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Spanish to English translations [PRO] Tourism & Travel / in Cordova, Spain
Spanish term or phrase:casa de vecinos
I am having trouble finding a good way of translating this, referring specifically to the casas de vecinos in Cordova, Spain, with patios. Tenement house has negative connotations. I don't want to use apartment or block of flats, because that conjures up a different image in my mind. Multi-unit dwelling is too technical.
The point I need to emphasise is that this is a house where people are "vecinos" and cooperate with each other, especially as far as the patios are concerned (to prepare them for the fiesta de patios which takes place this month, May).
Explanation: The Cordobesian patios are a reminiscence of the climate conditions of this city; they are an essential part of the housing. Whitewash walls, fountains, columns, and flowers, they are simply comforting in such warm climate.
The houses that surround the patios acquire a communal life, sharing their chickens, galleries and backyard, laundry facilities, and of course, the patio, which through their careful upkeep led to the development of the traditional patio festivities.
The Festivity of the Cordobesian Patios
Typical Patio of Córdoba: At any time, behind any door, you can find the typical ... the climate conditions of this city; they are an essential part of the housing. ... upkeep led to the development of the traditional patio festivities. ... www.entertainmentinspain.com/Cordoba Patios.htm - 35k -
My text also has "casa de patios" and sometimes when it refers to "casa de vecinos" it does not always mean community/communal housing. In these cases I have decided to put just "patio house" (the decision was made earlier on in the project to keep patio rather than use courtyard). When "case de vecinos" is used to refer to a shared house (either in the past or today), I've decided to put "communal patio house". I don't need to add any explanations in the text, as there are a lot of those already. Thanks everyone for your ideas. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
Thanks everyone for your input so far. The term is repeated several times in my text, which is confidential at this stage, so I do not think that posting a sentence or two will be more helpful than my explanations. I have also noted that in some places they use the term to refer to ALL houses with patios in the city, whether they are inhabited by a single family or many, so I will not be able to use community or communal as a translation all the time (and I am inclined to translate and not leave it as it is). To answer another question, yes the patios are the inner courtyards of these houses.
containing the term would help, since I think you will probably have to retaining the Spanish term and pad it out, hard to tell what would work without a bit more to go on.
In Mexico these are vecindades -- same concept, not exactly communal, though certainly everyone living there shares certain conveniences, like a patio for hanging out the wash, and back in the day, the wash area in the patio (rough sinks made of concrete or stone).
A colleague confirms that these are large dwellings, occupied by extended family or various families, built round a communal patio, where washing etc used to be done in the past, which now tend to have been converted into completely separate flats. I'd stick with the original and explanation.
The equivalent in Madrid would be the Corrales, and if you go into DRAE for corral, this leads you to "Casa de Vecindad" for Andalucía, with this definition: de vecindad.
1. f. La que contiene muchas viviendas reducidas, por lo común con acceso a patios y corredores.
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Answers
8 mins confidence:
Neighbors' House
Explanation: Neighbors' House is a not-for-profit, faith based, community development organization partnering with DeKalb County, Illinois students and families to help ...
neighborshouse.blogspot.com
Constantinos Faridis Greece Local time: 22:12 Native speaker of: Greek PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: Nikki I think you can leave it, but with a note
Granada, Albaicin Apartments for independent traveller El Numero 8
You´ve discovered La casa del Numero 8, or more popularly known as, la casa de Rafa. ... one of the traditional "casa de vecinos" in this ancient and magical neighbourhood. Make the effort and come see for yourself. Español | English | ... www.elnumero8.com/ - 9k - Cached - Similar pages -
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 10 mins (2009-05-12 09:52:32 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Apartment EL ARCO, Jerez Historical Center:Apartments:Jerez De La ...
Posted on 20/04/09 in Holiday Rentals: Apartments in Andalusia (Jerez De La ... Typical, "Casa de Vecinos", i.e. apartment house in authentic Andalusian style, .... English and: Add a language... Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Bulgarian ...
housing.justlanded.com/en/Spain_Andalusia/Holiday-Rentals_Apartments/Apartment-EL-ARCO-Jerez-Historical-Center - 49k - Cached - Similar pages -
gobernar la casa del vecino - WordReference Forums
3 posts - 2 authors - Last post: 15 Jan 2007
I was asking whether any of you guys know an English idiom equivalent to the Spanish one "es como gobernar la casa del vecino". ...
forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=353326 - 38k - Cached - Similar pages -
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 mins (2009-05-12 09:54:48 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
One of these in Jerez seems to be fairly well known -- the Rosaleda, & in all the hits on that one it's left as 'casa de vecinos' --
hope this helps!
Laurie Price Spain Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
Explanation: I don't think there is an exact equivalent in English, Nikki. But I may be wrong. Could you say something like 'typical Andalusian town house'? Or even use the Spanish term (in italics or inverted commas) and explain in a footnote or something similar. One translation I have seen is 'neighbourhood house' but that doesn't sound very natural to me.
Explanation: The Cordobesian patios are a reminiscence of the climate conditions of this city; they are an essential part of the housing. Whitewash walls, fountains, columns, and flowers, they are simply comforting in such warm climate.
The houses that surround the patios acquire a communal life, sharing their chickens, galleries and backyard, laundry facilities, and of course, the patio, which through their careful upkeep led to the development of the traditional patio festivities.
The Festivity of the Cordobesian Patios
Typical Patio of Córdoba: At any time, behind any door, you can find the typical ... the climate conditions of this city; they are an essential part of the housing. ... upkeep led to the development of the traditional patio festivities. ... www.entertainmentinspain.com/Cordoba Patios.htm - 35k -
franglish Local time: 21:12 Works in field Native speaker of: German PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
My text also has "casa de patios" and sometimes when it refers to "casa de vecinos" it does not always mean community/communal housing. In these cases I have decided to put just "patio house" (the decision was made earlier on in the project to keep patio rather than use courtyard). When "case de vecinos" is used to refer to a shared house (either in the past or today), I've decided to put "communal patio house". I don't need to add any explanations in the text, as there are a lot of those already. Thanks everyone for your ideas.
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