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puny

Spanish translation: débil y canijo


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:puny
Spanish translation:débil y canijo
Entered by: bella_sera
Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

21:01 Jan 8, 2007
English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Anthropology
English term or phrase: puny
En la frase "a physically puny lot" refiriéndose a los humanos primitivos. He encontrado: débil, enclenque, raquítico, ruiz. Si alguien puede aclararme el sentido en este contexto. Gracias.
bella_sera
un conjunto/grupo de seres débiles y canijos
Explanation:
otra opción por incluir "lot"

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Note added at 41 mins (2007-01-08 21:42:23 GMT)
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se me ocurrió "rebaño" - I agree with David, it is a collective noun - and am I mistaken in thinking it is generally slightly, just slilghtly pejorative? un poco como "bunch" - ya sé, bunch of flowers....

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-08 22:40:42 GMT)
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Alan, I'm just guessing, but I bet neither of you are small and spinky?

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Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2007-01-12 08:16:22 GMT) Post-grading
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Muchas gracias!
Selected response from:

patricia scott
Spain
Local time: 01:05
Grading comment
Muchas gracias por la ayuda. Muy buena solución.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3menudos (o pequeños) y poco musculosos
Steven Capsuto
4 +2un conjunto/grupo de seres débiles y canijos
patricia scott
4(un sujeto físicamente) débil/enclenque
Mike Fuentes


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
menudos (o pequeños) y poco musculosos


Explanation:
That's what the original conveys. Maybe there's a more concise way to say it in Spanish.

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Note added at 6 mins (2007-01-08 21:08:09 GMT)
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In other words, it's not just about weakness. You wouldn't normally refer to a six-foot-tall person as puny, no matter how lanky he might be. It calls to mind someone of average to short stature with is skinny and weak.

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Note added at 8 mins (2007-01-08 21:09:25 GMT)
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*WHO* is, not "with is". I need a nap. :-)

Steven Capsuto
Local time: 19:05
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alan R King: I totally agree with your comments, Steven. "Puny" definitely conveys smallness of stature together with "skinny and weak".
1 hr
agree  Patricia Baldwin: menudos
1 hr
agree  silviantonia
14 hrs
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
(un sujeto físicamente) débil/enclenque


Explanation:
De acuerdo contigo.

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Note added at 1 hora (2007-01-08 23:00:58 GMT)
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BELLA-SERA:
AFTER SEEING PATRICIA'S ANSWER, I SUGGEST "UN MAGRO REBAÑO" WILL DO THE TRICK. PLEASE GIVE THE K-POINTS TO PATRICIA.

Mike Fuentes
Mexico
Local time: 18:05
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Alan R King: Miguel, regarding your comment above: I agree with David that in this context, "lot" refers to a group of people collectively, like "bunch" would (but "bunch" is more colloquial); it doesn't mean "suerte"
1 hr
  -> Anthropology texts do use flourished wording, so I took the figurative sense of "Lot" as an individual. Made sense when modified by a pejorative adjective, but the group's points are sound, so I won't stubborn against a "good flow".
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11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
un conjunto/grupo de seres débiles y canijos


Explanation:
otra opción por incluir "lot"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 41 mins (2007-01-08 21:42:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

se me ocurrió "rebaño" - I agree with David, it is a collective noun - and am I mistaken in thinking it is generally slightly, just slilghtly pejorative? un poco como "bunch" - ya sé, bunch of flowers....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-08 22:40:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alan, I'm just guessing, but I bet neither of you are small and spinky?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days11 hrs (2007-01-12 08:16:22 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Muchas gracias!

patricia scott
Spain
Local time: 01:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
Muchas gracias por la ayuda. Muy buena solución.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alan R King: Thanks for the convincing clarification, Patricia. I've even changed my vote! :-) (BTW, my wife from El Salvador didn't know "canijo" means that either) Cheers!
1 hr
  -> I know puny is pejorative- I was talking of "lot" Canijo:raquítico y enfermizo (María Moliner) - it is often translated as puny
agree  Mike Fuentes: Patricia's got it right! Let me suggest "Un magro rebaño", which is elegant wording and kin to the field.
1 hr
  -> Genial!! El resultado de la inteligencia colectiva!
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