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promontorios de basura

English translation: The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.

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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Spanish term or phrase:	promontorios de basura (see sentence)
English translation:	The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.
Entered by:	Carol Ribeiro - Mark-in Marketing Integrado

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23:06 Apr 28, 2009

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Tourism & Travel

Spanish term or phrase: promontorios de basura

This is an article for a magazine and is talking about San Salvador, Oscar Romero, etc.

La ciudad comenzaba a desperezarse después de la resaca de la fiesta. En las calles, los promontorios de basura lucían como una pesadilla futurista.

I'd appreciate any help regarding the whole sentence. I can't think of a way to write it without making it sound literal.
TIA

Carol Ribeiro - Mark-in Marketing Integrado KudoZ activity Questions: 83 (none open) (9 closed without grading) Answers: 173
Local time: 16:12

The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.

Explanation:
I think this conveys the meaning and tone.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2009-04-29 08:47:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

another option, closer to the source text:

The streets lay under swathes of garbage, like some bad dream about the future.

Selected response from:

Deborah Lockett
Local time: 20:12

Grading comment

Thanks very much Deborah! Despite all the other answers, I think this is in the spirit of what it's trying to say.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +10

mountains of rubbish/garbage/trash

patinba

4 +7

mounds of garbage

Steven Huddleston

5 +3

trash heaps

Robert Manipole

5 +2

piles / bunches of trash

Enrique Huber

4 +1

piles of rubbish/rubbish piles

cgowar

peninsulas of castoffs

Richard Boulter

promontories / cliffs of garbage/trash/rubbish

darwinista

The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.

Deborah Lockett

3 -2

pinnacles of trash

Sara Brown

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

6 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +10

mountains of rubbish/garbage/trash

Explanation:
gave the streets the look of some futuristic nightmare.

Zombie Commandos From Hell! :: A Futuristic Nightmare! ... 2003 6:17 am Post subject: Zombie Commandos From Hell! :: A Futuristic Nightmare! ...
talkaboutcomics.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5964 - 89k - En caché - Páginas similares
Guernica / Blog / Weaponizing the Pentagon's Cyborg Insects: A ... - [ Traducir esta página ]
What the Classroom Didn't Teach Me About the American Empire / Apr 1 '08, Weaponizing the Pentagon's Cyborg Insects: A Futuristic Nightmare That Just Might ...
www.guernicamag.com/blog/542/weaponizing_the_pentagons_cybo... - 84k - En caché - Páginas similares
Cyborg insects: A futuristic nightmare that just might come true ... - [ Traducir esta página ]
Daily News Of and For Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada.
saltspringnews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=18909 - 20k -

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 16:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 88

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Simon Charass: I like "garbage/trash" better.

29 mins

-> Thanks, Simon! For the US and Canada, certainly.

agree

silviantonia

1 hr

-> thanks!

agree

Joseph Tein: Hola. I like this one, too.

5 hrs

-> Thank-you!

agree

margaret caulfield

6 hrs

-> Thanks, Margaret!

agree

Carol Gullidge: it's rubbish for me (UK)!

9 hrs

-> Yes ideed! Thanks, Carol!

agree

David Ronder: I think you need to preserve the geographical connotation, and hills doesn´t work. Could you get away with "like something out of Wall-E" for the futuristic bit?

11 hrs

-> That's certainly what is meant. Thanks!

agree

cmwilliams

11 hrs

-> Thank-you!

agree

neilmac: Like the managerial twaddle I often have to translate ;)

11 hrs

-> 'Fraid so. Thanks, Neil!

agree

Lisa McCarthy: Like it! (Rubbish for me - UK)

12 hrs

-> Thanks, Lisa!

agree

bcsantos: Rubbish for me too - UK

18 hrs

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

piles / bunches of trash

Explanation:
The piles of trash could be seen on the streets, showing their heads like a furturistic nightmare.
One idea...

Enrique Huber
Mexico
Local time: 14:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 4

55 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

mounds of garbage

Explanation:
Just so, simply.

