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11th ProZ.com translation contest: "Contemporary society" » Spanish to English

Competition in this pair is now closed, and the winning entry has been announced.

Discussion and feedback about the competition in this language pair may now be provided by visiting the "Discussion & feedback" page for this pair. Entries may also be individually discussed by clicking the "Discuss" link next to any listed entry.

Source text in Spanish

Mil veces lo he pensado y algunas veces lo he dicho ya: no hay que temer la uniformidad y la monotonía. La pasmosa facilidad de comunicaciones, los ferrocarriles, el telégrafo y el teléfono, que llevan a escape mercancías y personas de un extremo a otro de la tierra, y que transmiten y comunican el pensamiento y la palabra con la rapidez del rayo, no logran aún, ni lograrán nunca, identificarnos, desteñirnos, digámoslo así, y hacer que perdamos el sello característico de casta, lengua, nación y tribu que cada cual tiene. Se diría que para precavernos contra el roce, que pudiera limar y pulir las diferencias, nos armamos instintivamente de una virtud conservadora de lo castizo que persiste en el fondo, aunque superficialmente desaparezca.

Lo que llaman ahora high-life, o dígase aquella parte de la sociedad más rica, elegante y empingorotada, nos parece que debe ser cosmopolita, y sin embargo no lo es. Hombres y mujeres hablan en francés tan bien y a veces mejor que en español. Algunos chapurrean además la lengua inglesa y hasta la alemana. Cuando leen algo leen libros extranjeros porque de los indígenas se aburren, sin que nos empeñemos en dilucidar aquí si con razón o sin ella. Los caballeros, como no carezcan de metales preciosos o de los signos que los representan, se hacen traer de Londres trajes, caballos y coches, y las señoras se hacen traer de París vestidos y tocados. La cocina francesa hace que la española se olvide o se pervierta. Y por último, la costumbre del veraneo rara vez lleva a sus castillos y quintas a nuestros elegantes de ambos sexos, sino se los lleva a Francia, a Suiza, a Inglaterra, o a más hiperbóreas regiones. Cuando la guita es corta y no puede esparciarse el cimbel, debe volar por lo menos hasta Biarritz.

Pues bien: con todo eso, y a pesar de todo eso, nuestra high-life sigue siendo tan española como en lo antiguo, y no necesita el autor de comedias y de novelas, a fin de conservar el color local y nacional de sus personajes, buscarlos bajo las ínfimas capas sociales, o ir por ellos a las Batuecas o a los más esquivos, alpestres y recónditos lugares.

The winning entry has been announced in this pair.

There were 25 entries submitted in this pair during the submission phase, 5 of which were selected by peers to advance to the finals round. The winning entry was determined based on finals round voting by peers.

Competition in this pair is now closed.


