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dovettero costruire dei mezzi di fortuna

English translation: had to build improvised crafts

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:dovettero costruire dei mezzi di fortuna
English translation:had to build improvised crafts
Entered by: Barbara Cochran, MFA

22:07 Jan 11, 2020
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / History Book On Explorations And Discoveries
Italian term or phrase: dovettero costruire dei mezzi di fortuna
Contesto:

Nella primavera del 1541 riprese il viaggio lungo il Mississippi; un viaggio sempre più faticoso, pieno di imprevisti, sotto la continua minaccia delle imboscate degli indiani e con sempre meno forze e cibo. Finché decise di attraversare il fiume. Fu anche questa una vera impresa. Gli Spagnoli dovettero costruire dei mezzi di fortuna e agire nottetempo, per sfuggire ai nativi.

Grazie,

Barbara
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
Local time: 09:17
build improvised crafts
Explanation:
an alternative, or simply "had to improvise"
Selected response from:

Dorothy Selibas
South Africa
Local time: 15:17
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3makeshift vehicles
Jeanie Eldon
4build improvised crafts
Dorothy Selibas
4Shift maker vehicle
Mohammad Rostami
4makeshift means of transport
Tom in London


  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
makeshift vehicles


Explanation:
"vehicle" would include all types of transporters by land or water

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-01-11 23:28:22 GMT)
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Yes, in that case, I agree that it should be "makeshift vessels" or "makeshift rafts"


    https://steamcommunity.com/app/304930/discussions/0/305510202679443410/
Jeanie Eldon
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:17
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  mrrafe: I do get the impression that this sentence refers only to the river crossing, and use of "vehicle" in that context would be strange albeit technically valid. Should be vessels?
40 mins
agree  Shabelula: anyway the sense of makeshift is the one
2 hrs
agree  Michael Korovkin: "makeshift vessels", rather. But that's a technicality: "makeshift" holds.
12 hrs
agree  Vittorio Preite: I woild use "rafts". They were crossing a river
1 day 22 hrs
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
build improvised crafts


Explanation:
an alternative, or simply "had to improvise"

Dorothy Selibas
South Africa
Local time: 15:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Shift maker vehicle


Explanation:
.

Mohammad Rostami
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi), Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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4 days   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
makeshift means of transport


Explanation:
covers all possibilities - boats or other vehicles

Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 14:17
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 227
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