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  3. Finance (general)

negativo

English translation: leave it out

15:45 Sep 27, 2004
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Finance (general)
Portuguese term or phrase: negativo
O texto fala sobre o resultado de bancos num certo período e a frase é "As perdas cumulativas entre o primeiro trimestre de 2001 e o segundo trimestre de 2004 foi de BR$ 30.47 milhões negativos". Minha dúvida é como escrever isso. Devo dizer "minus BR$ 30.47 million", "negative BR$ 30.47 million" ou outra alternativa? Obrigado.
Renato Camargo
Local time: 12:19
English translation:leave it out
Explanation:
Since the text refers to losses, it should be implicit that the figure is negative. I think you can simply put "Losses came to BR$ 30.47 million".
Selected response from:

David Warwick
Local time: 16:19
Grading comment
David, thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6leave it out
David Warwick
5 -1negative
Claudia Andrade
4 -2put a minus sign (-) in front of the figure
CMJ_Trans (X)
4 -2minus
Laurence Nunny


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
leave it out


Explanation:
Since the text refers to losses, it should be implicit that the figure is negative. I think you can simply put "Losses came to BR$ 30.47 million".

David Warwick
Local time: 16:19
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
David, thank you

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Laurence Nunny: absolutely - cut through the dross, and straight to the point ...
1 min
  -> thanks Laurence
agree  Amilcar: Yes, unless you change "losses" to results. "Loss of minus so much" has got to be a bad one. (At best a convoluted way to refer to positive gains, but that is most improbable.) But be aware that you will be correcting the original denotation.
2 hrs
  -> thanks Amilcar
agree  Jussara Simoes (X): "Asker: Let me see if I got that right, if I use the first alternative "leaving it out", should I say "The cumulative loss between the first quarter of 2001 and the second quarter of 2004 amounted BR$ 30.47 million" Is that it?" Yes, that's it!
3 hrs
  -> thanks Jussara
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): right..this is the correct way to handle this
3 hrs
  -> thanks Jane
agree  chaka: yes, the text is redundant because it says "perdas negativas" so just leave it out
8 hrs
  -> thanks chaka
agree  airmailrpl: The cumulative loss
1 day 18 hrs
  -> thanks airmailrpl
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
put a minus sign (-) in front of the figure


Explanation:
otherwise it is indeed tautologous

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 17:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 11

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Amilcar: Do no such thing. Leave minus out, or change "losses" to "results" after obtaining client's concurrence.
2 hrs
disagree  airmailrpl: a negative loss would be a gain
1 day 18 hrs
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
negative


Explanation:
"Ensure that SU’s budget for 2004 and beyond reflects our best understanding of the situation after the fall 2003 revision.
The budget recommendations for fiscal 2003 led to a forecast that is balanced over a five-year period. The forecast includes bottom lines that are negative $900,000 in fiscal 2004, negative $1 million in fiscal 2005, balanced in fiscal 2006, negative $1 million in fiscal 2007, and positive $2.9 million in fiscal 2008."

"First quarter EBITDA of negative $1 million improved by $42 million over first
quarter 2001 primarily as a result of lower cost per ton. ."

"CSFB) estimates that the aggregate effect on earnings from pension plans for the
S&P 500 swung from a gain of $7 billion in 2001 to a negative $1 billion in "

" I already used the money to buy something and now my account is negative! Is there
anything I can do? I already PMed vledder and am waiting for a reply. "

Claudia Andrade
Brazil
Local time: 12:19

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Henrique Magalhaes
2 hrs
disagree  Amilcar: A loss of - BR$1,000,000 is technically a gain of BR$1,000,000. Best to do it right. // Note that in none of your examples can you find "loss of minus". THAT is the bad combination.
2 hrs
  -> You're right. I guess I didn't pay attention to the word PERDAS. Thanks!
disagree  airmailrpl: a negative loss would be a gain
1 day 18 hrs
  -> Thanks
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
minus


Explanation:
In everyday English, you would say "minus $x", and I don't think you can go wrong with this from the point of view of communication. There may be a more specific banking term.

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Note added at 1 day 19 hrs 46 mins (2004-09-29 11:31:39 GMT)
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Before we overload the KudoZ server with disagrees, this answer was intended to address the issue of whether the construction \"minus $x\" is acceptable English. It is, although naturally you would have to use it in a way that accurately reflects the meaning of the original text, as my punctilious colleagues have rightly pointed out.

Laurence Nunny
Spain
Local time: 17:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Amilcar: The original must be fixed, and either the minus removed, or "losses" replaced by "results".
2 hrs
disagree  airmailrpl: a negative loss would be a gain
1 day 18 hrs
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