Entries (25 total; 5 finalists) Expand all entries

Entry #13457 — Discuss 0
Winner
Voting points1st2nd3rd
8318 x45 x21 x1
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.953.40 (5 ratings)2.50 (2 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 4 users entered 6 "like" tags
  • 4 users agreed with "likes" (5 total agrees)
  • 2 users disagreed with "likes" (3 total disagrees)
-2
+4
2
The thought has crossed my mind a thousand times. I’ve even ventured to say it out loud on one or two occasions.
Flows well
Rebecca Newall
There is no reason
Flows well
Ventnai
-1
1
The stamp which marks the lineage, the language, the nation and the same heritage that each and every one of us share
Flows well
Mayella Almazan
fumble their way
Flows well
axies
+1
(We should refrain from trying to ascertain here whether they are within reason or not)
Flows well
Nice addit​ion of bra​ckets here​, gives th​e feeling ​of an asid​e, which I​ think was​ the inten​tion.
Rebecca Newall
Spanish cuisine has been cast aside or perverted in favour of the French.
Flows well
axies
Entry #13540 — Discuss 0
Eliza Ariadni Kalfa
Eliza Ariadni Kalfa
United Kingdom
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
559 x48 x23 x1
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry3.163.14 (7 ratings)3.17 (6 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 2 "like" tags
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (1 total disagree)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
-1
1
When these birds of passage are short on funds and cannot fully spread their wings, they must fly, at the very least, as far as Biarritz.
Other
nice metap​hor.
Michael Purvis
Entry #12641 — Discuss 0
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
336 x43 x23 x1
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry3.333.40 (5 ratings)3.25 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 5 users entered 6 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (1 total disagree)
there is no need
Flows well
avoided "o​ne"
Ventnai
+1
and yet it is not
Other
accurate
chica nueva
in broken English
Flows well
axies
-1
1
but we will not go into the rights or wrongs of that here
Flows well
DFTS (X)
arrange for
Flows well
axies
one must take oneself off to
Good term selection
Deborah Greenberg
Entry #13076 — Discuss 0
Paul Lambert
Paul Lambert
United States
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
294 x44 x25 x1
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.753.00 (3 ratings)2.50 (2 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 5 users entered 6 "like" tags
  • 2 users agreed with "likes" (2 total agrees)
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (1 total disagree)
whisk
Other
accurate
chica nueva
get by
Flows well
axies
as literature from their own country bores them
Good term selection
nice wordi​ng
Cristina Gonzalez
-1
1
millinery
Good term selection
Marie-Helene Dubois
+2
When the purse strings are tight and cannot stretch very far, a flight to Biarritz is the absolute minimum.
Good term selection
Cristina Gonzalez
That said, in spite of all the above
Flows well
much bette​r than the​ other wor​dy, awkwar​d entries
Trans-Iberia (X)
Entry #13190 — Discuss 0
Carita Iliana
Carita Iliana
Costa Rica
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
5005 x1
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.902.80 (5 ratings)3.00 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 4 "like" tags
  • 2 users agreed with "likes" (2 total agrees)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
One could say
Flows well
‘’Se diría​ que...’’ ​= One coul​d say that​.../one co​uld assume​ that... (​impersonal​ style)
axies
+2
and yet it is not
Other
accurate
chica nueva
in Spanish
Flows well
axies


Non-finalist entries

The following entries were not selected by peers to advance to finals-round voting.

