Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
merienda de negros
English translation:
dog's breakfast
Added to glossary by
agtranslat
Aug 17, 2004 04:03
19 yrs ago
5 viewers *
Spanish term
Netherlands
Castilian native, no nonsense
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: Dutch to Spanish, English to Spanish, French to Spanish
merienda de negros
Spanish to English
Social Sciences
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
human relations
In these days of political correctness and animal rights, could "merienda de negros" be translated as "dog's dinner"?
It's about a poorly functioning 'comunidad de vecinos'.
Alternatives welcome.
It's about a poorly functioning 'comunidad de vecinos'.
Alternatives welcome.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +1 | dog's breakfast |
CMJ_Trans (X)
|
| 4 +1 | sheer bedlam, a hellish (chaotic) mess, ... |
Paul Roige (X)
|
| 5 | free-for-all |
Tehani
|
| 5 | bedlam /o/r free-for-all |
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
|
| 3 +1 | Black Mischief |
Henry Hinds
|
| 3 | fix / shady arrangement / pandemonium |
ceciliar
|
Proposed translations
+1
2 hrs
Selected
dog's breakfast
is probably the expression you were thinking of.
Dog's dinner is used to describe someone: he was done up like a dog's dinner = he was dressed up to the nines.
Dog's dinner is used to describe someone: he was done up like a dog's dinner = he was dressed up to the nines.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, that's it, the board make a dog's breakfast of running the owners' community. BTW, the hyperdictionary gives them as synonymous expressions."
+1
15 mins
Henry Hinds
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
United States
43 years of Border Experience and fast.
Native in: English , Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
92
Black Mischief
"Merienda de negros" is the Spanish translation of the title of the novel "Black Mischief" by Evelyn Waugh, if you think that has anything to do with it.
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Note added at 33 mins (2004-08-17 04:36:56 GMT)
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I would venture, however, that \"dog\'s dinner\" would not seem to have anything to do with it. Perhaps something more like \"A ship of fools\" if you are referring to an unruly and disorganized group.
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Note added at 33 mins (2004-08-17 04:36:56 GMT)
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I would venture, however, that \"dog\'s dinner\" would not seem to have anything to do with it. Perhaps something more like \"A ship of fools\" if you are referring to an unruly and disorganized group.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Andra Parvu
: I like "A ship of fools"!!! yep. that's it! :)
32 mins
|
|
Gracias, Andra, it's another title I think, and may be more appropriate!
|
10 mins
fix / shady arrangement / pandemonium
Sería bueno un poco más de contexto.
De qué país es el texto original?
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Note added at 11 mins (2004-08-17 04:15:29 GMT)
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Oxford Spanish Dictionary
merienda de negros
(arreglo) (Esp fam) fix (colloq), shady arrangement (colloq); (alboroto) (Ven fam) pandemonium
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Note added at 39 mins (2004-08-17 04:42:59 GMT)
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Las dos primeras opciones se podrían aplicar si el mal funcionamiento de la comunidad implica tongos, arreglos, cosas arregladas, oscuras o turbias.
La tercera se podría aplicar si se quiere dar a entender que la comunicadad es desorganizada, que es un caos (con lo cual otra posibilidad podría ser \"chaos\").
De qué país es el texto original?
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Note added at 11 mins (2004-08-17 04:15:29 GMT)
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Oxford Spanish Dictionary
merienda de negros
(arreglo) (Esp fam) fix (colloq), shady arrangement (colloq); (alboroto) (Ven fam) pandemonium
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 39 mins (2004-08-17 04:42:59 GMT)
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Las dos primeras opciones se podrían aplicar si el mal funcionamiento de la comunidad implica tongos, arreglos, cosas arregladas, oscuras o turbias.
La tercera se podría aplicar si se quiere dar a entender que la comunicadad es desorganizada, que es un caos (con lo cual otra posibilidad podría ser \"chaos\").
+1
41 mins
sheer bedlam, a hellish (chaotic) mess, ...
6 hrs
free-for-all
It´s an expression in English
1 day 7 hrs
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Spain
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Accredited translators 20 yrs experience
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
33
bedlam /o/r free-for-all
This is an expression
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Note added at 1 day 7 hrs 37 mins (2004-08-18 11:40:52 GMT) Post-grading
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Sorry. Bedlam / free-for-all
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Note added at 1 day 7 hrs 37 mins (2004-08-18 11:40:52 GMT) Post-grading
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Sorry. Bedlam / free-for-all
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