vicente

Hello Joel!

Please help me to translate your sig :

Calidad es cualidad, no casualidad.

I take it to mean that quality doesn't happen by accident but it has me wondering if there are other definitions to calidad and/or cualidad.
Both mean quality so literally to me it would be "quality is quality, not chance". So I'm wondering if you have a different translation?

Grácias y Salúdos!

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vicente

El Detective

Hi Vincente,

Perhaps we should start a new thread about calidad versus cualidad, but my understanding is calidad refers to quality in or of things or actions while cualidad refers to quality in or of people. Therefore I would loosely translate my signature as: Quality work means quality workers, it doesn't just happen.

I wish I could take credit for it but I stole it from the Coahuila State Police website. I not only like the sentiment, I love how it rolls off the tongue when spoken.

Perhaps we could get some other ideas on what it means from other translators.

Joel

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"No inventes, no engañes, no robes ni bebas;
Pero si inventas, inventate un mundo mejor;
Si engañas, engañale a la muerte;
Si robas, robate un corazón,
y si bebes, bebete los mejores momentos de tu vida".

lauracipolla

joel, vicente: if you start a new thread, I want in!!!

in the meantime, I think it's a good discussion... what to do with those words (like "quality") with two different meanings in Spanish (like "calidad" and "cualidad")...? a not-so-infrequent dilemma for translators.

it would be hard to translate joel's signature, vicente, though your version is probably right... but it loses the difference.

I would distinguish them as follows: "calidad" is the word for "good quality" or "high quality", it's about the properties of something, its value; e.g.: "this wine is of high quality = este vino es de buena calidad".
"cualidad" is each one of the aspects that distinguish a person or thing, e.g.: "good humor is your best quality (= characteristic) = el buen humor es tu mejor cualidad", "mention 3 qualities of your husband/wife... = mencione 3 cualidades de su esposo/a..."

but then... how to translate joel's signature "better"? I mean, how to give the exact idea of the phrase??? hmmmm...

mem286

Wow Laura... it coudn't be explained better!

About the translation... how about... "Quality is merit, not chance"

What do you think?

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lauracipolla

hi, mem. good version! didn't think of "merit".

in English, though, the "musical" aspect of the two similar Spanish words is lost, plus the English phrase doesn't sound like there's any need to explain "calidad" with "cualidad" -- don't know if I'm making myself clear... but I like the idea of not leaving the translation as an impossible task. thanks!

mem286

Crystal clear Laura. I see your point. Maybe someone can suggest something else... let's wait

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