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maritorio
empresas vinculadas con subordinación
Oct 27, 2020 21:24
3 yrs ago
31 viewers *
Spanish term

mala mano

Spanish to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
This is a text by a Chilean environmentalist, I understand that it means "to do harm" but don't quite get the nuance. Thanks:
Este río ha sostenido y sostiene toda la actividad humana de la zona, incluyendo: agricultura, ganadería, minería, industrias y poblados varios. Muchas de ellas han ido devolviendo una mala mano al río y la cuenca, con contaminantes, drenajes, destrucción de la vegetación de sus laderas, masivos y sedientos monocultivos de paltas, embalsamiento, entre muchas otras mezquindades.
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 devastating effect
3 +2 detrimental practice
4 bad effects
4 destruction
2 +1 have dealt a (potentially) destructive blow

Discussion

Francois Boye Oct 28, 2020:
Another definition of 'mala mano':


https://vibra.co/famosos/la-mala-mano-existe-mira-como-tiene...
Sergio Kot Oct 28, 2020:
@mala mano I believe the author has misinterpreted and/or misused the term in question, although the intention is clear in context: Detrimental. "Mala mano" is mostly used as bad luck ("bad hand" in card games), lack of capacity or craftmanship to do something, or ill intentioned.

Proposed translations

+3
10 hrs
Selected

devastating effect

Could be an option. The activities have had a negative effect on the river, leaving it in a parlous state.

"Many of them have had a devastating effect on the river and basin, with pollution, drainage…"

Muchas de ellas han ido devolviendo una mala mano al río y la cuenca
Example sentence:

... finding the source of the pollution, which has had a "devastating effect" on the river

...and had a devastating effect on the river and surrounding ecosystem

Reference:

http://https://twitter.com/natreswales/status/1290312980870180866?lang=en

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/18626876.hundreds-fish-die-officials-investigate-river-pollution/

Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : best in class so far.
5 hrs
Cheers :-)
agree EirTranslations
9 hrs
Thanks for your support :)
agree AllegroTrans
1 day 4 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks"
+1
25 mins

have dealt a (potentially) destructive blow

One possible option.
Peer comment(s):
agree Yvonne Gallagher : would prefer 'devastating blow' but OK
15 hrs
Thank you, Yvonne, but environmentalists talk about destruction.
Something went wrong...
1 hr

bad effects

Many of those have kept on returning bad effects


https://vibra.co/famosos/la-mala-mano-existe-mira-como-tiene...
Something went wrong...
1 day 4 hrs

destruction

Considering the context and the wording of the sentence, I believe the best translation would be "Many of them have been returning destruction to the river..."
Peer comment(s):
neutral AllegroTrans : "returning destruction" doesn't sound like natural English
10 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
5 hrs

detrimental practice

It describes a long standing area's well-being which has been put at risk of endangered area deterioration, causing destruction of vegetation, arid plantations as well as ambush among other badness.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 22 hrs (2020-10-29 19:30:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Detrimental practice is one which is not advantageous and is damaging; a practice which is detrimental causes detrimental or harmful effects (results or outcomes).

English is the official language of Britain, the U.S., most of the Commonwealth, and certain other countries.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 days (2020-11-01 08:59:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://www.deepl.com/translator#es/en/mala mano

https://www.deepl.com/translator#en/es/detrimental pracice
Example sentence:

"Ese río ha sostenido toda la actividad humana de la zona, incluyendo agricultura, ganadería, minería, industrias y poblados varios. Mucho ha ido declinando una mala mano al río con contaminantes, drenajes, destrucción de la vegetación árida."

"That river sustained all human activity in the area, including agriculture, farming, mining industries and town-ships. A lot has returned goodness with detrimental practices leading to damaging effects on the river's enclosure with contamination."

Peer comment(s):
agree David Hollywood : "detrimental" is perfect "have been producing a detrimental effect on"
55 mins
agree Muriel Vasconcellos : Nice!
1 hr
agree Sergio Kot : Perhaps... "many of them have been detrimentally affecting"? Agree with Yvonne. However, the above suggested adjustment voids her argument.
5 hrs
disagree Yvonne Gallagher : "A lot has returned goodness with detrimental practices" is not English. A particular practice can have detrimental effects but no such thing as "detrimental practice"
10 hrs
Something went wrong...
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