barreplaya

English translation: good-for-nothing

03:49 Jul 14, 2020
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Spain
Spanish term or phrase: barreplaya
Evidently used as an insult.
guillen
United States
Local time: 01:09
English translation:good-for-nothing
Explanation:
Another option.
Selected response from:

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 00:09
Grading comment
Thank you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Useless
María Perales
3good-for-nothing
Muriel Vasconcellos
3 -1beachcomber
Marcelo González


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Useless


Explanation:
This goes more or less in the same line as "pellizcacristales". It is an insult to say that somebody is useless / good-for-nothing.

Somebody who is sweeping (barre) a beach (playa) is clearly a useless person.

María Perales
Spain
Local time: 08:09
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Marcelo González: I'd say there's a creative effect here that this translation does not address. This appears to be a compound idiom.
8 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
good-for-nothing


Explanation:
Another option.

Muriel Vasconcellos
United States
Local time: 00:09
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80
Grading comment
Thank you.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
beachcomber


Explanation:
Quien recorre o barre una playa en busca de algo de valor.

Barrer
5. tr. Recorrer un espacio con un instrumento adecuado para observar o registrar algo. Barrió el escenario con su cámara.
Rae.es

Beachcomber
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/amp/english/beachcomber

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Note added at 1 hr (2020-07-14 05:27:24 GMT)
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"A beachcomber is someone who spends their time wandering along beaches looking for things they can use.

Synonyms: scavenger, wanderer, tramp, forager"




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Note added at 3 hrs (2020-07-14 07:00:50 GMT)
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Un barreplaya ... un término despectivo en el sentido un muerto de hambre, que no sirve para nada (como dice María) pero que tampoco tiene donde caerse muerto, que anda (por las playas, tipo 'beach bum') en busca de cualquier cosa de valor. ¿Puede ser? Me pregunto.

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Note added at 11 hrs (2020-07-14 15:38:28 GMT)
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This appears to be a compound idiom, used derogatorily with a bit of sarcasm. It sort of reminds me, here in Southeast Asia, of 'begpackers,' i.e., the backpackers who end up begging on the streets.

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Note added at 12 hrs (2020-07-14 15:56:43 GMT)
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En vez del significado de 'barrer' arriba señalado, quizá el que sigue sea más adecuado en este contexto.

7. tr. Examinar un lugar detenidamente buscando algo.
www.rae.es

Bien puede ser que, en este contexto de expresiones (o palabras compuestas) peyorativas y con algo de sarcasmo, 'barreplaya' pueda significar o referirse a un pobre o muerto de hambre que anda barriendo las playas en busca de algún objeto de valor, dejado por los bañistas, un 'beachcomber,' who combs the beaches in search of coins or jewelry.

To comb
To search a place or an area very carefully:
The police combed the surrounding woods for evidence.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/comb

Marcelo González
United States
Local time: 21:09
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 40

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  María Perales: Nothing to do with this, this expression is used as an insult.
1 hr
  -> You could be right. Thanks. I'm just trying to make sense of it with very little context. Calling someone a beachcomber is not necessarily a very harsh insult either but it could convey the idea he's a scavenger, barely surviving, un muerto de hambre.
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