Steven Huddleston
United States
Local time: 15:12
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

trash heaps

Explanation:
In the streets, the trash heaps appeared as if they were straight out of some futuristic nightmare.

Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/trash+heap

Robert Manipole
United States
Local time: 15:12
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): -2

pinnacles of trash

Explanation:
#
Thunder Mountain
- [ Traducir esta página ]
The pinnacles at the top of Thunder Mountain are the same material as that on Round Top. ... We continued to find all sorts of trash on the way down. ...
kevingong.com/Hiking/ThunderMountain.html - 19k - En caché - Páginas similares
#
Twin Eagles Pinnacle 18 Inch Tall Trash Drawer : Weber BBQ Grills
- [ Traducir esta página ]
Twin Eagles Pinnacle 18 Inch Tall Trash Drawer available at Weber BBQ Grills. The Twin Eagles stainless steel Trash Drawer is a great addition to the ...
www.webercharcoalgrills.com/item_name_Twin-Eagles-Pinnacle-... - 41k - En caché - Páginas similares
#
Twin Eagles Pinnacle 18 Inch Trash/Tank Drawer : Outdoor Kitchens ...
- [ Traducir esta página ]
Twin Eagles Pinnacle 18 Inch Trash/Tank Drawer available at Outdoor Kitchens Depot. The Twin Eagles stainless steel Trash Drawer is a great addition to the ...
www.outdoorkitchensdepot.com/item_name_Twin-Eagles-Pinnacle... - 49k - En caché - Páginas similares
#
Twin Eagles Pinnacle Trash Chute : Charcoal Grill Depot
- [ Traducir esta página ]
Twin Eagles Pinnacle Trash Chute available at Charcoal Grill Depot. The Twin Eagles trash chute allows for trash to be hidden and usable with a stylish ...
www.charcoalgrilldepot.com/item_name_Twin-Eagles-Pinnacle-T... - 40k - En caché - Páginas similares

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2009-04-29 01:19:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

La ciudad comenzaba a desperezarse después de la resaca de la fiesta. En las calles, los promontorios de basura lucían como una pesadilla futurista.

The city was slowly waking from its post-holiday hangover. In the streets, the pinnacles of trash were a futuristic nightmare.

Sara Brown
Argentina
Local time: 16:12
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish

7 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

piles of rubbish/rubbish piles

Explanation:
In the streets, rubbish piles looked like a futuristic nightmare.

If you look at the coverage of any rubbish crisis, this is the most used expression:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jan/07/italy.environmen...
The Italian army was today called in to start clearing festering piles of rubbish from the streets of Naples
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6684635.stm
Residents of the Italian city of Naples have been torching piles of rotting rubbish in the steets amid a worsening refuse crisis.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/stinking-napl...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/3320852/Naples-ru...
Burning rubbish piles in the streets of Naples are threatening an environmental disaster, experts warn.

cgowar
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 28

9 hrs confidence:

The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.

Deborah Lockett
Local time: 20:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 155

Grading comment

Thanks very much Deborah! Despite all the other answers, I think this is in the spirit of what it's trying to say.

7 hrs confidence:

promontories / cliffs of garbage/trash/rubbish

Explanation:
I don't think the English equivalent sounds bad. Also suggesting a synonym for promontory. Agree with everybody else that depending on the country the translation is for you'll have to pick the best option for "garbage".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2009-04-29 10:39:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"Promontories /cliffs of trash/rubbish/garbage swelled / jutted out like an apocalyptic nightmare"

darwinista
Local time: 21:12
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Spanish
PRO pts in category: 16

13 hrs confidence:

peninsulas of castoffs

Explanation:
I like this for a fun, tough urban setting. Especially if there's an opportunity to translate 'fiords of life leading to the local abodes' somewhere in the source. :))

Richard Boulter
United States
Local time: 13:12
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

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promontorios de basura

English translation: The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.

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promontorios de basura

English translation: The streets lay in the grip of some hellish Garbage Monster from the future.

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KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

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