Entry #12842 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.552.50 (6 ratings)2.60 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • No "like" tags
Entry #13840 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.422.50 (4 ratings)2.33 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 3 "like" tags
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
and yet it is not
Other
accurate
chica nueva
speak in broken English
Flows well
axies
Entry #14023 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.422.50 (4 ratings)2.33 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 1 "like" tag
Some venture
Flows well
axies
Entry #12821 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.332.40 (5 ratings)2.25 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 3 users entered 5 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
rush
Other
accurate
chica nueva
to merge us all, as it were
Flows well
Laura Daly
+1
and yet they are not
Other
accurate
chica nueva
recondite
Good term selection
Michael Purvis
Entry #13598 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.292.17 (6 ratings)2.40 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 3 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (2 total disagrees)
-1
spirit away
Good term selection
Paul Lambert
hallmark
Good term selection
Rebecca Newall
-1
+1
Upper-class gentlemen, hardly lacking in the precious metals bearing the insignias that represent them, order in suits, horses and coaches from London, while the ladies go for clothes and head pieces.
Flows well
Nicely dea​lt with
Rebecca Newall
Entry #13828 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.232.20 (5 ratings)2.25 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 3 users entered 5 "like" tags
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
quickly
Other
accurate
chica nueva
with lightning speed
Flows well
Nice phras​e here
Rebecca Newall
And finally, the habit of vacationing during summer rarely takes our elegant people of both sexes to their castles and villas;
Flows well
Nice way o​f expressi​ng this
Rebecca Newall
rather, they are take
Flows well
axies
Entry #13789 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.132.00 (4 ratings)2.25 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 3 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (2 total agrees)
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (1 total disagree)
bears
Good term selection
Rebecca Newall
+1
Some also stumble along in English or even in German.
Flows well
Rebecca Newall
-1
+1
2
Las Batuecas
Flows well
I think it​ is right ​to keep th​is term as​ it mainta​ins the Sp​anish cont​ext.
Rebecca Newall
Entry #13582 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.002.00 (5 ratings)2.00 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 3 users entered 8 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
  • 3 users disagreed with "likes" (3 total disagrees)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
at great speed
Other
accurate, ​a escape =​ at full s​peed
chica nueva
purity that still lies deep within, though superficially it has disappeared.
Flows well
Rebecca Newall
+1
and yet it is not
Other
accurate
chica nueva
-1
1
has eclipsed Spanish cuisine or corrupted it
Flows well
Rebecca Newall
-2
2
lower rungs of society
Flows well
Rebecca Newall
n the backwoods
Good term selection
At long la​st, someon​e who atte​mpts a tra​nslation o​f Batuecas​! It can't​ be left u​ntranslate​d, because​ it makes ​no sense j​ust as a p​lace name.
Noni Gilbert Riley
and far-flung places.
Flows well
This last ​sentence i​s nicely d​ealt with.
Rebecca Newall
Entry #13444 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.982.20 (5 ratings)1.75 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • No "like" tags
Entry #12944 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.922.33 (3 ratings)1.50 (2 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 2 "like" tags
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
and, yet, it is not
Other
accurate. ​and yet it​ is not.
chica nueva
Entry #12709 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.902.00 (5 ratings)1.80 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • No "like" tags
Entry #12779 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.892.17 (6 ratings)1.60 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 1 "like" tag
tight
Good term selection
Emma Goldsmith
Entry #13613 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.881.75 (4 ratings)2.00 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 2 "like" tags
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
gold and wealth
Good term selection
Best I've ​seen so fa​r.
DLyons
Entry #13559 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.852.20 (5 ratings)1.50 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 2 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (1 total disagree)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
-1
+1
1
nowadays known as living the high life
Flows well
Kirk Garrett Smith
Entry #13003 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.842.00 (4 ratings)1.67 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 3 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
+1
and yet it is not
Other
accurate
chica nueva
Instead, they wind up in France,
Flows well
I like the​ break in ​paragraph.
axies
Entry #14009 — Discuss 0
Cristina Gonzalez
Cristina Gonzalez
United States
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.741.67 (6 ratings)1.80 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 2 "like" tags
  • 1 user disagreed with "likes" (1 total disagree)
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
Entry #12743 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.551.60 (5 ratings)1.50 (4 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 1 "like" tag
communications
Other
accurate
chica nueva
Entry #12818 — Discuss 0
CAROLINE GUTIERREZ (X)
CAROLINE GUTIERREZ (X)
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.551.50 (6 ratings)1.60 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 3 "like" tags
toffee-nosed
Good term selection
Jonathan Norris
Both
Flows well
both,
axies
but in France
Flows well
makes sens​e. ''sino'​'; needs t​o be trans​lated_''th​ese in Fra​nce'' (ref​ering to t​he castles​ in France​ etc.)
axies
Entry #13409 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.461.25 (4 ratings)1.67 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 1 user entered 1 "like" tag
in no time
Other
accurate
chica nueva
Entry #13742 — Discuss 0
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry1.421.50 (4 ratings)1.33 (3 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 4 "like" tags
  • 2 users disagreed with "likes" (2 total disagrees)
alike
Flows well
essential ​for good E​nglish com​munication​ and compr​ehension
axies
-1
1
finding domestic ones rather drab
Good term selection
Marie-Helene Dubois
-1
1
French cuisine supplants or distorts Spanish dishes entirely
Flows well
Marie-Helene Dubois
instead to those
Flows well
accurate! ​''sino''; ​needs to b​e translat​ed_ (refer​ing to the​ castles i​n France e​tc.)
axies