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banca

English translation: washbench

10:11 Apr 1, 2004
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
History
Spanish term or phrase: banca
Hi everyone,
This is a little more difficult than it may at first appear. The term comes from a historical text about Spanish washerwomen in the nineteenth century and according to the RAE, it means:
"Cajón donde se colocan las lavanderas para lavar la ropa."
Any ideas????
Many thanks,
Paul
Paul Edgar
Local time: 09:53
English translation:washbench
Explanation:
Besides the cupboard, there was the cherry drop-leaf dining-table, a stand with the mending basket, the little low blue cradle, a Boston rocker, some wooden-bottom chairs, a few splint-bottom chairs, and the washbench.

http://www.catskillarchive.com/jb/bm-3.htm

the concept is the same

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2004-04-01 10:23:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

see also
http://www.proz.com/?sp=h&id=32497

wow, somebody was translating this:
http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/Enl121/Anthology/Hurston_Sweat.h...
Selected response from:

MJ Barber
Spain
Local time: 09:53
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8washbench
MJ Barber
4banca
nothing
3washplace
Gabo Pena


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
washbench


Explanation:
Besides the cupboard, there was the cherry drop-leaf dining-table, a stand with the mending basket, the little low blue cradle, a Boston rocker, some wooden-bottom chairs, a few splint-bottom chairs, and the washbench.

http://www.catskillarchive.com/jb/bm-3.htm

the concept is the same

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2004-04-01 10:23:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

see also
http://www.proz.com/?sp=h&id=32497

wow, somebody was translating this:
http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/Enl121/Anthology/Hurston_Sweat.h...

MJ Barber
Spain
Local time: 09:53
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  enide
9 mins
agree  Henrique Serra
9 mins
agree  sassa: wash bench (two words) http://www.google.com.gr/search?q="a wash bench"&hl=el&ie=UT...
3 hrs
agree  Begoña Yañez
3 hrs
agree  x-Translator (X)
7 hrs
agree  Sery
8 hrs
agree  Muriel Vasconcellos: "Nothing" gave us a nice explanation, but I think "wash bench" would be clearer than leaving the word in Spanish. Maybe a footnote could be added with the explanation of "banca."
11 hrs
agree  Gabriel Aramburo Siegert: I agree with Muriel.
12 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
banca


Explanation:
Don't translate. Write a footnote explaining its meaning. It does not exist in English. If you read the following text, you will see that it had two meanings, the original that you have quoted (which would be a wooden box to kneel on) and a second one, each individual washing place in a public washhouse. I don't know which of these meanings you need, depends on the context
"El interior se distribuía en varios espacios, unos para la colada tradicional a base de cenizas, que se preparaba con agua calentada con fuego de leña y más adelante con caldera de gas, utilizandose en algunos establecimientos aparatos mecánicos conocidos como coladeros o lejiadoras. Habían, además, tanques o espacios destinados al lavado y aclarado con grandes pilas de piedra o de obra revestidas de material impermeable de unos 12 m2, como mínimo, que se dividían en varias "bancas"; la denominación tenía su origen en un cajón de madera, que a modo de reclinarorio, servía para proteger de la humedad a las lavanderas que lavaban arrodilladas en ríos o cauces de agua, y que por extensión pasó a denominar el espacio destinado a cada lavandera en los lavaderos de mampostería o pìedra donde se lavaba de pie; en estos lavaderos existía un plano inclinado de piedra con hendiduras para evitar el encharcamiento de agua y posibilitar a la vez el frotado de la ropa.

El número de bancas o puestos de lavado dependía de las dimensiones de las pilas pero según los datos más frecuentes que aparecen en los libros de Matricula Industrial y Comercial -que desde 1876 incluían a los lavaderos- se situaban en torno a 50. Encima de cada banca podía ubicarse una tabla inclinada de madera con rayas estriadas que facilitaba el lavado y evitaba que la humedad llegara al cuerpo de la lavandera; esta misma pieza era utilizada, también, para lavar en los domicilios aplicada a barreños, cubetas y a la pila o al fregadero de la cocina".



nothing
Local time: 08:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 21
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
washplace


Explanation:
=8^h

Gabo Pena
Local time: 00:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
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