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en sentido hemodinámico
el tiempo apremia - phrase

Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

sorprendente ligereza

English translation:

astounding level of recklessness

Added to glossary by Kimberlee Thorne
Apr 19, 2010 00:19
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term

sorprendente ligereza

Spanish to English Marketing General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
I'm editing a text from Spain with the following phrase -
The director del CNI ya se ha quejado de la sorprendente ligereza con la que se utilizan los telefonos moviles.

The translation says -
The CNI director already complained last October about the "amazing flippancy" with which the cell phones are used.

I think this refers to how easily cell phones are used, but in any case, I'd like some options on how to rework this sentence.
Proposed translations (English)
4 astounding/amazing/surprising recklessness
4 +6 surprising [degree of] casualness [with which]
5 +1 surprising lack of (a)forethought/ surprising lack of caution/surprising carelessness
4 amazing flippancy
4 surprising ease
4 how surprisingly thoughtlessly cell phones are used)
4 surprising level of irresponsibility
4 surprising impulsiveness
3 expressed dismay about the blatantly unnecessary use of cell phones
3 suprising rashness

Discussion

Kimberlee Thorne (asker) Apr 19, 2010:
Another option - please tell me what you think The surprising degree of inappropriate use given to cell phones
James A. Walsh Apr 19, 2010:
It's all about IT security... Or rather, the lack of, when it comes to 'official' cell phone usage. They want to step up security in this regard, clearly, which is understandable... I don't believe this is talking about anything other than increasing software security for mobiles...
I think that staff are sending sensitive data via their phones flippantly — unbeknownst to themselves, or under the illusion that the data they're sending is 'protected'. And if they were to implement (software) security measures, they could improve on this 'flippant' usage by 50% (a ballpoint figure that some minister or other has no doubt invented!)
philgoddard Apr 19, 2010:
Maybe I'm slow, but I'm STILL lost. Is he saying that people give out sensitive information over the phone, like their bank details, and this is being intercepted by criminals? If so, how do you "control" this? And how do you "protect 50% of the sensitive information"?
Kimberlee Thorne (asker) Apr 19, 2010:
the whole context The CNI director, Félix Sanz Roldan, already complained last October about the "amazing flippancy" of cell phone usage. "Not in conversations, but in SMS, in the traffic we give to information we should not be giving", warned the head of secret services in his first public appearance. He also said that he wished that 50% of the sensitive information would be protected soon. Perhaps that is why Solana notified him and the rest of the commission members that monthly follow-up meetings will be held regarding the work. Time is of the essence/Time is short/Time is running out/The clock is ticking.
philgoddard Apr 19, 2010:
I wonder if. given the context, "expressed concerns" would be more appropriate than "complained". And I still don't quite understand what you mean by "asking for cellphones to be more controlled".
Kimberlee Thorne (asker) Apr 19, 2010:
More information to help my answerers This text is about the Spanish government making an attempt to improve security measures by making an analysis of the current and potential threats to the country. This is why an official is asking for cell phones to be more controlled, especially when it comes to sensitive information that is sent via cell.
Kimberlee Thorne (asker) Apr 19, 2010:
This text was written in Spain, but is going into US English.
James A. Walsh Apr 19, 2010:
Do you know the target audience? (US/Europe?) Just a thought, but if this is for European English, we refer to cell phones as 'Mobiles' over here... You may want to bear this in mind.

PS: I like the original "amazing flippancy" best, so far...

Proposed translations

10 hrs
Selected

astounding/amazing/surprising recklessness

another one for the mix.
I think 'recklessness' expresses the meaning of 'ligereza' in the context - ie, without due care and attention - with gay abandon, if you like! For 'sorprendente', you have a choice, depending on how emphatic you wish to be. 'Surprising 'is the closest to the ST, but perhaps sounds a little "weak" for the target audience


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Note added at 10 hrs (2010-04-19 10:51:10 GMT)
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"astounding level of recklessness" sounds good to me!
Note from asker:
Carol, I really think you've come the closest so far... Please tell me what you think of this whole sentence - The CNI director, Félix Sanz Roldan, already complained last October about the "astounding level of recklessness" regarding cell phone usage.
Thank you for coming up with the best one for my context!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for all your help!"
+6
6 mins

surprising [degree of] casualness [with which]

+

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Note added at 9 mins (2010-04-19 00:28:17 GMT)
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As for "flippancy," I think this is the idea.

1. Marked by disrespectful levity or casualness; pert.
2. Archaic Talkative; voluble.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flippancy

I hope this helps!
Peer comment(s):
agree Carolina Brito
49 mins
thanks, britos :-)
agree Carol Gullidge : I don't think "flippant" is really the right word here
7 hrs
Thanks, Carol, and cheers :-)
agree baligh
7 hrs
thanks, baligh!
agree Alpha-Beta
8 hrs
thanks!
agree Juan Vilca : Good fit
23 hrs
Thanks, Juan :-)
agree Thayenga
1 day 17 hrs
Thank you :-)
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6 mins
Spanish term (edited): se ha quejado de la sorprendente ligereza con la que se utilizan los telefonos moviles.

expressed dismay about the blatantly unnecessary use of cell phones

My interpretation of "ligereza" here is that it refers to the "overly frequent and unnecessary use" of the cell phones. After all, the gentleman is *complaining*.

Suerte.

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Note added at 20 mins (2010-04-19 00:39:57 GMT)
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Given your [belated] clarification:

expressed dismay regarding how little care is exercised when it comes to using cell phones
Something went wrong...
17 mins

amazing flippancy

I would simplify your original a bit and put is as follows:

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Note added at 27 mins (2010-04-19 00:46:14 GMT)
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Flippant: showing a lack of seriousness that is thought inappropriate.
Example sentence:

...about the amazing flippancy of cell phone usage

Peer comment(s):
disagree philgoddard : I don't see how you can use a phone flippantly.//As you say, it means inappropriate lack of seriousness, like a cop standing over a dead body and cracking jokes.
25 mins
Don't get your ‘disagree’ here. 'Flippant' use in this case would be (officials, or govt. workers) sending sensitive info. over unsecured mobile networks that could be intercepted, etc. Not exactly akin to your comparison... Do you understand the concept?
agree Bubo Coroman (X) : Kimberlee quotes the whole paragraph in the discussion here http://www.proz.com/kudoz/spanish_to_english/general_convers... and personally I think "flippancy" is the most evocative and least clumsy
6 hrs
Thanks, Deborah. That was my initial feeling when I first read this question too. I felt 'flippancy' worked just fine. Cheers.
neutral Carol Gullidge : I don't think "flippant" fits here. For me, that smacks of "disrespectful levity", as in Marcelo's 1st definition, which isn't what this is about. Flippancy has extra connotations that you haven't mentioned// there's much more to flippancy than that!
7 hrs
Thank you Carol. I just don't see the 'extra connotations' of using 'flippancy'. Why would it suggest 'disrespectful levity'? I just see it as highly sensitive data being sent willy-nilly over unsecured mobile networks, which, to me, is flippant! (here)
Something went wrong...
55 mins

surprising ease

I would say ....

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Note added at 58 mins (2010-04-19 01:17:31 GMT)
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"ease" can also have a negative connotation so I think it's ok here

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-04-19 01:19:54 GMT)
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but you could also say "how loosely"

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-04-19 01:22:15 GMT)
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in the sense of: how freely and capriciously

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-04-19 01:23:05 GMT)
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Characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive and unpredictable. See Synonyms at arbitrary. ...
www.thefreedictionary.com/capriciously - Cached - Similar
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1 hr

how surprisingly thoughtlessly cell phones are used)

I assume he refers to the possible risk of SMS being intervened or examined, etc.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

suprising rashness

giving little though to the action
Something went wrong...
7 hrs

surprising level of irresponsibility

After having read the whole text I understand it as irresponsible use.
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+1
9 hrs

surprising lack of (a)forethought/ surprising lack of caution/surprising carelessness

You could also say "foolhardiness" or a "lack of discipline". Some examples: Cockpit Conversation: Training Airport - [ Traducir esta página ]
7 Aug 2008 ... I personally think (drawn from observation and experience both) it boils down to simple Gee-whiz trigger happiness - a lack of aforethought ...
airplanepilot.blogspot.com/2008/08/training-airport.html - En caché; Marked by or resulting from lack of forethought or thoroughness: a ... Adj. 1. careless - marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or ...
www.thefreedictionary.com/careless - En caché; 10 Dec 2007 ... RSA: Insider Carelessness Cause Of Most Security Threats ... "The only surprising part is people actually admitted to [these behaviors] for ...
www.crn.com/security/204800705 - En caché;de M Grodzins - 1959
can lead to lack of caution-or foolhardi- ... "Caution" is their word to describe half of ... misnaming-rather than surprising realities. ...
www.jstor.org/stable/2379348
Peer comment(s):
agree Ruth Ramsey
4 hrs
Good evening and thanks, Ruth.
Something went wrong...
12 hrs

surprising impulsiveness

I think impulsiveness is the right word, meaning a knee-jerk response, a reflex.
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