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semáforo

English translation: off the street

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:semáforo
English translation:off the street
Entered by: Terri L. Myers

14:02 Aug 31, 2010
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Advertising / Public Relations / Cigarettes
Spanish term or phrase: semáforo
Discussing why people choose to leave a certain brand of tobacco for another, specifically their attempts to find a lower price. I have no idea how "semáforo" is used here.

Se menciona sobre todo XXXXX, tambien XXXX, incluso "de semáforo de 40 duros". En algun caso se anaden intentos con el tabaco de liar"
Terri L. Myers
United States
Local time: 03:18
off the street
Explanation:
I think this term refers to the illegal sales of cigarettes <off the street>. Usually sold on the street corner or in some cases from the trunk of the car. 40 duros refers to the cheap cost (1 duro = 5 pesetas) of the illegal cigarretes. Peseta was a currency used in Spain prior to the introduction of the Euro (200 pesetas would equal roughly $1.50). This must originate from Spain.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2010-08-31 22:02:09 GMT)
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I agree. Perhaps instead of "illegal" you could say "bootleg" or "after market"
Selected response from:

Brendon Barnett
Local time: 00:18
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3off the street
Brendon Barnett
4street sales
Carrie Comer
1 +2illegal sales ??
Anaskap
1pack
eski


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
pack


Explanation:
Could it be a pack with 40 cigarettes? (I admit, it's just a stab in the dark!)
Saludos,
eaki

eski
Mexico
Local time: 01:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5 peer agreement (net): +2
illegal sales ??


Explanation:
Could it be someone selling cigarettes illegally ? Some countries do have strong restrictions on cigarettes - for example in Canada a pack costs $12 dollars or so but Indian Reserves are allowed to get them tax free. If natives sell to you (illegally) you may pay $5 a pack....
Prehaps it refers to this sort of getting cheaper cigs....

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-08-31 16:00:51 GMT)
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P.S. Perhaps it should be rephrased as someone purchasing illegal cigarettes ...

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Note added at 2 hrs (2010-08-31 16:08:10 GMT)
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Why "semáforo" - for example here in Nicaragua, it is in the semáforos where you can get a variety of things, ranging from a hairpin to a banana to car accessories or even tires at a cheaper price....

Anaskap
Local time: 01:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
Notes to answerer
Asker: This seems to be what it is referring to - buying it illegally off the streets, usually at a stoplight, usually cheaper than at a store


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mercedes Rizzuti: I 'd use this but, just a suggestion: "illegal cheap tobacco".
1 hr
  -> Thank you, good point!
agree  Constantinos Faridis (X)
13 hrs
  -> ¡Gracias!
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
off the street


Explanation:
I think this term refers to the illegal sales of cigarettes <off the street>. Usually sold on the street corner or in some cases from the trunk of the car. 40 duros refers to the cheap cost (1 duro = 5 pesetas) of the illegal cigarretes. Peseta was a currency used in Spain prior to the introduction of the Euro (200 pesetas would equal roughly $1.50). This must originate from Spain.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2010-08-31 22:02:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I agree. Perhaps instead of "illegal" you could say "bootleg" or "after market"


    Reference: http://www.babylon.com/definition/peseta/Spanish
Brendon Barnett
Local time: 00:18
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Greg Hunt: Sounds right to me. You do get people selling tissues and the like at traffic lights in Spain sometimes, although I've never been offered cigarrettes. I think "illegal" in the translation would sound a bit too severe.
9 mins
agree  neilmac: 40 duros = 2 euros, cheap fags for 2 euros bought at traffic light from hawkers, seems the most likely meaning
15 hrs
agree  eski: Seems very likely: I like your hunch a lot more than my post: Saludos, eski
17 hrs
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
street sales


Explanation:
Street sales or street vendor sales.

Informal vendors and children sell candy, gum, cigarettes and phone cards at street lights (semáforos).

Carrie Comer
Guatemala
Local time: 01:18
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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