“Drop-off” en el español

Question

¿Existe en el español una sola palabra que exprese la idea de un repentino aumento de profundidad de agua? Por faltar alternativo, pensé en “barranca submarina” y “risco submarino”, aunque son dos vocablos.

Answer 1

No conozco ninguna palabra única. A veces decimos en una playa a nivel popular . Hay que tener cuidado porque hay" pozos" y es difícil "hacer pie". Quizás la palabra "desnivel" podría ser, pero ésta se usa para desniveles en la tierra también.

Eso de "pozo" expresa bien la idea de "drop-off", a mi parecer. - DonBigoteDeLaLancha, Jun 30, 2017

Answer 2

I'm not sure that "drop-off" -- in English -- connotes something underwater. In fact, I'm rather sure that it doesn't.

I think that in either language you need a descriptor for the underwater-ness.

Tal vez
- alcantilado submarino
- despeñadero submarino

Unless, of course, the context makes the underwater-ness clear.

Una hora en su inmersión, los buceadores encontraron un(a) barranca/risco/alcantilado/despeñadero.

Now watch a native speaker come up with a single word for you.

Lo siento, pero ni idea - 006595c6, Jun 29, 2017

Answer 3

Here in Wisconsin, and in Minnesota, we tell the kids at unguarded beaches, "Don't go out too far or you'll hit a drop-off.". It doesn't matter if it's a river or a lake, but the context is clear (being close to the water). There must be something similar in Spain and Latin America. You've probably answered it already, leaving off the "submarino" because the context would be evident in that case too.

We use the word "drop-off" in Illinois too. It wouldn't be used in diving, but is commonly used if you are walking in shallow water and the next moment the water is over your head. - Echoline, Jun 30, 2017

What Ecoline describes is definitely "pozos" for us. - polenta1, Jun 30, 2017

Agreeing with Polenta: from SD dictionary. Hay peces muy grandes en el pozo del río. There are really large fish in the deep part of the river. - DilKen, Jun 30, 2017