Jun 2, 2015 16:39
9 yrs ago
4 viewers *
Spanish term

arrastra con el pecado original

Spanish to English Social Sciences Government / Politics
This is from a paper on policy change in Mexican basic education. The phrase appears at the beginning of the second paragraph, the first is included to add context. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

No se vislumbró que la decisión de políticas (policy) por sí misma representaba un cambio y que éste mismo detonaría un proceso de cambio más amplio en otros niveles de gobierno, en otras esferas públicas, en la composición de las élites de poder, en las reglas del juego, entro otros muchos. Por consiguiente, tampoco hubo una preocupación por construir teorías y perspectivas orientadas específicamente para captar, describir, analiza, explicar el cambio en las políticas públicas.

A partir de lo anterior, este trabajo se sostiene que el policy change como objeto de estudio arrastra con el pecado original, es decir, está presente pero como un objeto oculto detrás de la prioridad intelectual del momento: cómo llegar a la mejor decisión de política pública y cuál es la mejor ruta para ello. El estar oculto ha hecho que pierda luz propia al estar comprendido en otro objeto de estudio más amplio como se detalla en cada uno de los momentos que se abordan más abajo.

Discussion

patyjs (asker) Jun 2, 2015:
I wonder if "falls into the same trap" might work...
philgoddard Jun 2, 2015:
Arrastrar I haven't worked out what the phrase means, but this may help:
http://www.spanishcentral.com/translate/arrastrar

Proposed translations

+2
3 hrs
Selected

perpetuates the original error/mistake/shortcoming

my suggestion

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Note added at 3 hrs (2015-06-02 20:24:12 GMT)
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I think it makes for clearer English if we drop the "original sin" notion
Note from asker:
Many thanks for your suggestion. I think this answer is the best fit.
Peer comment(s):

agree Wilsonn Perez Reyes : This is a good solution for nonbelievers.
14 mins
thanks
agree philgoddard
1 hr
thanks
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
-1
24 mins

drags with the original sin

"Drags with the original sin" (this is the litteral translation). What it really means in this context is that "the same mistake was made"
Peer comment(s):

disagree AllegroTrans : but this doesn't actually mean anything
7 mins
agree jude dabo : fits!
53 mins
disagree Henry Hinds : Meaningless.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

is burdened by the original sin

Suena much mejor.
Peer comment(s):

agree Susana Magnani
2 hrs
Gracias, Susana.
neutral AllegroTrans : sounds just a tad too theological in English; I never heard of anything other than humans being burdened by original sin
2 hrs
That's uncharacteristic I guess, because I'm not very theological.
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

carries within it the effects of the original error

I understand that the original error was not to have realized that one policy decision would have an impact in so many different areas. This mistake thus remains hidden while they are looking at "policy change" as a general subject. This will presumably be confirmed by looking at all the "momentos que se abordan más abajo", and showing how they are prejudiced by not having taken this original error into account.
Peer comment(s):

agree AllegroTrans : right idea, but sounds a little unnatural
16 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

it doesn't change anything/continues with the same predicament

Dos formas de ver el problema. Se entiende que aparte del interés en cambiar el modelo reinante en la política, realmente no hay ningún cambio y continua como si fuera un asunto que no tiene solución.
Something went wrong...
+2
3 hrs

is hampered by/suffers from the same ... defect (etc) as...

Your own suggestion => "falls into the same trap as..." could work too. I'd avoid keeping "original sin" and paraphrase it somehow (defect/fault/setback...).

(Mexican) Spanish isn't my native tongue, but the text doesn't seem to be all that well drafted in the original, at least to thse old "ojos de gringo".


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Note added at 3 hrs (2015-06-02 20:37:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hmmm... "... policy change as the object of study suffers from the same problem..."
Note from asker:
Thank you, Neilmac. And you're right, the text is beyond wordy.
Peer comment(s):

agree Sophie Cherel : yes, and I like 'falls into the same trap', too
12 hrs
agree AllegroTrans
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
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