mulecagem

English translation: (engages) in dirty tricks

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Portuguese term or phrase:mulecagem
English translation:(engages) in dirty tricks
Entered by: Kathryn Litherland

15:31 Jul 8, 2012
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Portuguese term or phrase: mulecagem
This term appears on a Facebook page accusing someone of harassment:
Paranóia FORJADA e PAGA pelo Dr. XXXX XXXXXXX – vote na cassação da licença profissional desse artista da vida (que faz MULECAGEM) que PAGA para torturar mentalmente a própria Irmã
Kathryn Litherland
United States
Local time: 06:13
(engages) in deceptive/crooked activities
Explanation:

Sorry, I had not read the full context provided.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2012-07-08 19:13:20 GMT)
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WHO ENGAGES IN CROOKED/DECEPTIVE ACTIVITIES
Selected response from:

Marlene Curtis
United States
Local time: 06:13
Grading comment
I think this is the answer that is closest in meaning to what I ultimately decided to use, which is "(does) dirty tricks"--the overall tone of the text is very informal, as is often the case on Facebook.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3knavery; low behavior
Salvador Scofano and Gry Midttun
5 +2irresponsible behaviour
cynthia07
5a wicked trouble-maker
Jennifer Byers
4childish things
Arthur Godinho
4mischief, tomfoolery
Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira
3 +1(a complete HOODLUM)
T o b i a s
4completely underhand/ a lowlife/
Nick Taylor
4(engages) in deceptive/crooked activities
Marlene Curtis
4used to harass
e_marisa
3shenanigan
Marcia R Pinheiro


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
childish things


Explanation:
Sugg.

Arthur Godinho
United States
Local time: 06:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Catherine Howard: IMO, context of questioner's phrase -- harassment, mental torture -- is too serious for "childish things"
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, Catherine.

agree  Daniel Tavares: Yes, the context is, of course, too serious for only "Childish Things". However, this is exactly what the author of the text says. Bad original text, really bad.
1 day 36 mins
  -> Grato, Daniel!
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
mischief, tomfoolery


Explanation:
.

Luciano Eduardo de Oliveira
Brazil
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 56

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Catherine Howard: these terms might work if the context were light-hearted, accusing someone of playing pranks, committing minor offenses, but they don't really work in the given context charging s.o. with harassment
3 hrs

agree  Daniel Tavares: For the reasons stated above in discussion forum.
1 day 39 mins
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
knavery; low behavior


Explanation:
The same as "molecagem".

The meaning has changed with time and nowadays can denote knavery; low behavior. Not necessarily done by children.

books.google.com.br/books?isbn=0804704805...James Lumpkin Taylor, Priscilla Clark Martin - 1970 - Foreign Language Study - 655 páginas
young negro girl, molecada (/.) a group of MOLEQUES. molecagem (/.) knavery; low behavior, molecao, molecote (m.) a strapping young urchin, molecar (t'.i.) ...

Salvador Scofano and Gry Midttun
Norway
Local time: 12:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in NorwegianNorwegian, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  T o b i a s: Agree with meaning. How about 'total knave' http://neilschaeffer.com/sade/letters/07-7905.htm
9 mins
  -> Thanks!

neutral  Nick Taylor: Why! Good Sir Knight ist said scurvy knave guilty of calumny!! Gadzooks!
3 hrs

agree  e_marisa
3 hrs
  -> Obrigado!

agree  Daniel Tavares
1 day 1 hr
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41 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
(que faz MULECAGEM)
(a complete HOODLUM)


Explanation:
Given the context, 'mulecagem' is an understatement. An adequate translation also has to segue into the following 'que'.



T o b i a s
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Catherine Howard: good linguistic & cultural translation: captures seriousness of accusation, illegality of harassment, even the implication in both languages of being a J.D.; also, your phrase "a complete hoodlum" (variant: "a total hoodlum") is idiomatic as an insult
2 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
completely underhand/ a lowlife/


Explanation:
completely underhand/ a lowlife/

Nick Taylor
Local time: 11:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 119
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
(engages) in deceptive/crooked activities


Explanation:

Sorry, I had not read the full context provided.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2012-07-08 19:13:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

WHO ENGAGES IN CROOKED/DECEPTIVE ACTIVITIES

Marlene Curtis
United States
Local time: 06:13
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 254
Grading comment
I think this is the answer that is closest in meaning to what I ultimately decided to use, which is "(does) dirty tricks"--the overall tone of the text is very informal, as is often the case on Facebook.
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
used to harass


Explanation:
What about this wording with reference to context (as understood by myself)?

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Note added at 4 hrs (2012-07-08 20:00:56 GMT)
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Thanks for explanation right now!
So forget my suggestion ->> too serious for this

e_marisa
France
Local time: 12:13
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in FrenchFrench
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
irresponsible behaviour


Explanation:
a escrita correta e molecagem , mulecagem e um regionalismo. Ha varias interpretacoes para a palvra sendo algumas negativas, outras neutraas e em certos casos ate mesmo positiva. Se aplica a criancas, malandros,mulheres, comerciantes de honestidade duvidosa etc

cynthia07
Brazil
Local time: 07:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daniel Tavares
20 hrs

agree  Spiridon: Yes
1 day 10 hrs
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
a wicked trouble-maker


Explanation:
Agree with much of what has been said - molecagem comes from the term 'moleque', which is originally a naughty kid/street urchin etc. But in this case it's connoting something much more evil and sinister.

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Note added at 9 hrs (2012-07-09 01:11:00 GMT)
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*FOR THIS CONTEXT, where in brackets you might say "who is a wicked trouble-maker". But as a noun, and for purposes of Kudoz glossary, perhaps need to search for a comparable part of speech, so perhaps "trouble-making"

Jennifer Byers
Local time: 07:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 day 13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
shenanigan


Explanation:
I would add a footnote, N.T., and explain that the literal translation of the term is 'slums children's typical act'. I could not find a perfect equivalent. I would think that the aborigines in AU are the equivalent to the slums kids in Brazil, therefore I would like to find a term that refers to them in a depreciative manner, meaning action with intent of injuring but that comes disguised as something not so bad, something like that.


    Reference: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shenanigan
Marcia R Pinheiro
Australia
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 4
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