donde las únicas estaciones encontradas eran la frustración y la impotencia

English translation: punctuated only by frustration and despair

21:08 Nov 1, 2016
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / In A Novel
Spanish term or phrase: donde las únicas estaciones encontradas eran la frustración y la impotencia
Context (looking for a way to translate this, other than the stations along a route, because that wouldn't necessarily make too much sense to an average American reader):

Juan le comentó, en unas de las pláticas que tuvieron, que estaba tan agotado que ya no sabía si iba o si venía, que era una ruta de desolación donde las únicas estaciones eran la frustración y la impotencia.

A couple that's going up against a corrupt judicial system.

Gracias,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 10:26
English translation:punctuated only by frustration and despair
Explanation:
My contribution!
Selected response from:

ormiston
Local time: 15:26
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +8punctuated only by frustration and despair
ormiston
4and that every step of the way was either frustrating or hopeless
James A. Walsh
4in which frustration and helplessness were the only possibilities
Francois Boye
4[was a path] that only offered frustration and failure
Muriel Vasconcellos
3on which the only respite is frustration and helplessness
Wendy Streitparth


  

Answers


25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
on which the only respite is frustration and helplessness


Explanation:
Suggestion

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 15:26
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 40
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +8
punctuated only by frustration and despair


Explanation:
My contribution!

ormiston
Local time: 15:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 43

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jennifer Levey: Very good.
10 mins

agree  Wendy Streitparth: A worthwhile contribution it is too!
9 hrs

agree  Charles Davis: I think this is excellent. "Punctuated" expresses exactly the idea I get from "estaciones" (like the stations of the cross), and the result is natural and fluent. There are other possibilities for impotencia, but I would definitely work with this.
9 hrs

agree  franglish: Definitely with every other comment.
9 hrs
  -> thank you everyone!

agree  James A. Walsh: Excellent stuff!
11 hrs

agree  neilmac: Am a big fan of punctuation :-)
11 hrs

agree  Robert Forstag: Agree that "punctuation" works well here. I would only suggest "punctuated by nothing more than..." and ditching "only" to create a more polished rendering....
15 hrs

agree  Robert Carter: Nice.
1 day 1 hr
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
donde las únicas estaciones encontradas eran la frustración y la impotencia
and that every step of the way was either frustrating or hopeless


Explanation:
See an example below. Something along these lines I reckon.

Literal doesn't work here, in my opinion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2016-11-01 22:47:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"[...] He also felt that he was going nowhere fast, and that every step of the way was either frustrating or hopeless.”

Example sentence(s):
  • “Juan le comentó, en unas de las pláticas que tuvieron, que estaba tan agotado que ya no sabía si iba o si venía, que era una ruta de desolación <b>donde las únicas estaciones eran la frustración y la impotencia</b>.”
  • “John had only recently told him that he was so exhausted – he didn’t know if he was coming or going! He also felt he was going nowhere fast, <b>and that every step of the way was either frustrating or hopeless</b>.”
James A. Walsh
Spain
Local time: 15:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 94
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
in which frustration and helplessness were the only possibilities


Explanation:
my take

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2016-11-02 00:32:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Erratum: 'ON' instead of 'in'

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 10:26
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 28
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
[was a path] that only offered frustration and failure


Explanation:
'Path' sets the stage for a more streamlined solution.

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 07:26
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 199
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