"grandes pulpos mafiosos que han desplegado sus tentáculos"
English translation: mafias/mafia networks that have spread their tentacles across Spain or J. Verne variation below
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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:
\"grandes pulpos mafiosos que han desplegado sus tentáculos\"
English translation:
mafias/mafia networks that have spread their tentacles across Spain or J. Verne variation below
Spanish to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Journalism / Newspaper article
Spanish term or phrase:"grandes pulpos mafiosos que han desplegado sus tentáculos"
Hi, everyone. I am reviewing a translation I already submitted to a professor this past winter. I was asked to translate an article from Spain's El País from Spanish to French or English. I translated it into English and came across the following phrase in a sentence which is apparently metaphorical:
"...Se trata de una delincuencia nueva, poderosa, sofisticada y desalmada que cuenta con amplias conexiones internacionales. Son las multinacionales del crimen, grandes pulpos mafiosos que han desplegado sus tentáculos en suelo español."
I could not find a suitable English metaphorical equivalent for "grandes pulpos..." I was wondering if anyone is able to give me a few suggestions.
The above excerpt comes from an article that describes European mafias committing serious crimes on Spanish soil in 2005. Half of the 400 foreigners are highly ranked dangerous criminals; the majority of them come from Eastern European countries. Eighty per cent of criminals present in these organizations are Spaniards themselves.
Explanation: After "They are international criminal organizations . . ."Variations found in Internet: www.southasiaanalysis.org/\papers8\paper773.html - En caché... of the Police and other security agencies in dealing with terrorism and the mafia gangs. ... From there, they have extended their networks, under the instructions of the ISI, ... The implications are particularly ominous in respect of the LET. ... with its tentacles spreading as far east as Indonesia, to the whole of the Gulf and ...; https://lalqila.wordpress.com/.../greedy-selfish-and-immoral... - En caché18 Aug 2011 – Rupert Murdoch hatched the idea of an American TV network ...... How Jew Mafia destroyed America and the World. .... CIA spreads its tentacles in South Punjab. ...... 93′s debris spread over miles when it was supposed to have crashed in ...... represents two unsurprising but ominous things: that the ...; Mafia gangs spreading tentacles around world - [ Traducir esta página ] www.hvk.org/articles/0202/57.html - En caché8 Feb 2002 – The two main - and rival - mafia gangs have spread their tentacles around the world and are enmeshed in all kinds of illegalities: smuggling, ...; Print Article - Pakistan Today - www.pakistantoday.com.pk/.../the-struggle-against-human-t..... - En caché15 Aug 2011 – ... networks of human traffickers have spread their tentacles around the ... plagued by the menace of illegal immigration and mafias involved in ... If you want to see a good example of the octopus metaphor, have a look at: www.bibliotecapleyades.net/.../esp_sociopol_rothschild06.h.... - En cachéIf Gorbachov had accepted the plan, he would have remained in power and the Soviet ... This activity has fuelled the growth of the Russian Mafia. ... George Soros is merely the visible face of a vast and very nasty network of private ..... who, like an immense Jules Verne octopus, extends his tentacles all over Eastern Europe, ...
The news excerpts are very insightful and give me an idea how the idiomatic expression is used in English. Thank you very much! 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
except for tentacles. Tentacles are sinister. Octopuses are comic - see Beatles songs, children's cartoons etc. And btw, OED says the plural is 'octupuses'.
large mafia-like octopi that have spread their tentacles
Explanation: I feel that the literal translation of the metaphor is just as functional and eloquent in English, in fact, I have seen the “octopus” and “tentacles” metaphors used in other contexts, quite effectively.
Example sentence(s):
...large mafia-like octopi that have spread their tentacles upon Spanish soil.
Steven Huddleston United States Local time: 03:04 Native speaker of: English, Spanish
huge mafiosi octupusses that have spread out their tentacles
Explanation: :)
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10 mins (2011-09-12 04:04:31 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
all over/across Spanish soil
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 mins (2011-09-12 04:07:45 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
on the question of the plural of "octopus" it could be "octopuses" or "octopi" so ...
We would go with "octopuses," a perfectly legitimate English plural, and the oldest attested to. "Octopi" is also an acceptable choice, and one in wide use, but ...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 15 mins (2011-09-12 04:08:39 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
so sorry about original spelling ...
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 16 mins (2011-09-12 04:09:59 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
What's the plural of octopus? Octopuses? Octopi? Octopodes? According to this video by Merriam Webster editor Kory Stamper, all three are technically correct. Video link.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 21 mins (2011-09-12 04:14:36 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
or: that have sprawled all over Spanish soil
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 23 mins (2011-09-12 04:17:12 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
and I think we can go for "huge" rather than "large" to get the full effect
David Hollywood Local time: 04:04 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 19
The translation workplace 
