Mar 29, 2017 14:11
7 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Also an Engineer
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Venezuelan)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, Spanish
roscas (Venezuela)
Spanish to English
Bus/Financial
Slang
Estoy traduciendo una matriz FODA (fortalezas, oportunidades, debilidades, amenazas) de una empresa (SWOT en inglés) y la lista de amenazas incluye:
"Barreras comerciales locales (**roscas**, requisitos legales, disponibilidad de mano de obra local)"
No sabría definir exactamente rosca, pero encontré estos comentarios:
"...in Venezuela a "rosca" can mean something like a gang, sometimes with mafia-like overtones. Oftentime "roscas" monopolize businesses or fix prices."
"Se le dice rosca a los monopolios, a los acuerdos comerciales ilegales, a los complot económicos, a los agavillamients económicos y fiancieros, a los grupos que cartelizan precios, etc. Por ejemplo: ahora la rosca de los productos alimenticios la tiene el gobierno"
Y aparecen estos sinónimos: monopolio , acuerdo comercial ilegal, complot, gavilla, cártel. Alguien más propuso: tener conocidos con altos cargos que pueden hacer favores, influencias
¿Hay algún término de slang que transmita esta idea en inglés?
Muchas gracias por adelantado
"Barreras comerciales locales (**roscas**, requisitos legales, disponibilidad de mano de obra local)"
No sabría definir exactamente rosca, pero encontré estos comentarios:
"...in Venezuela a "rosca" can mean something like a gang, sometimes with mafia-like overtones. Oftentime "roscas" monopolize businesses or fix prices."
"Se le dice rosca a los monopolios, a los acuerdos comerciales ilegales, a los complot económicos, a los agavillamients económicos y fiancieros, a los grupos que cartelizan precios, etc. Por ejemplo: ahora la rosca de los productos alimenticios la tiene el gobierno"
Y aparecen estos sinónimos: monopolio , acuerdo comercial ilegal, complot, gavilla, cártel. Alguien más propuso: tener conocidos con altos cargos que pueden hacer favores, influencias
¿Hay algún término de slang que transmita esta idea en inglés?
Muchas gracias por adelantado
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +2 | anti-competitive agreements among competitors, anti-competitive practices of competitors |
12316323 (X)
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| 3 | rackets |
Robert Carter
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Proposed translations
+2
1 hr
Selected
anti-competitive agreements among competitors, anti-competitive practices of competitors
I live in neighboring Colombia, and rosca is one example of many colloquial terms that are shared by the two countries.
I don't recommend that you look for a slang term for the translation. The sentence is formal; rosca is simply the most common and widely understood term for these kinds of groups in this region.
I like mafias and cartels (possibly modified by anti-competitive, though it's redundant), but the terms are widely associated with certain narrow meanings and the central meaning of anti-competition is lost on many.
Monopoly only conveys one of the possible manifestations of anti-competition.
And the last definition you found is not relevant here, though related: it's more like being part of an exclusive ingroup, a clique, knowing the right people to get preferential treatment (get a job through connections, etc.)
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-03-29 15:48:36 GMT)
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*If you use the first option, please change it to between competitors instead of among. More natural.
I don't recommend that you look for a slang term for the translation. The sentence is formal; rosca is simply the most common and widely understood term for these kinds of groups in this region.
I like mafias and cartels (possibly modified by anti-competitive, though it's redundant), but the terms are widely associated with certain narrow meanings and the central meaning of anti-competition is lost on many.
Monopoly only conveys one of the possible manifestations of anti-competition.
And the last definition you found is not relevant here, though related: it's more like being part of an exclusive ingroup, a clique, knowing the right people to get preferential treatment (get a job through connections, etc.)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2017-03-29 15:48:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
*If you use the first option, please change it to between competitors instead of among. More natural.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Robert Carter
: Coincidentally, I just posted the same thing, after some reflection.
5 mins
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Thank you, Robert. We were thinking along the same lines.
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| agree |
Jacob Z. (X)
: After looking over all of this I would probably go with "anti-competitive practices".
6 hrs
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Thanks, James.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Mil gracias a los dos. Quisiera poder repartir los puntos"
33 mins
Robert Carter
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
Mexico
Translating full-time since 1998
Native in: English (Variant: British) 
Works in: Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
rackets
This is the closest idea I can think of to what you have described.
racket
2 informal
An illegal or dishonest scheme for obtaining money.
as modifier ‘a protection racket’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/racket
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Note added at 1 hr (2017-03-29 15:43:44 GMT)
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There are a number of other possibilities here, depending on the context.
Even though the source term is, as you say, slang, I think you may have to go with a more formal option in English. I can't think of any other slang term for this that everyone would recognize as the idea you're describing.
For example, if it refers to businesses banding together to create monopolies, you could call it a "cartel" or simply a "monopoly", which I think works in the case of your example, "ahora la rosca de los productos alimenticios la tiene el gobierno."
cartel
An association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cartel
On the other hand, if it refers to cliques or even restrictive hiring practices, you could call it a "closed shop":
closed shop
1.1 in singular
The system in operation in a place of work that is a closed shop.
‘the outlawing of the closed shop’
1.2 An area of activity that is restricted to a particular small group.
‘it's a very closed shop, the pharmaceutical world’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/closed_shop
A pre-entry closed shop (or simply closed shop) is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times in order to remain employed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_shop
Anyway, for the document you're working on, I'd be inclined to choose a broader and more formal term such as "restrictive practices" or "anti-competitive practices," since that's what it appears to mean.
Anti-competitive practices
(Redirected from Restrictive practices)
Anti-competitive practices are business, government or religious practices that prevent or reduce competition in a market (see restraint of trade).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-competitive_practices
racket
2 informal
An illegal or dishonest scheme for obtaining money.
as modifier ‘a protection racket’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/racket
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2017-03-29 15:43:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
There are a number of other possibilities here, depending on the context.
Even though the source term is, as you say, slang, I think you may have to go with a more formal option in English. I can't think of any other slang term for this that everyone would recognize as the idea you're describing.
For example, if it refers to businesses banding together to create monopolies, you could call it a "cartel" or simply a "monopoly", which I think works in the case of your example, "ahora la rosca de los productos alimenticios la tiene el gobierno."
cartel
An association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition.
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cartel
On the other hand, if it refers to cliques or even restrictive hiring practices, you could call it a "closed shop":
closed shop
1.1 in singular
The system in operation in a place of work that is a closed shop.
‘the outlawing of the closed shop’
1.2 An area of activity that is restricted to a particular small group.
‘it's a very closed shop, the pharmaceutical world’
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/closed_shop
A pre-entry closed shop (or simply closed shop) is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times in order to remain employed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_shop
Anyway, for the document you're working on, I'd be inclined to choose a broader and more formal term such as "restrictive practices" or "anti-competitive practices," since that's what it appears to mean.
Anti-competitive practices
(Redirected from Restrictive practices)
Anti-competitive practices are business, government or religious practices that prevent or reduce competition in a market (see restraint of trade).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-competitive_practices
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
12316323 (X)
: It's unlawful behavior between companies in collusion (or the group itself). Clique doesn't work in this context. You can have cliques in a workplace but not between companies. And closed shop has a specific meaning (basically always tied to unions).
57 mins
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Thanks, Kathryn. I just entered my addendum at the same time as you posted this.
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| agree |
Charles Davis
: I wasn't happy with "racket", but your second thoughts are probably right. Though "rosca" doesn't have to be illegal; it can just mean a clique.
1 hr
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Thanks for reading through to the end, Charles. Yes, as I say, I think it will depend on the context.
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Discussion