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una fenomenal cucaña

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:una cucaña
English translation:a (Land of) Cockaigne
Entered by: David Ronder

16:14 Nov 15, 2013
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere

Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - History / Tourism in late-Francoist Spain
Spanish term or phrase: una fenomenal cucaña
This is in fact a quote in an article I'm translating on the impact of tourism on Francoist Spain. I know what it means but can't quite nail a good English equivalent. I think it's already translated from Catalan. The register is academic/journalistic. Context:

A partir de principios de los sesenta, España se había convertido en destino privilegiado de las masas de turistas. Los españoles tomaron nota y en julio de 1961 el conocido escritor catalán, Josep Pla, ya empleaba el término “invasión turística” en la revista Destino y el año siguiente señalaba que el turismo era *“una fenomenal cucaña”* y “el mayor hecho económico de la historia moderna del país”.

All suggestions welcome.
David Ronder
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:18


Summary of answers provided
4 +3a windfall/a godsend
Edward Tully
4 +2an Eldorado
Carol Gullidge
3a fantasy wonderland
patinba
3a real bonanza
Karen Vincent-Jones (X)
1ablaze
Julie Napier
Summary of reference entries provided
the land of Cockaigne / Cuckoo-land
Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)

Discussion entries: 6





  

Answers


32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
ablaze


Explanation:
The term was taken from the website below and describes the Indian summer experienced in 1962, it would suggest that the term's intended meaning is something along the lines of 'on fire' or 'ablaze'.


    Reference: http://mdc2.cbuc.cat/cdm/compoundobject/collection/destino/i...
Julie Napier
Ireland
Local time: 02:18
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
a windfall/a godsend


Explanation:
Looking at the original article, I think the meaning is positive, regarding the end of isolation and the beginning of European integration.

El desarrollo económico ocupa la quinta etapa de la antología de «Destino». Entre 1957 y 1965, España va cubriendo etapas para su integración europea. Los tecnócratas posibilitan el Plan de Estabilización y el turismo provee de divisas a un país que deja atrás delirios autárquicos. Los españoles compran seiscientos y electrodomésticos a plazos. «Esta fantástica cucaña del turismo -el mayor hecho económico de la historia del país- es habitualmente considerada por la gente como un milagro» escribe Pla en el 62.

http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-07-11-2003/abc/Cultur...



Edward Tully
Local time: 03:18
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 60

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Carol Gullidge: godsend, rather than windfall
25 mins
  -> Many thanks Carol! ;-)
agree  Stephen D. Moore: Either term would fit, tho "windfall" transmits the idea of the unexpected.
1 hr
  -> Many thanks Stephen! ;-)
agree  philgoddard
4 hrs
  -> Many thanks! ;-)
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a fantasy wonderland


Explanation:
.

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 22:18
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 105
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
an Eldorado


Explanation:
if you'd like to keep to the idea of a fantasy land. In this case, it's a fantasy land that was supposed to be filled with gold

Other 'fantasy' possibilities related to cash flow:

pot of gold

golden egg

golden goose

or, less whimsical:

bonanza

gold mine

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2013-11-15 17:46:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Thanks David! Forgot to include "manna from heaven"

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:18
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80
Notes to answerer
Asker: Good suggestions, Carol - I was wondering about various golden things and I like bonanza


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Charles Davis: I think the idea of a fantasy land should be kept (cucaña is a specific cultural reference), but also the idea of material wealth. I think he's using "cucaña" basically in the way people use "jauja".
1 hr
  -> many thanks Charles :)
agree  philgoddard: Perfect! Remember the TV soap of the same name?
3 hrs
  -> yes, and what a flop that turned out to be! Many thanks, Phil! Still, 'an eldorado' is used to denote vast wealth (despite the TV series!)
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1 day 17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
a real bonanza


Explanation:
I like the term 'bonanza' that Carol suggested as an alternative, although it is something of a cliche. It is positive, although with perhaps a sense that the good fortune is accidental


    Reference: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101040937
    Reference: http://blogs.ft.com/ftdata/2013/08/24/britains-tourism-jobs-...
Karen Vincent-Jones (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:18
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Carol Gullidge: I'm confused! Why did you duplicate my suggestion, instead of simply posting an Agree?
1 hr
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Reference comments


15 mins peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: the land of Cockaigne / Cuckoo-land

Reference information:
Cockaigne


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Jump to: navigation, search


For other uses, see Cockayne (disambiguation).





Pieter Bruegel the Elder's "Luilekkerland" (The Land of Cockaigne), 1567. Oil on panel. (Alte Pinakothek, Munich)
Cockaigne or Cockayne /kɒˈkeɪn/ is a medieval trope denoting a mythical land of plenty, an imaginary place of extreme luxury and ease where physical comforts and pleasures are always immediately at hand and where the harshness of medieval peasant life does not exist. Specifically, in poems like The Land of Cockaigne, Cockaigne is a land of contraries, where all the restrictions of society are defied (abbots beaten by their monks), sexual liberty is open (nuns flipped over to show their bottoms), and food is plentiful (skies that rain cheeses). Writing about Cockaigne was a commonplace of Goliard verse. It represented both wish fulfillment and resentment at the strictures of asceticism and dearth.




Cockaigne - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockaigne‎



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Specifically, in poems like The Land of Cockaigne, Cockaigne is a land of ... and the Middle English "Cokaygne", or modern-day "Cuckoo-land", one line of ... of the Andes, and País de Cucaña ("fools' paradise") may also signify such a place.


Cockaigne: Definition from Answers.com




www.answers.com › ... › Dictionary‎



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An imaginary land of easy and luxurious living. ... and the Middle English "Cokaygne", or modern-day "Cuckoo-land", one line of ... La Cucaña, Francisco Goya.

Margarita Ezquerra (Smart Translators, S.L.)
Spain
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 27
Note to reference poster
Asker: Intriguing. I'd completely forgotten about the Land of Cockaigne. It's curiously appropriate here - even sounds like 'cucaña'.

Asker: I've been looking into this and think you should post it as an answer.


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  philgoddard: I'm not clear whether the writer is being positive or negative, though. Does he mean tourism is a fool's paradise, or a new era for Spain?
8 mins
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