Translating a flyer about a garden program

Question

So I'm working on translating a flyer for a garden program that my agency offers for low-income households. I'm having trouble with one sentence: "Tilling may be available to eligible households." Trying to say that we would go over and till this person's yard if they couldn't physically do it themselves. This is my attempt at translating that sentence: "Unos hogares elegibles pueden calificar para tener el jardin arado."

What do you guys think?

Great idea! :) - FELIZ77, Apr 18, 2014

Answer 1

Well this was not as easy as it appeared ! My wife ( a native speaker) and I worked on this for a while.

The verbs " arar" and "labrar" lend themselves more to larger land parcels or farms, so we used "preparación" for this, ( to prepare the land) for planting.We did not use "cultivar" as that implies the planting and growing. We feel that the third translation ( that follows your initial thought) is the best of the three.

La preparación del jardín puede estar disponible para hogares que califiquen.

La preparación del jardín puede estar al alcance de los hogares que califiquen.

Hogares idóneos pueden calificar para la preparación de su jardín.

:) - FELIZ77, Apr 18, 2014

I disagree. I've heard ' arar ' lots of times even for planting just one sunflower. However, cheers - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

I would simply not consider "arar" for a garden. If i did, I will get a big condescending smile. - pacofinkler, Apr 18, 2014

Paco, are we talking regional differences here relating to vocabulary or differences in how we understand gardening terminology, or both ? lol - FELIZ77, Apr 19, 2014

I think there's a whole concpetual shift for what azadón, azada and arar means for Spain and Americas, feliz. The only thing I think we can agree is that ' azadón ', ' arar ' and ' azadonera', are somehow related to agriculture, lol. Regards. - jctv, Apr 19, 2014

Answer 2

Araremos el lote de quienes estén impedidos.

Quienes tengan algún impedimento físico obtendrán un arado gratuito.

Habrá arado gratis para quienes por impedimento fisico califiquen para obtenerlo.

Aquellos con algún tipo de impedimento físico entrarán en consideración de elección para otorgarles un arado completamente gratuito.

If you are referring to some kind of contest or something, in order to go and tilling the yard for the most disabled, I think the last one is the most proper, if you want be clear on the following: you have to be VERY disabled in order to get some help from us.

Regards.

El arado can also be the machine to till or plow. - pacofinkler, Apr 18, 2014

The proper term is ' azadonera ' o ' cuchillas ', paco. Regards. - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

RAE disagrees with you http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=arado Azadonera seems to be a local way to call the 'azadón" for RAE it is a "hoe" - pacofinkler, Apr 18, 2014

In England we would say : Todig or to prepare, because plouhing is for larger pieces of land. Tilling can be used but usally refers to harrowing, here and lighter work. I have spent years in agriculture so I rely on common usage here. - annierats, Apr 18, 2014

To dig, typo. Anyway, basically yours is the best answer by miles. And maybe Americans use ' tilling' more, I wouldn't know. - annierats, Apr 18, 2014

Check this out, Paco: https://www.google.com.co/search?q=azadonera&client=firefox-a&hs=SpG&rls=org.mozilla:es-ES:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=14ZRU7iYLeqksQT3_4DgCQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

That's the ' azadonera' , and no Paco, no way, that's the tool which is used to cut stem and digging as well, I saw that tool on my Grandma's farm lots of times when I was a child, the workers used to call it that way: azadón... - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

And now I've just remembered another name that farmers gave that tool: TROCHERA - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

Definitions from RAE are inaccurate when referring to all meanings that a word can have, its battery of words is quite small when referring different meanings every word can have according the country, so I want to suggest you to 'dig' a little more... - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

...before assuming the meanings from RAE as sacred words, Paco. Regards. - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

I've just played the publisher's game, annie, now that apparently that was the term used by whoever made that flyer, so if she says ' tilling ', then well, let's make the tilling. Hugs and regards. - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

Those are good translations but I don't want to mention the physical capabilities and also to imply that it is a posibility that we may help, not a certainty. - wrl1509, Apr 18, 2014

... now we know. Regards. - jctv, Apr 18, 2014

" arado" is in Rae. There are as many local ways to say this as there are countries. - pacofinkler, Apr 18, 2014

Paco, you are absolutely wrong about what RAE says about azadón, check this out: - jctv, Apr 19, 2014

Instrumento que se distingue de la azada en que la pala, cuadrangular, es algo curva y más larga que ancha. Sirve para rozar y romper tierras duras, cortar raíces delgadas y otros usos análogos. - jctv, Apr 19, 2014

And, this definition can be found here: http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=azadón, and that, is from RAE. My question: what RAE are you talking about ? Regards. - jctv, Apr 19, 2014

Btw, azada and azadón are synonyms, check this out: http://www.wordreference.com/sinonimos/azada. It's all about digging, Paco. Regards. - jctv, Apr 19, 2014

I am a learner however i am surrounded by educated native speakers, I also make my own research. - pacofinkler, Apr 19, 2014

Ok, those links are fake and I'm an impolite helper. That's what I deserve for sharing nothing but useless options, according to you and the educated native speakers around you. Best Regards. - jctv, Apr 21, 2014

Answer 3

Good attempt Wrl However, you are using the passive form (which uses ser) and is not often used by the Spanish people, altough it is often used by the English! I have therefore re-phrased it for you in the active form:

passive form: the door was closed

active form: The boy closed the door

This is only a suggestion based on the idea you were trying to communicate through your clear explanation and the idea/s implicit in your sentence:

¿No puede Ud cultivar su jardín? ¡No se preocupa por nada! ¡Si es un dueño de casa y tiene derecho a solicitar ayuda monetaria....... podemos cultivar su jardín por Ud!

Not able to till your garden? Don't worry about anything! If you are an elegible householder we can till your garden for you!

You can then add some contact details after this...

por ejemplo: Si está interesado, por favor llamemos por teléfono para arreglar la ayuda o pedir más detalles.

For example: If you are interested, please call us to arrange for assistence or to request further details.

I have tried to keep the sentences short and to the point!

Finally, I would consider it important to mention that although Spanish is widely spoken throughout the world, the regional differences in culture between Spain and South America, mexico etc...can mean that it is important that every questioner who wants help with translation work here, particularly when the finished work is going to be viewed by the public at large (rather than just an informal and limited audience of family or friends) should mention the location of their intended audience Spain, Mexico etc..

I hope this helps

Corrijan mi español, por favor

:-) - pacofinkler, Apr 18, 2014

THanks, Paco :) - FELIZ77, Apr 18, 2014

Answer 4

Arar -to plough. It will do or else just use ' preparar' if you mean digging, hoeing and whatever.

Annie, I am no gardener lol I was simply trying to help the questioner to translate her ideas into words :) - FELIZ77, Apr 18, 2014