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venir rifando

English translation: to (merrily) squander, to (pointlessly) squander, to fool around and watch (something) erode

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:venir rifando (algo)
English translation:to (merrily) squander, to (pointlessly) squander, to fool around and watch (something) erode
Entered by: María Teresa Taylor Oliver

15:29 May 4, 2018
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / Argentinian newspaper article on the country\'s economic situation
Spanish term or phrase: venir rifando
I'm translating a newspaper article (https://www.pagina12.com.ar/111636-el-tembladeral-macrista) and I'm having a hard time understanding this paragraph:

"Por muy paradójico que sea o semeje, en medio del cúmulo de malas noticias, para el Gobierno lo único que asoma relativa y momentáneamente despejado es el escenario electoral. *****Pero también es cierto que VIENE RIFANDO,***** nada menos que entre los sectores de clase media conformantes de su núcleo más duro, el caudal reacumulado en octubre último. Anteayer, Clarín publicó el resultado de diez encuestas, de consultoras cercanas al oficialismo y la oposición, que coinciden en marcar el deterioro gubernamental."

I don't know if it is that I'm still half asleep or need more coffee or what, but my brain is foggy and I cannot come up with a translation for this. :(

Thanks in advance!
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Panama
Local time: 22:09
is squanderring
Explanation:
that's what it means, wasting the support of the middle class ...
Selected response from:

Alicia Orfalian
Argentina
Local time: 00:09
Grading comment
In the end, I went with Alicia's suggestion but I do appreciate everyone's contributions. I wish I could distribute the points. Have a nice Sunday!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4is squanderring
Alicia Orfalian
4 +1fooling around and watching its support erode
Muriel Vasconcellos
4to have been playing
Francois Boye
4is gambling/conducting a raffle
AllegroTrans


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
is squanderring


Explanation:
that's what it means, wasting the support of the middle class ...

Alicia Orfalian
Argentina
Local time: 00:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
In the end, I went with Alicia's suggestion but I do appreciate everyone's contributions. I wish I could distribute the points. Have a nice Sunday!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Alicia! Now it suddenly clicked in my mind. :)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  patinba
1 hr
  -> Gracias Pat!
neutral  Muriel Vasconcellos: It would need a direct object. X is squandering Y. The answer needs to fit the Asker's context.
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, I was suggesting the term, not the grammatical construction!
agree  Monica Colangelo: totalmente de acuerdo (sacale una r)
3 hrs
  -> Oops, thank you Monica for the correction!
agree  Robert Carter: Ditto Monica.
1 day 1 hr
agree  Marcelo González: The key is understanding the idiom. And for that, who's better than a native speaker from the source text country of origin? --one of several arguments in defense of L2 translation. :) I also like Robert´s interpretation of political capital. Cheers
2 days 49 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to have been playing


Explanation:
venir rifando = rifar durante un periodo de tiempo

playing in the sense of gambling

playing one group against another group

Francois Boye
United States
Local time: 23:09
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 40
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
fooling around and watching its support erode


Explanation:
You can't "squander" support. It just doesn't work grammatically or semantically. And it doesn't capture either the idea of not doing its job or allowing its support to slip away.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2018-05-04 20:00:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or: 'fooling around and watching its support *slip away*'.

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 20:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 468

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Liliana Galiano: i like it better now, yes, I'd choose this answer.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Liliana!
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19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
is gambling/conducting a raffle


Explanation:
rifar = to raffle

AllegroTrans
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:09
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 123
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