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"anda em volteios"

English translation: is trapped in a vicious circle / in a circle

07:28 Mar 6, 2022
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - History
Portuguese term or phrase: "anda em volteios"
"...à medida que esses percursos vão sendo desvendados, desnudam-se também as voltas, revoltas e reviravoltas dessas existências que, por serem ainda tão pouco conhecidas, continuam a dar a impressão de que o Brasil anda em volteios." (The context is a book about slavery written in Brazilian Portuguese))

I get the impression that this might be an idiomatic expression, but if it is, it's not one I've come across before..

Any ideas anyone?
Juliet Attwater
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:42
English translation:is trapped in a vicious circle / in a circle
Explanation:
Obviously can be omitted, but I don't think it corrupts or over-emphasis the source text in this case.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2022-03-06 14:44:05 GMT)
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"A VICIOUS CIRCLE is a problem or difficult situation that has the effect of creating new problems which then cause the original problem or situation to occur again."
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/vicious...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2022-03-06 14:44:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Type - my explanation above should read that "vicious could be omitted", but ....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2022-03-06 17:58:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Great, glad it worked.
Selected response from:

Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:42
Grading comment
cheers Lara!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7keeps going in circles
Muriel Vasconcellos
5 +2does not go anywhere/is stuck
Ana Flávia Ribeiro
4 +1is trapped in a vicious circle / in a circle
Lara Barnett
4Going nowhere fast
Simone Taylor
Summary of reference entries provided
is onfronting an uncertain future
José Patrício

  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
does not go anywhere/is stuck


Explanation:
''Andar em volteios'' mean to move itself in circles, therefore not moving anywhere.

Ana Flávia Ribeiro
Brazil
Local time: 11:42
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
Notes to answerer
Asker: The idea is of circles is very helpful - thank you :)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  philgoddard: Is not going anywhere, or is stuck, or adrift. See José's last two references.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you! :)
agree  Clauwolf
4 hrs
  -> Thank you! :)
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
anda em volteios
keeps going in circles


Explanation:
I think the idea of circles fits your context nicely.

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 07:42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 60
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes, thank you Muriel - I think you're right about circles...(like the whole world seems to be doing at the moment!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mario Freitas: yes, or round and round
2 hrs
  -> Thank you, Mario!
agree  Décio Adams: ...goes in whirls
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Décio!
agree  Katarina Peters
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Katarina!
agree  Oliver Simões
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Oliver! Your "agree" is important to me.
agree  Nick Taylor: going round in circles
1 day 5 hrs
  -> Thank you, Nick! Yes, you could add "(a)round."
agree  Matheus Gui
1 day 11 hrs
  -> Thank you, Matheus!
agree  Ana Flávia Ribeiro
6 days
  -> Thank you, Ana Flávia!
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Going nowhere fast


Explanation:
https://www.macmillanthesaurus.com/be-getting-going-nowhere-...

The expression in Portuguese suggests nothing is changing or getting resolved, which 'going where fast' emphasizes well.

Simone Taylor
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese
Notes to answerer
Asker: thank you simone..you're right :)

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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
is trapped in a vicious circle / in a circle


Explanation:
Obviously can be omitted, but I don't think it corrupts or over-emphasis the source text in this case.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2022-03-06 14:44:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"A VICIOUS CIRCLE is a problem or difficult situation that has the effect of creating new problems which then cause the original problem or situation to occur again."
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/vicious...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs (2022-03-06 14:44:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Type - my explanation above should read that "vicious could be omitted", but ....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2022-03-06 17:58:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Great, glad it worked.

Example sentence(s):
  • "Brazil is TRAPPED IN A VICIOUS CIRCLE: Even if the government were willing and able to carry out the necessary fiscal adjustment, credibility has been too severely damaged by the....."
  • "The COUNTRY IS TRAPPED in a vicious circle, where the Greek veto on its EU accession cements self-styled defenders of national honour in power."

    https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/brazil-economic-adjustment-program-needed-by-monica-d--bolle-and-ernesto-talvi-2015-12
    https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsee/2015/05/11/breaking-macedonias-vicious-circle/
Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:42
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
cheers Lara!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Lara - the use of "vicious" in the context is particularly apt! I've gone with "continue to give the impression that Brazil is trapped in a vicious circle".


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Adrian MM.
1 day 7 hrs
  -> Thank you.
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Reference comments


2 hrs
Reference: is onfronting an uncertain future

Reference information:
continuam a dar a impressão de que o Brasil anda em volteios {go on giving the impression that Brasil is filled with uncertainty/Confronting An Uncertain Future }
O que a mim me parece é que o Brasil se encontrava um tanto convulsionado, mudando constantemente de rumo como os barcos quando volteiam. (things were outside his control)
Life is filled with uncertainty and worries about the future. While many things remain outside your control, your mindset is key to coping with difficult circumstances and confidently facing the unknown. - https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/dealing-with-unce...
is confronting himself with an uncertain Future - http://greenchoices.cornell.edu/resources/publications/commu...
Uncertainty in the Life Course - https://www.proquest.com/docview/203640989?OpenUrlRefId=info...
the reality confronting us today as we face an uncertain future -
Uncertainty is often centered on worries about the future and all the bad things you can anticipate happening. -
VOLTEIO - 1. Acto ou efeito de voltear. = VOLTEADURA - https://dicionario.priberam.org/VOLTEIO
VOLTEIO - 2. [Marinha] Navegar, mudando de rumo frequentemente, consoante a direcção do vento. - https://dicionario.priberam.org/voltear [consultado em 06-03-2022].

José Patrício
Portugal
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  philgoddard: Your last two references are relevant.
1 hr
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