Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
desgarre psicológico
English translation:
psychological distress/stress/strain
Added to glossary by
JaneTranslates
May 26, 2015 22:49
8 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
Puerto Rico
Quality and Integrity
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, English, English to Spanish, and 1 more.
desgarre psicológico
Spanish to English
Social Sciences
History
Racism, Psychology, Puerto Rico
I'm translating a scholarly article about racial identity. The author quotes another scholar, who is writing about Ramón Emeterio Betances. Here's the entire quotation:
Es Betances, probablemente, el primer puertorriqueño mixto, con clara conciencia de lo que es en términos raciales; el primero en aceptar su condición de mulato, sin que el hecho de llevar algún porcentaje de sangre negra en sus venas le cause **desgarres psicológicos**; es el primero, no hay duda, en tener conciencia de su negritud. Para él, su realidad racial está en igual categoría que la blancura de los blancos.
I'm highly tempted to translate this phrase as "(without) pulling a psychological muscle" but I'm not sure that the jocular note I'm reading into the passage is really there.
Psychological break/tear/rupture? Without tearing him up psychologically? Without upsetting his psychological balance? Nothing I can come up with sounds right. Help, please!
The author of the article is Puerto Rican; I believe that the author of the quotation above is also Puerto Rican. I'm translating into US English.
Thanks in advance.
Es Betances, probablemente, el primer puertorriqueño mixto, con clara conciencia de lo que es en términos raciales; el primero en aceptar su condición de mulato, sin que el hecho de llevar algún porcentaje de sangre negra en sus venas le cause **desgarres psicológicos**; es el primero, no hay duda, en tener conciencia de su negritud. Para él, su realidad racial está en igual categoría que la blancura de los blancos.
I'm highly tempted to translate this phrase as "(without) pulling a psychological muscle" but I'm not sure that the jocular note I'm reading into the passage is really there.
Psychological break/tear/rupture? Without tearing him up psychologically? Without upsetting his psychological balance? Nothing I can come up with sounds right. Help, please!
The author of the article is Puerto Rican; I believe that the author of the quotation above is also Puerto Rican. I'm translating into US English.
Thanks in advance.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
1 hr
Stephen D. Moore
United States
United States
Native in English
Works in field
United States
Getting the meaning across.
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
psychological distress
This seems to me to capture the spirit of the original.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jacob Z. (X)
: Out of the 7 answers I like this one. It seems like the term "un desgarro psicológico" is more common than "desgarres" as seen here -- maybe a difference between more of a psych. breakdown/trauma event in the former and ongoing distress in the latter?
17 hrs
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Thanks!
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| agree |
MollyRose
21 hrs
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Thanks!
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| agree |
Edward Tully
23 hrs
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Thanks!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "You've convinced me, Stephen--and the comment from James C. is right on target, don't you think? Anyway, after MUCH deliberation, I've decided that this option does, indeed, capture the spirit of the original. Thank you very much."
17 mins
mental disorder
Alternatively: personality disorder
Note from asker:
| Thanks for your contribution, KirstenL. I don't think it quite fits my context, but might be a good option in another. |
35 mins
Barbara Cochran, MFA
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
psychological destabilization
Otra opción.
Note from asker:
| An elegant solution, Barbara. Thank you. It may be a bit to clinical--and perhaps too modern?--for my context, though. I should have included the date (around 1900) in my question; I was remiss. Thanks for a good solution that will work well in other contexts. |
+4
38 mins
philgoddard
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Six languages into flawless English
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 4 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
38
psychological strain/stress/dislocation
As you say, the idea is strain, in the sense of stretched muscles.
Note from asker:
| And...I'm down to two. For a couple of days I've been leaning toward the "strain" option--still trying to evoke the literal sense of "desgarre," but I have to let it go. Thanks so much for your time and an excellent suggestion, Phil. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
franglish
: I'd go for strain
8 hrs
|
| agree |
neilmac
: Strain or stress work for me...
15 hrs
|
| agree |
Edward Tully
1 day 16 mins
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| agree |
liberfo
1 day 21 hrs
|
3 hrs
damage to his psyche
or trauma
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_trauma
Wikipedia
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming ...
Symptoms - Situational trauma - Assessment - Treatment
Severe Trauma May Damage The Brain as Well as the Psyche
www.nytimes.com/.../severe-trauma-may-damage-t...
The New York Times
Aug 1, 1995 - SEVERE emotional trauma may put its victims in double jeopardy, not only searing the psyche, but physically damaging the brain. New studies ...
Emotional First Aid: Self-Help for the Wounded Psyche ...
https://www.psychologytoday.com/.../emotional-first-...
Psychology Today
Sep 11, 2013 - For each typical emotional wound, Winch explains how your psyche can be damaged, what to do to begin the healing process, the signs that ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_trauma
Wikipedia
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming ...
Symptoms - Situational trauma - Assessment - Treatment
Severe Trauma May Damage The Brain as Well as the Psyche
www.nytimes.com/.../severe-trauma-may-damage-t...
The New York Times
Aug 1, 1995 - SEVERE emotional trauma may put its victims in double jeopardy, not only searing the psyche, but physically damaging the brain. New studies ...
Emotional First Aid: Self-Help for the Wounded Psyche ...
https://www.psychologytoday.com/.../emotional-first-...
Psychology Today
Sep 11, 2013 - For each typical emotional wound, Winch explains how your psyche can be damaged, what to do to begin the healing process, the signs that ...
Note from asker:
| Excellent suggestion, Big Ed! I'd use it in an instant with a different author, in a different context. I hated to let this one go... Thanks very much. |
4 hrs
Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Each translation a gem!
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
50
didn't give him a "complex"
You might want to use quotation marks - or not. I think it would work either way, though the phrase might call for an expansion, as I have suggested.
Examples:
www.intermix.org.uk/forum/printer_friendly_posts.asp?TID=14... Name: Mixed-Race Individuals ... **Every black person I have met (from older generations especially) has a complex about being too dark or not having ...**
madamenoire.com/.../activist-slams-kendrick-lamar-over-light-skinned-fian...
Apr 6, 2015 - There are white,black, and mixed race latinos. ..... ***It's apparent, she has a complex and I'm sure at one point in her life she wished she was light-skinned ...**
Examples:
www.intermix.org.uk/forum/printer_friendly_posts.asp?TID=14... Name: Mixed-Race Individuals ... **Every black person I have met (from older generations especially) has a complex about being too dark or not having ...**
madamenoire.com/.../activist-slams-kendrick-lamar-over-light-skinned-fian...
Apr 6, 2015 - There are white,black, and mixed race latinos. ..... ***It's apparent, she has a complex and I'm sure at one point in her life she wished she was light-skinned ...**
Note from asker:
| I like this one, Muriel, but somehow it just didn't "sound right" with this particular author (who is quoted extensively in this section of the article). Thanks for a great suggestion, and for the links. |
+1
17 hrs
tearing him apart psychologically
Done ;-)
Note from asker:
| After I egged you on to post this as an answer, I ended up choosing another. But I would have been quite satisfied with this one. As I said, changing my "tearing UP" to "tearing apart" improved the phrase drastically--but it was nice to be told that my own thoughts weren't so very far off! Thanks, Andy. |
Discussion
I actually think one of your suggestions is the best. Tearing him apart psychologically.
And I think it a wise choice to avoid the jocular under the circumstances ☺