catódicamente hablando

English translation: in the virtual world of TV, that is.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:catódicamente hablando
English translation:in the virtual world of TV, that is.
Entered by: Neil Ashby

21:38 Jun 22, 2015
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Media / Multimedia
Spanish term or phrase: catódicamente hablando
This phrase occurs in a recent editorial in a Spanish newspaper about Donald Trump. The context is: "...decidía quién seguía vivo en su show y quién moría, catódicamente hablando."
I've looked high & low for a clue as to what this phrase would man in a figurative sense, as here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Thomas Walker
United States
Local time: 09:51
in the virtual world of TV, that is.
Explanation:
more lleña

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Note added at 6 days (2015-06-29 07:37:04 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad it helped Tom,
Selected response from:

Neil Ashby
Spain
Local time: 17:51
Grading comment
Thanks, Neil. Your answer worked best for me, in the context of the article.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2 +3in TV terms / as seen on TV ...
DLyons
4in the world of television
Collin Stewart
4in TV land, that is // (who would die) so to speak, at least on TV
Marcelo González
4TV-wise, that is / in the script, that is
Muriel Vasconcellos
4...decided, on his TV show, who would be fired and who would "survive"
JH Trads
3ironically speaking
lugoben
3dramatic TV firings
Jacob Z. (X)
3in the virtual world of TV, that is.
Neil Ashby


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +3
in TV terms / as seen on TV ...


Explanation:
Original TVs had a cathode ray tube.

DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 16:51
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks to everyone, especially to Mr. Lyons, who was first out of the box, with the sense of the phrase.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jennifer Levey: Of course. "quién seguía vivo ... y quién moría, catódicamente ..." refers to a particular form of 'death' equating to a talent's involuntary absence from the TV screen.
21 mins
  -> Thanks Robin.

agree  philgoddard: Though I wonder if there's a more colourful and witty way of saying it, to reflect the Spanish.
44 mins
  -> Thanks Phil. We used to say "on the goggle box" but that's rather dated.

agree  Billh
11 hrs
  -> Thanks Billh.
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
in the world of television


Explanation:
I think it is a convoluted way to say television (referencing the cathode ray tube technology used in TVs).

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Note added at 15 mins (2015-06-22 21:53:49 GMT)
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Here are some links where you can see it used in this way:

http://joseluisvidalblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/un-repaso-lo-m...

http://www.notodo.com/escena/6944_la_ola_teatro_valleincln_m...

http://www.vayatele.com/tve-1/tve-sin-publicidad-como-es

http://www.elcorreogallego.es/opinion/firmas/ecg/nunca-mas-d...

Collin Stewart
United States
Local time: 10:51
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Collin. Your links to examples were very helpful. The answer I chose was very close to yours, but had one more word in it: "virtual" - which I thought was important in context, to convey & emphasize how unreal Trump's world of The Apprentice is, like most of what he says & probably does.

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ironically speaking


Explanation:
Catódico
irónico
2 De la televisión o relacionado con ella: bombardeo catódico; después de cuatro horas de fútbol, difícilmente soportarán más tiempo de exposición catódica.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/es/definicion/espanol/cató...

lugoben
Local time: 12:51
Native speaker of: Spanish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
in TV land, that is // (who would die) so to speak, at least on TV


Explanation:
two more options

...decided, on his show, who would live and who would die, in TV land, that is.

or

...who would live and who would die, so to speak, at least on TV

Marcelo González
United States
Local time: 06:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
1 corroborated select project
in this pair and field What is ProZ.com Project History(SM)?
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
TV-wise, that is / in the script, that is


Explanation:
Either of these might work. Trying to keep it colloquial.

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 09:51
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
...decided, on his TV show, who would be fired and who would "survive"


Explanation:
The 'catódicamente hablando' can be rendered here by the combination of "survive" in quotes (or not), preceded by 'TV show' and by the alternative established between being 'fired' and 'surviving' here.

This is most likely about shows such as The Apprentice were 'the Donald' fires candidate after candidate with his iconic phrase: 'you're fired!'

JH Trads
United States
Local time: 12:51
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in FrenchFrench
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
dramatic TV firings


Explanation:
Just another suggestion in an already crowded field, kind of similar to Hugo's.

It seems like your article may be discussing Trump's qualifications to act as president, and I think this option might preserve the sort of sarcastic tone that may be present in the source text:

"...he has made life-and-death decisions (at least as far as who would survive his dramatic TV firings)".

Jacob Z. (X)
United States
Local time: 09:51
Native speaker of: English
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
in the virtual world of TV, that is.


Explanation:
more lleña

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Note added at 6 days (2015-06-29 07:37:04 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad it helped Tom,

Neil Ashby
Spain
Local time: 17:51
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks, Neil. Your answer worked best for me, in the context of the article.
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