Líder Mensajes: 20807 Registrado: 08-26-2003, 12-09-2003 02:05
PM (36 visitas) 60. Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos El que la hace, la paga. ...
foro.univision.com/ univision/board/message?board.id=48359770541&message.id=8921&page=4 - 101k - En caché - Páginas similares

A contar..... - Daniela Romo - Univision
... 40. Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos El que la hace, la paga. Quien mal anda,
mal acaba A palabras necias, oídos sordos. Marca el mensaje como nuevo, ...
foro.univision.com/ univision/board/message?board.id=48359770541&message.id=8921&page=3 - 101k - En caché - Páginas similares
[ Más resultados de foro.univision.com ]

www.pcdemano.com - Tu dosis diaria de Tecnologia - Mal de muchos.. ...
... Rumores: Mal de muchos... ¿consuelo de tontos? Enviado el Lunes, 16
junio a las 20:12:04 por pharizna. Noticia sobre Palm La verdad ...
www.pcdemano.com/ modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5326 - 26k - En caché - Páginas similares

Denunciemos.cl - Ciudadanos en Acción
Mal de Muchos, Consuelo de Piojos. En Chile actualmente afecta más
del 15% de la población general y más del 30% de la población ...
www.denunciemos.cl/denuncia018.htm - 35k - En caché - Páginas similares

Refranes en español
... Mal camino, no va a buen lugar. Mal de locura, sólo la muerte cura. Mal de muchos,
consuelo de tontos. Mal es sufrir, pero sufrirlo mal es mayor mal. ...
humano.ya.com/elocuax/refran/refran128.htm - 10k - En caché - Páginas similares

mujeractual : RUTINA
... JUANJO BLANCO / UNO CONTENIDOS Aunque diga el refrán que "mal de muchos consuelo
de tontos", el ver cuál es la situación general de todas las parejas ayuda. ...



Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 03:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Sandra Cifuentes Dowling: No me parece adecuada para el contexto.
3 mins
  -> Por favor, Sandra, ¿crees que es una sugerencia? Comienzo la respuesta diciendo "como anécdota" y posible explicación de porque es una frase muy escuchada - pero sin relación alguna con una enfermedad. Please.
disagree  Sandy T: This is the ending of the expression...not the translation...sorry!
7 mins
  -> I am quite aware that this is end ending of the expression, thank you. Now, please look at the confidence level, read my answer and see my reply to Sandra. I find it disturbing that somebody is capable of thinking this was an actual answer.
agree  Refugio: I am sure that the expression mal de muchos is an allusion to the proverb, while inverting the sense to mean that just because many people are afflicted by it is no real consolation to those who are.
20 mins
  -> I couldn't put it any better myself. Thanks Ruth, not for the "agree" in itself but for taking the trouble to read and think. (lo cual, me consta, haces siempre :-)
neutral  kellyn (X): I greatly appreciate your anecdote. I'm glad you took this chance to teach us something. Or at least to teach me!
8 hrs
  -> Hi Kelly. As they say, "no te acostarás sin saber una cosa más". :-)
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Parkinsons is a disease that affects many people


Explanation:
opcion

Rantes
Local time: 20:19
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 13

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Golden Hawk: i would rather say affect than afflict
15 mins
  -> thank you
neutral  swisstell: if you say "affect" it of course includes people without Parkinson too but who are affected by the afflicted person in their surrounding
20 mins
  -> I don't quite understand what you mean
agree  Catherine Navarro
52 mins
  -> thank you
agree  Refugio: Very good, SwissTell, all the more reason that 'affects' is a better translation than 'afflicts.'
2 hrs
  -> thank you,
agree  Kim Metzger
3 hrs
  -> thank you
agree  Yvette Arcelay (X)
3 hrs
  -> thank you
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Many people suffer from the Parkinson desease


Explanation:
eso es

Verónica Dolan
Argentina
Local time: 22:19
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Sol: without the "the"
39 mins
  -> yes you are right without "the", thanks sol
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
afflicts lots of people / afflicts a lot of people


Explanation:
the Parkinson decease afflicts lots of people

and I do not see much "colloquial saying" in this. Rather it is a sad statement of facts.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 mins (2004-05-26 18:49:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

correction: disease, of course, not decease. Ouch!

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 03:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 55

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andrea Sacchi: la expresión idiomática es "mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos".
3 mins
  -> gracias, Andrea (pero la expresión idiomática me suena mal en este contexto)
agree  Ltemes: como dice Andrea, esa es la expresión típica. Pero pienso que tu traducción sería más apropiada en este contexto.
4 mins
  -> gracias, Ltemes (ver mis comentarios a Andrea)
agree  Sandra Cifuentes Dowling: Me parece adecuado para el contexto. La típica expresión que menciona Andrea puede sonar un poco cruel para el contexto.
7 mins
  -> gracias Sandra (en realidad, me parece casí cínico en el contexto)
neutral  Refugio: Please. Not every disease leads to "decease"!
20 mins
  -> thanks, Ruth. Point well made and well taken. See my correction above. Ouch again.
agree  Alicia Jordá
21 mins
  -> gracias, Alicewond
neutral  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): not the Parkison's desease...no THE...no one caught that!
40 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
mal de muchos
Parkinson: many people's distress


Explanation:
Sólo una propuesta por si quieres hacer referencia al dicho en inglés:

Two in distress makes sorrow less.

O "not only two people's distress".

Golden Hawk
Local time: 02:19
Native speaker of: Native in GalicianGalician, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Gracias a todos!!!!
Besos, Débora de Argentina

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  pawlik: Forgot the comment.. It's a good try, but in Spanish the reference to the proverb is instantly recognisable, and this isn't. I'm still puzzled what the point of the "mal de muchos" is. I never thought of Parkinson's as common.
1 hr
  -> You're right. Thank you.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
it plagues many -- it is a plague to many -- also, scourge, curse


Explanation:
PLAGUE is best. It keeps it to one word.

SCOURGE IS MUCH LESS COMMON, but would sound good in writing.

CURSE SOUNDS TOO JUDGMENTAL, but if you are having a personal conversation and you know the other person will understand your meaning, then it would be fine.

kellyn (X)
United States
Local time: 18:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
The public distress of famous sufferers lessens the sorrow for others afflicted by the disease.


Explanation:
This is the only way I can make sense of the Spanish.

pawlik
Spain
Local time: 03:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 4
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