Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
los niños dando por culo con la pelota
English translation:
annoying little shits playing football
Added to glossary by
James A. Walsh
Sep 16, 2011 20:58
12 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term
los niños dando por culo con la pelota
Spanish to English
Other
Media / Multimedia
Hello,
I'm looking for a good translation for "los niños dando por culo con la pelota".
Here's the context.
En esta vida hay ciertas cosas que van irremediablemente unidas: el dolor de estómago y la manzanilla, Paris Hilton y la progresiva pérdida de fe en el ser humano, la política y la incapacidad, el título de enseñanza secundaria y la incultura supina, la televisión ideológica y el aburrimiento, el hombre del tiempo y los mapas, el deportivo descapotable y el simio que lo conduce, la cuarentena y el implante de silicona, la plaza de Catalunya y los niños dando por culo con la pelota, las elecciones y las obras, el final de las elecciones y el final de las obras, la ineptitud y la oficina de atención al ciudadano, la desesperación y la pagina Web de RENFE y los aeropuertos con la humillación.
Many thanks to whoever responds.
I'm looking for a good translation for "los niños dando por culo con la pelota".
Here's the context.
En esta vida hay ciertas cosas que van irremediablemente unidas: el dolor de estómago y la manzanilla, Paris Hilton y la progresiva pérdida de fe en el ser humano, la política y la incapacidad, el título de enseñanza secundaria y la incultura supina, la televisión ideológica y el aburrimiento, el hombre del tiempo y los mapas, el deportivo descapotable y el simio que lo conduce, la cuarentena y el implante de silicona, la plaza de Catalunya y los niños dando por culo con la pelota, las elecciones y las obras, el final de las elecciones y el final de las obras, la ineptitud y la oficina de atención al ciudadano, la desesperación y la pagina Web de RENFE y los aeropuertos con la humillación.
Many thanks to whoever responds.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Sep 21, 2011 12:55: James A. Walsh Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
12 hrs
James A. Walsh
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
&
English
Works in field
Spain
A cut above the rest in translation...
Native in: English (Variants: Irish, US, UK) 
, Spanish (Variants: Latin American, Standard-Spain)
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
20
Spanish term (edited):
los niños dando por culo con la pelota
Selected
annoying little shits playing football
A tad unkind to the kids, perhaps, but that's my take on it :)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
18 mins
Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Spain
The translator people turn to
Native in: English (Variant: UK) 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to Spanish, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
kids/boys mucking around with a ball /
Kicking the shit out of the ball was my first thought, but its "con" la pelota and not "a"...
+2
31 mins
children playing ball to the annoyance of passersby
Make this work better (if permitted), I would change the order in this set and put "and the Plaza Catalunya" after the bit bit about the annoying children.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
anademahomar
: Yes, or annoying passersby with their ball playing
31 mins
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Thanks, anademahomar. It's maddeningly difficult to make this bit fit the rhythm of the overall passage! Have a good weekend.
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| agree |
neilmac
: But it needs a "pesky" b4 kidz IMO :)
11 hrs
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Thanks, Neil. I like pesky but left it out to avoid stacking an already inherently clumsy sentence. One could say "pesky children driving people nuts with their ball games, but ball games is problematic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_game
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+2
1 hr
kids being a right pain kicking a ball around
"Kicking" is not in the original, but in my experience, with very rare exceptions, that's the only thing Spanish kids do with a ball in public places.
"Being a right pain" is a gesture towards the colloquial tone of "dando por culo". In fact, I would go as far as to suggest "being a pain in the arse/ass" (depending on British or American target), though that is probably going too far given the tone of the rest. "Dar por culo" in this context is to be really irritating or annoying. And in that vein, "kids" seems right to me.
I suspect "a right pain" is British; it may need adjusting for American readers.
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-09-16 22:01:57 GMT)
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Perhaps "being a real pain" would work better for an American target, and it would be OK for the UK.
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-09-16 22:14:14 GMT)
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I do feel that "dando por culo" is a robust, not to say vulgar, expression (though less vulgar in practice than its literal translation would be in English), and that this should be reflected in the translation. It does not just say "siendo pesados".
"Being a right pain" is a gesture towards the colloquial tone of "dando por culo". In fact, I would go as far as to suggest "being a pain in the arse/ass" (depending on British or American target), though that is probably going too far given the tone of the rest. "Dar por culo" in this context is to be really irritating or annoying. And in that vein, "kids" seems right to me.
I suspect "a right pain" is British; it may need adjusting for American readers.
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-09-16 22:01:57 GMT)
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Perhaps "being a real pain" would work better for an American target, and it would be OK for the UK.
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Note added at 1 hr (2011-09-16 22:14:14 GMT)
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I do feel that "dando por culo" is a robust, not to say vulgar, expression (though less vulgar in practice than its literal translation would be in English), and that this should be reflected in the translation. It does not just say "siendo pesados".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Christine Walsh
: I think it's just the right register, but rather long. Perhaps 'kids being a right pain with a football' would suffice. (Or footballs, I've never been in the Plaça) Saludos, CW
2 hrs
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Good point; "with a football" would be better (it's always a football). Many thanks, Christine :)
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| agree |
Altogringo
: My U.S. version would be kids being a pain in the ass. But I'm also agreeing with James.
23 hrs
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Thanks, Altogringo :)
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1 hr
Lindsay Spratt
France
France
Native in English
France
Por/Sp/Cat/Fr->En, IoLDipTrans, MACantab
Native in: English
Works in: Portuguese to English, Spanish to English, English, and 2 more.
little brats playing (foot)ball
I think 'little brats' reflects the 'dando por el culo' without being too strong. It's also quite short. They're 'brats' because they're getting in the way.
Funny, I lived in Barcelona for 2 years and I most associate Plaça Catalunya with pigeons!
Funny, I lived in Barcelona for 2 years and I most associate Plaça Catalunya with pigeons!
3 hrs
Beatriz Ramírez de Haro
Spain
Spain
Native in Spanish
Works in field
Spain
Golf, Literature and Religion Specialist
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, Spanish
kids pestering around with a (foot)ball
Could work in this context
+1
12 hrs
(those) pesky kids with their ball...
Version time. Adding "those" invokes compliance with the audience, as does "pesky", assuming a shared value set with this depressingly grumpy author.
Personally I'd rather see/hear them playing ball or skateboarding than engaging in perhaps quieter yet less healthy pastimes.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2011-09-17 09:15:37 GMT)
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Note: no verb is required in this case...
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Note added at 12 hrs (2011-09-17 09:17:24 GMT)
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Note: "pesky" is more common in US English. A more apt UK epithet might be "bloody kids"....
Personally I'd rather see/hear them playing ball or skateboarding than engaging in perhaps quieter yet less healthy pastimes.
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Note added at 12 hrs (2011-09-17 09:15:37 GMT)
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Note: no verb is required in this case...
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Note added at 12 hrs (2011-09-17 09:17:24 GMT)
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Note: "pesky" is more common in US English. A more apt UK epithet might be "bloody kids"....
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Carol Gullidge
: and pesky works just as well in UK EN! (I use it all the time!). Just "pesky kids playing ball" works for me
11 hrs
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