scalcagnati macinini

English translation: shoddy old bangers; old clunkers; old jalopies

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Italian term or phrase:	scalcagnati macinini
English translation:	shoddy old bangers; old clunkers; old jalopies
Entered by:	Nicole Johnson

19:35 Feb 11, 2007

Italian to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Economics / Article on Statistics and World Economic Development Indicators

Italian term or phrase: scalcagnati macinini

Anche sulle autostrade della statistica si vedranno rombanti Ferrari e ***scalcagnati macinini***: la qualità dei risultati dipenderà infatti dai criteri di elaborazione, che dovranno sempre essere dichiarati e che sono comunque discutibili. Qualche ricercatore ci fulminerà con una nuova scoperta e altri si copriranno di ridicolo per il loro cattivo uso dei dati: come avviene in altri campi del dibattito scientifico.

Nicole Johnson KudoZ activity Questions: 610 (1 open) (14 closed without grading) Answers: 266 Italy
Local time: 20:41

Shoddy old bangers

Explanation:
Credo che indubbiamente bangers sia la miglior traduzione di macinini ma shoddy è buono per scalcagnati, dato che rende proprio l'idea di qualcosa che cade a pezzi.

Selected response from:

Nicholas Hunt
Italy
Local time: 20:41

Grading comment

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. I liked Nicholas' in this example, but I've put them all in the glossary.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +1

Shoddy old bangers

Nicholas Hunt

"old jalopies" or "old bangers"

quiffy

old clunkers

wordsworldwi (X)

bangers

Umberto Cassano

Answers

7 mins confidence:

bangers

Explanation:
...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 mins (2007-02-11 19:47:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Se proprio vuoi tradurre anche l'aggettivo italiano "scalcagnato" potresti rendere con ***Run-down / dilapidated bangers***.
Penso che ***bangers*** da senza ulteriori aggettivi possa anche andar bene.

Umberto Cassano
Italy
Local time: 20:41
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 20

14 mins confidence:

"old jalopies" or "old bangers"

Explanation:
The phrase "scalcagnati macinini" is used in contrast to the aforementioned Ferraris (luxury sports car) to describe different levels of quality.

quiffy
Local time: 20:41
Native speaker of:

English

27 mins confidence:

old clunkers

Explanation:
... really spoilt for choice

wordsworldwi (X)
Italy
Local time: 20:41
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Italian

27 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Shoddy old bangers

Explanation:
Credo che indubbiamente bangers sia la miglior traduzione di macinini ma shoddy è buono per scalcagnati, dato che rende proprio l'idea di qualcosa che cade a pezzi.

Nicholas Hunt
Italy
Local time: 20:41
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions. I liked Nicholas' in this example, but I've put them all in the glossary.

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

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

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations