Jun 29, 2014 18:57
10 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term
aspa de rechazo
Spanish to English
Social Sciences
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
from an academic book on the recent/current socioeconomic situation in Spain (also written in Peninsular Spanish), referring to all the public speeches in plazas around about May 2011 and the people's reception of them. Target audience is English-speaking academics interested in this topic.
full sentence: Las aspas de rechazo se levantaban enseguida contra los discursos más automáticos, más codificados, menos afectados por la situación.
So what I'm wondering is if this is something metaphorical (e.g., raise their voices in rejection), or is there some kind of sign or banner or some other physical object (the "aspa") that people would hold up at rallies when they heard something they didn't like. If the latter, I'd really like a good word for it: somehow, "cross of rejection" simplemente no me suena. But is that actually it?
full sentence: Las aspas de rechazo se levantaban enseguida contra los discursos más automáticos, más codificados, menos afectados por la situación.
So what I'm wondering is if this is something metaphorical (e.g., raise their voices in rejection), or is there some kind of sign or banner or some other physical object (the "aspa") that people would hold up at rallies when they heard something they didn't like. If the latter, I'd really like a good word for it: somehow, "cross of rejection" simplemente no me suena. But is that actually it?
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
1 day 1 hr
Selected
Not a metaphor: an actual sign made by crossing both forearms
Since I attended several of the 11M meetings, I think I can shed some light on the matter of the "aspa".
The dynamics of popular meetings of the 11M movement aimed at ensuring a widespread participation of the audience. Anyone who had something to say was welcome to do so, in a "speaker's corner" kind of fashion. In order to ensure that everyone was heard, a system of signs or gestures was developed to express agreement or dissent silently and without hindering verbal communication: instead of clapping, agreement was expressed by raising both hands in the air and twisting them (like the deaf people's applause). You can see a few people "clapping silently" like that (along with some "loud clapping" as well) around the 2:12 mark of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZHx2jwhQgA
Disagreement, on the other hand, was expressed by raising both forearms crossed, forming an "aspa". I couldn't find any online video example of this (it seems that videos where people disagreed did not become as popular), but I have no doubt that the "aspa del rechazo" in your text refers to this disagreement sign.
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Note added at 1 día1 hora (2014-06-30 20:08:44 GMT)
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Sorry, I meant 15M instead of 11M!
The dynamics of popular meetings of the 11M movement aimed at ensuring a widespread participation of the audience. Anyone who had something to say was welcome to do so, in a "speaker's corner" kind of fashion. In order to ensure that everyone was heard, a system of signs or gestures was developed to express agreement or dissent silently and without hindering verbal communication: instead of clapping, agreement was expressed by raising both hands in the air and twisting them (like the deaf people's applause). You can see a few people "clapping silently" like that (along with some "loud clapping" as well) around the 2:12 mark of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZHx2jwhQgA
Disagreement, on the other hand, was expressed by raising both forearms crossed, forming an "aspa". I couldn't find any online video example of this (it seems that videos where people disagreed did not become as popular), but I have no doubt that the "aspa del rechazo" in your text refers to this disagreement sign.
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Note added at 1 día1 hora (2014-06-30 20:08:44 GMT)
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Sorry, I meant 15M instead of 11M!
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, from the context I thought it must be some kind of visual something, whether a gesture or a flag. This was very helpful!"
+1
37 mins
the saltires of rejection
Topical with a Scottish/U.K. audience.
57 mins
the wind filled the sails of rejection
Another option. I'm thinking of the sails on a windmill...
+2
3 hrs
the signs of rejection
...were immediately apparent/were palpable.
I think this is the meaning - that people almost instinctively rejected the same old answers...
I think this is the meaning - that people almost instinctively rejected the same old answers...
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Charles Davis
: Since we really can't tell what "aspa" is getting at, I'd be inclined to do something like this.
1 hr
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Many thanks Charles! ;-)
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agree |
cintynaomi (X)
7 hrs
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Many thanks! ;-)
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5 hrs
lances of rejection
I reckon they might mean "asta"... and the image of aising the lances sounds apt: "Arma ofensiva de los antiguos romanos, compuesta de hierro, astil y regatón, que se empleaba como lanza, y también como dardo, para arrojarla con la mano contra el enemigo"
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-06-30 00:05:50 GMT)
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Las aspas de rechazo se levantaban enseguida -> "Lances of repudiation/rejection were immediately raised..."
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-06-30 00:06:23 GMT)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-06-30 00:05:50 GMT)
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Las aspas de rechazo se levantaban enseguida -> "Lances of repudiation/rejection were immediately raised..."
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Note added at 5 hrs (2014-06-30 00:06:23 GMT)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance
21 hrs
turned a deaf ear
I think you're basically looking for a type of English metaphor or idiom indicating that they had no use for those types of empty speeches and quickly stopped listening. Turned a blind eye... Gave the cold shoulder to... I don't think you want to write anything about the fan blades of rejection. Lol. Like Helena said, it's metaphor. Regardless of how academically brilliant the audience might be, they still need it to make sense.
Discussion
http://enelmudic.blogspot.com.es/2011/10/proyecto1.html
If "aspa" meant a banner or flag, then levantar + aspa might be a natural collocation. But as far as I can see there's no reason at all to think that it does mean that here. It doesn't normally. It only could as a metonym: a banner bearing an aspa. But as I say, this is incongruous.
The aspa is associated with Carlists, the Franco regime and Basque nationalism (and likely others). The article may well suggest which to the asker - I haven't read it. In part at least it's about the protest movement Moviemiento 15-M http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movimiento_15-M
"... ayudando a sustituir el alzamiento de un pesado objeto metálico por la representación de éste bordada sobre un paño y unida a un asta, cuyo resultado es un objeto ligero, fácilmente transportable y visible sobre las cabezas de los combatientes." http://www.casareal.es/VA/corona/Paginas/simbolos.aspx
I'm quite prepared to believe that the author had a reason for using this striking phrase. If we knew what he/she meant by it, we could have a go at finding an equivalent. But I don't think we do. The proposals already on the table sound strange to me. I doubt this has anything to do with flags, crosses or sails.
Of course, one can go for a more general translation, but there's a cost. The author has coined a striking phrase for a purpose.
The "levantaban", in this interpretation, would be people raising their arms prior to waving them as a sign of disagreement and rejection (maybe).
Maybe waving the flags of rejection/denial/rebellion?