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English to Spanish translations [PRO] Social Sciences - Anthropology / looking for a better verb
English term or phrase:catalyze (non-scientific context)
Hi Proz (and all other weekenders)!
Ok, I know "catalizar" is what we'll find in the Dicc.Oxford I-E, but this verb is not in my DRAE (not that this would normally put me off, sometimes quite the opposite!).
If this was meant in a scientific sense, I would not hesitate to use it, but here it used merely in a figurative sense and I find "catalizar" quite unsatisfactory.
Now, I'm quite positive that there are much fitter ways to put it in Spanish, but my brain just isn't clicking on this one. Actually it hasn't been clicking much at all recently!
Any help is much appreciated, TIA!
Álvaro :O) :O) :O)
Context:
"...petrol companies have contaminated the water of the Pilcomayo river and catalyzed the loss of cultural integrity through the migration of workers to the sites."
P.S. Sorry for all the blurb, translation can be a lonely business! :O) :O)
Spoilt for choice! Me vais a odiar - había tantas propuestas que no supe a qué carta quedarme y usé...¡catalizar! :O( :O( Sorry! La verdad es que pude haber utilizado cualquiera, pero tras ver el apunte de Mike, decidí plantarme.
Esto me pasa por comprar en la librería del pueblo en lugar de irme al diccionario en línea de la DRAE. Mis disculpas de nuevo y mil sonrisas a todos. :O) :O) :O) 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Explanation: catalizar -> acelerar la velocidad de una reacción química...
- Ancient Greek -> katalyo...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 mins (2005-04-24 11:19:49 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Por ejemplo:
petrol companies have contaminated the water of the Pilcomayo river and catalyzed the loss of cultural integrity through the migration of workers to the sites -> las empresas petroleras han contaminado el agua del río Pyilcomayo y han acelerado la pérdida de la integración cultural mediante la emigración de trabajadores a los lugares de actividad...
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +3
