burrada (here to try to translate a pun)

English translation: donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Spanish term or phrase:	burrada (here to try to translate a pun)
English translation:	donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)
Entered by:	Sheila Hardie

10:54 Nov 25, 2007

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Journalism

Spanish term or phrase: burrada (here to try to translate a pun)

Cada vez más burros en Catalunya
Quiero decir, en la carrocería de los coches que circulan por las carreteras catalanas. ***A algunos les parecerá -perdónese el chiste fácil- una burrada.***

I am trying to translate the pun really - I would normally translate 'burrada' as 'nonsense' or something similar. But it doesn't tie in with 'burro' as in the Spanish pun referring to the car stickers commonly seen on Catalan cars these days. Is there any way of maintaining the Spanish pun in English???

Many thanks in advance for any ideas!

Sheila

Sheila Hardie KudoZ activity Questions: 767 (6 open) (7 without valid answers) (19 closed without grading) Answers: 2978 Spain
Local time: 04:34

donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)

Explanation:
Asinine is an adjective, though I don't know if you're referring to the vehicle, person driving (!), or an idea. You could say "asinine idea" maybe?

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Note added at 2 days3 hrs (2007-11-27 14:31:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Use ASININE IDEA to translate "burrada", and "ASS" to translate "burro".

Selected response from:

Gary Smith Lawson
Spain
Local time: 04:34

Grading comment

Thanks to all of you for the fantastic ideas! In the end, my client preferred 'asinine', so the points must go to Gary. Thanks again, Sheila :-))
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +2

an ass of a vehicle

Victoria Porter-Burns

4 +2

harebrained trend (see explanation, + another idea)

Carol Gullidge

3 +2

to some people this will seem - as we're on the subject of animals - to be donkeying around

Bubo Coroman (X)

dumbass idea

Michael Powers (PhD)

donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)

Gary Smith Lawson

they dont' give a "donkey"

Narcis Lozano Drago

Discussion entries: 11

Carol Gullidge

United Kingdom

18:04 Nov 25, 2007

..attributed to what "others might say", which means he can get away with being a little more scathing, as this isn't supposed to be his own opinion. Which means that I don't need to cancel my answer yet again for fear of it having the wrong tone!

Carol Gullidge

United Kingdom

18:02 Nov 25, 2007

Yes, I saw that, vaguely translated as: a protest against uniform centralisation espressed in symbols such as the Spanish bull and flag.

In fact, as he seems to be giving a balanced view, and since he says "A algunos les parecerá", then his pun is

Sheila Hardie

Spain

ASKER

Hi Carol,

17:41 Nov 25, 2007

Well, it's hard to say. He tries to give a balanced view, but in the end I think he is in favour of these 'burros'. The sentence that follows on from the quote I gave is: Otros consideran que es "una proposta reivindicativa, que pretén lluitar contra el centralisme uniformitzador expressant en símbols com el toro a la matrícula espanyola".
The part in Catalan is actually taken from the website I cited above - burrocatala.com. HTH!

Carol Gullidge

United Kingdom

17:34 Nov 25, 2007

Sheila: which way do you fel that the writer's sympathies lie? Your original question rather implied that he/she was against the idea of the donkeys springing up all over the place, or at least, making fun of it. What do you think is the tone?

Sheila Hardie

Spain

ASKER

17:20 Nov 25, 2007

BTW, I've just found a website - www.burrocatala.com - that explains the donkey sticker thing quite clearly - I think it's only in Catalan though. Lots more info on Google anyway. HTH!!

