Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
de grado o de fuerza
English translation:
with or without their consent / by consent or by force
Added to glossary by
Charles Davis
Nov 7, 2018 18:02
5 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Canada
16 years of experience, highly reliable
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English to Spanish
de grado o de fuerza
Spanish to English
Other
Other
Having trouble with the first part of this expression. Have seen several uses and generally understand, but looking for a non-literal equivalent expression in English.
EX: Los subversivos buscaban controlar a la poblacion, de grado o de fuerza [...]
EX: Los subversivos buscaban controlar a la poblacion, de grado o de fuerza [...]
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +2 | with or without their consent / by consent or by force |
Charles Davis
|
| 4 | by degrees or by force |
neilmac
|
Change log
Dec 1, 2018 09:34: Charles Davis Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+2
2 hrs
Selected
with or without their consent / by consent or by force
It's a set phrase:
"de grado o por fuerza
1. loc. adv. Voluntaria o forzadamente."
http://dle.rae.es/?id=JOxCcBX|JOxOtbx
Common traslations are "willy-nilly", "like it or not", "willingly or unwillilngly", but I don't think any of these work here, because in this sentence structure they would apply, by implication, to the "subversivos", whereas the expression refers to the population they control. You might say "whether they like it or not", but I still don't feel it really works. So I would suggest one of these expressions. There are other possibilities.
"de grado o por fuerza
1. loc. adv. Voluntaria o forzadamente."
http://dle.rae.es/?id=JOxCcBX|JOxOtbx
Common traslations are "willy-nilly", "like it or not", "willingly or unwillilngly", but I don't think any of these work here, because in this sentence structure they would apply, by implication, to the "subversivos", whereas the expression refers to the population they control. You might say "whether they like it or not", but I still don't feel it really works. So I would suggest one of these expressions. There are other possibilities.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Robert Carter
: If the asker is looking for a similar cliché, perhaps "by hook or by crook" would work here? In any case, I prefer "with or without their consent".
23 hrs
|
|
Thanks a lot, Robert :-) "By hook or by crook" fits well, but I tend to feel it's not really the same idea.
|
|
| agree |
Pablo Cruz
22 days
|
|
Gracias, Pablo :-) ¡Saludos!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
1 hr
by degrees or by force
Back to Development - Problemas del Desarrollo - UNAM
https://probdes.iiec.unam.mx/en/revistas/.../v43n168a1_8.php
Traducir esta página
... who would divide the world into two: ... – by degrees or by force- ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-11-07 19:30:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Section two. Tomorrow, socialism - Libcom.org
https://libcom.org/.../communism-has-not-yet-begun-section-t...
Traducir esta página
21 dic. 2011 - This is why, by degree or by force, within the framework of socialism their remuneration will be equal to that of everyone else, although they will ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-11-07 19:31:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
NB: Sometimes "degree" is in singular in the expression, but the meaning is the same...
Iconography of The Dormition of the Virgin in the 10 th to 12 th ...
www.academia.edu/.../Iconography_of_The_Dormition_of_the_.....
Traducir esta página
Suddenly his hands were dried up to the elbow, and, by degree or by force, he went down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, weeping and sobbing, seeing that his ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-11-07 19:32:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As I understand it, "by degree/s" means little by little, gradually.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2018-11-07 20:26:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As Charles notes in his suggestion, it looks like none of the usual translations for the set phrase will work, whereas "by degree/s" means gradually or slowly, which I think will work in the context given.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by degrees
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2018-11-07 20:28:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/by-degr...
https://probdes.iiec.unam.mx/en/revistas/.../v43n168a1_8.php
Traducir esta página
... who would divide the world into two: ... – by degrees or by force- ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-11-07 19:30:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Section two. Tomorrow, socialism - Libcom.org
https://libcom.org/.../communism-has-not-yet-begun-section-t...
Traducir esta página
21 dic. 2011 - This is why, by degree or by force, within the framework of socialism their remuneration will be equal to that of everyone else, although they will ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-11-07 19:31:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
NB: Sometimes "degree" is in singular in the expression, but the meaning is the same...
Iconography of The Dormition of the Virgin in the 10 th to 12 th ...
www.academia.edu/.../Iconography_of_The_Dormition_of_the_.....
Traducir esta página
Suddenly his hands were dried up to the elbow, and, by degree or by force, he went down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, weeping and sobbing, seeing that his ...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2018-11-07 19:32:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As I understand it, "by degree/s" means little by little, gradually.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2018-11-07 20:26:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
As Charles notes in his suggestion, it looks like none of the usual translations for the set phrase will work, whereas "by degree/s" means gradually or slowly, which I think will work in the context given.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by degrees
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2018-11-07 20:28:08 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/by-degr...
Example sentence:
...the subjects will mold themselves by degrees, or by force, to civilized life...
... suggesting from the imperialist viewpoint that the latter – by degrees or by force- ...
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Charles Davis
: But "grado" surely doesn't mean degree here; "de grado" means willingly. What I meant was just that you need a translation that makes it clear that those who are (or are not) willing are the population, not the subversives.
3 hrs
|
Discussion