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as cordas vocais únicas dos homens-pássaro
inscrição imobiliária

Glossary entry

Portuguese term or phrase:

não passasse de uma brincadeira

English translation:

was nothing but a cakewalk / cinch

Added to glossary by Oliver Simões
This question was closed without grading. Reason: No acceptable answer
Mar 13, 2022 11:34
2 yrs ago
31 viewers *
Portuguese term

não passasse de uma brincadeira

Portuguese to English Other Poetry & Literature Science Fiction
"Por vezes [ele] fazia o barco levantar-se no ar e deixava-o voar durante alguns segundos, como se o temporal não passasse de uma brincadeira para uma grande borboleta de asas abertas."

It's about a guy who's riding a boat in a sci-fi story. "Grande borboleta de asas abertas" refers to the boat itself, as described in a previous passage of the book.

Not exactly sure how to translate this segment. "... was nothing more than a joke" seems awkward. Maybe just "... was nothing for the large butterfly with open wings"? Or can you think of an idiom/expression that would fit naturally into this context?

From my understanding, he's trying to convey the idea that it was something very easy to do. Indeed, I just confirmed it:

brincadeira: COLOQ something very easy (Michaelis)

Maybe "was a cinch / a piece of cake / duck soup"?

Thank you in advance.

L2: EN_US
Register: idiomatic
Proposed translations (English)
3 +2 ... it were merely a joke
4 easy peasy
3 seemed like fun and games/a frolic
3 was child's play / a breeze
3 was nothing more than a game/no more than a game
Change log

Mar 14, 2022 14:23: Oliver Simões Created KOG entry

Mar 14, 2022 23:50: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "não passasse de uma brincadeira"" to ""was nothing but duck soup""

Mar 15, 2022 00:06: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "não passasse de uma brincadeira"" to ""was nothing but a cinch / breeze / duck soup (archaic)""

Mar 15, 2022 00:13: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "não passasse de uma brincadeira"" to ""was nothing but a cinch / breeze""

Mar 27, 2022 03:05: Oliver Simões changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/2407412">Oliver Simões's</a> old entry - "não passasse de uma brincadeira"" to ""was nothing but a cinch""

Discussion

Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 14, 2022:
Thank you all I appreciate the additional input. Responding to Barbara first. While "frolicking butterflies" may sound like a good translation, it considerably changes the meaning intended by the author. As I said earlier, she meant to say it was a very easy task, "Frolic" denotes playful, cheerful, energetic, so that's why I ruled it out. Sorry. Phil, as far as "duck soup", I do recognize that it's sort of archaic, so I removed it from the glossary. All: between the other options, "a cinch" is my new choice for the book: https://www.google.com/search?q="nothing but a cinch" (Whatever I choose, the final decision will not be made until after the translation has been thoroughly reviewed.)
Barbara Cochran, MFA Mar 14, 2022:
Yes, Vaguely Remember It But that American movie, which was released in 1933, must have been mostly buried at the back of American minds by the time I was a child, almost 25 years later. Although there are still some buffs who like the comedic old-time films, and who must surely keep it in mind.
Nick Taylor Mar 14, 2022:
@philgoddard The only thing I recall about "duck soup" is the marx brothers film of the same name. And to be honest I have never heard of it in any other context, and as a conservative estimate I would guess that neither have more than 99% of the (still alive) world population of English speakers...which is fine if you dont want anybody to know "Wha'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" ho ho ho :-)
Barbara Cochran, MFA Mar 14, 2022:
Agree w/ phil's assessment re: "duck soup". Also, re: the translation I offered, lots of references on the Net for "frolicking butterflies".
philgoddard Mar 14, 2022:
I think "duck soup" is wrong. It's no longer used, and no one will understand it. "Easy peasy" (used both in the UK and the US), "child's play" or "a breeze" would have been much better.
Oliver Simões (asker) Mar 14, 2022:
Validation Thank you all for your sugestions. According to the author:
"Brincadeira", nessa frase, é usado no sentido de algo muito fácil. (as I had guessed)

Within my particular context, "easy peasy" and "a breeze" were the closest in meaning. "Easy peasy" is not an option since it's mostly British: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/easy... As far as "a breeze", it doesn't seem to fit in as nicely as "duck soup".

My final translation: nothing but duck soup for a big bitterly with open wings.

"nothing but duck soup": https://www.google.com/search?q="nothing but duck soup"

duck soup: something very easy to do: something easy to do
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duck soup

Thanks again.

Proposed translations

1 hr

easy peasy

easy peasy
Something went wrong...
1 hr

seemed like fun and games/a frolic

A couple of possibilities. Although I might go with "frolic", because of the the mention of the butterfly (frolicking butterfly).
Something went wrong...
+2
6 hrs

... it were merely a joke

:)
:) https://ludwig.guru/s/merely a joke

Há bons exemplos (New York Times, The Guardian)
Peer comment(s):
agree Ana Flávia Ribeiro
3 hrs
obrigado
agree Simone Taylor
14 hrs
obrigado
Something went wrong...
20 hrs

was child's play / a breeze

Suggestions
Something went wrong...
21 hrs

was nothing more than a game/no more than a game

I think you need a construction that reflects the idea of 'não passasse de'.
Something went wrong...
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