Sheila Hardie

Spain

ASKER

Catalan donkey

16:58 Nov 25, 2007

Sorry, Henry - I realise it's now it's not too obvious. In Catalonia many people have donkey stickers (black or white depending on the colour of their car I suppose) stuck to their cars - to indicate their allegiance to Catalonia as opposed to Spain - symbolised in turn by the 'Osborne' bull :) I think the Catalan donkey stickers have kind of replaced the Catalan flag or 'CAT' stickers that used to be more popular. Hope that clarifies things a wee bit! :- )

Henry Hinds

United States

15:49 Nov 25, 2007

Those of us who haven't been driving around Catalunya for a while (in my case 42 years) have some trouble understanding... (CONTEXT).

claudia16 (X)

United Kingdom

14:50 Nov 25, 2007

oh, I see in Chile burras area type of very old cars, disregard me!

claudia16 (X)

United Kingdom

14:48 Nov 25, 2007

how about saying the car is an old-banger and tha is "bang-bang put-put"!a silly idea?

Bubo Coroman (X)

12:50 Nov 25, 2007

hi Sheila! How are you going to translate "burros" - or are you asking for ideas for that as well?

Victoria Porter-Burns

United Kingdom

11:11 Nov 25, 2007

Sorry Sheila - I spent so long thinking about this one I forgot about the sticker part!

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

an ass of a vehicle

Explanation:
I think this would work here - keeping the 'donkey/ass' idea

Victoria Porter-Burns
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:34
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi Victoria - thanks for your suggestion! Maybe 'an ass of an idea' would be possible ??? I think they are referring to the act of sticking the donkey stickers on the car rather than the cars themselves. Thanks again, Sheila

7 mins confidence:

they dont' give a "donkey"

Explanation:
Instead of "don't give a monkey". I am not an English native speaker so I don't know if this will actually work. Anyway, just a suggestion.

Regards

Narcis Lozano Drago
Spain
Local time: 04:34
Native speaker of:

Spanish

15 mins confidence:

dumbass idea

Explanation:
in keeping with your dialogue with Victoria, Sheila

justs to add to its nonsense

Mike :)

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 22:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

to some people this will seem - as we're on the subject of animals - to be donkeying around

Explanation:
this is actually a reference to "monkeying around" but gets in the donkey, and "monkeying around" will be understood as the meaning

Bubo Coroman (X)
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 8

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hi Deborah - Thanks for your help - I was thinking of translating 'burro' as 'donkey' originally, but might change it to 'ass' to tie in with the pun. However, it might not be necessary - they are synonyms after all. And I prefer the word 'donkey' when using the plural :-)

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

harebrained trend (see explanation, + another idea)

Explanation:
trend is the word that escaped me, and only came while I was doing the hoovering...!

You'd need to use lateral thinking to translate what I presume is a caption/headline: "Cada vez más burros en Catalunya"

into: "Donkeys reproducing/breeding like rabbits in Catalonia"

which then leads to 2 obvious puns: "harebrained", and "mad as a March hare"

".... a trend that would apear to some to be - if you'll excuse the obvious pun - hare-brained"

".. trend that would seem to some - and do excuse the obvious pun - to be utterly hare-brained"

"..... as mad as a March hare"

ANOTHER POSSIBILITY (if you're set against modifying the heading):

jackassed trend/nonsense/behaviour

...This would appear to some - and, forgive the facile pun: jackassed nonsense...

.... a jackassed trend

or jackassed behaviour/carrying on - depending on the register required, and on how strongly the author feels.

since jackass refers to either a donkey (asno, burro) or a person (fig) burro .

Meanwhile "jackassed" means idiotic, crazy, stupid carry-on ...

NB, because of its 2 inherent meanings, jackass has its own inbuilt pun!

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Note added at 6 hrs (2007-11-25 17:38:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another possible pun, using the 2 linked elements:

"Donkeys springing up everywhere.... if you'll excuse the ... pun - a load of horseplay"

Also, "Donkeys breeding.." (above) should read "Donkeys multiplying like rabbits" (obviously!)

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:34
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 48

2 days 30 mins confidence:

donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)

Gary Smith Lawson
Spain
Local time: 04:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thanks to all of you for the fantastic ideas! In the end, my client preferred 'asinine', so the points must go to Gary. Thanks again, Sheila :-))

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burrada (here to try to translate a pun)

English translation: donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)

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burrada (here to try to translate a pun)

English translation: donkey -ass _ burrada ; burrada - asinine (adj.)

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