This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other
Aug 18, 2009 12:31
14 yrs ago
Spanish term

hematotalaxia

Spanish to English Science Biology (-tech,-chem,micro-) Marine biology
The term is used in a text describing 'red tides' (or algal bloom) in the sea. It says that in some older scientific works this term is used to describe the phenomenon (of sea purging).

I can't seem to find any reference anywhere to a similar term in English. I'm probably missing something very simple, but....

Discussion

Claire Culliford (asker) Aug 19, 2009:
Haemothalassia All, many thanks for your various suggestions. In consultation with the agency concerned (and bearing in mind that the term I was enquiring about is, if you like, an 'additional extra' within the text, and not a fundamental for is comprehension), we've decided upon simply: 'haemothalassia'. A Greek friend of mine, who's married, rather fortuitously to a Spaniard, looked at the term and agreed that this would be the anglicised equivalent of 'hemotalaxia'. The agency and I felt that further explanation was not required as the terms 'red tide' and 'algal bloom' already appear a number of times in the text prior to this term being used. I am extremely grateful for everyone's suggestions and am keeping in mind the other propositions (explanatory note in parentheses etc) for future reference. Obviously, in a different context these may well have turned out to be more suitable options. Thanks again!
Muriel Vasconcellos Aug 18, 2009:
Lots of references for [Thalassia + "red tide"]. Apparently it's a sea grass often associated with the phenomenon.
Andrés Martínez Aug 18, 2009:
Me alegro haberte sido de ayuda. Si no me equivoco podría ser algo así como "haemothalassia". :)
Claire Culliford (asker) Aug 18, 2009:
Muchas gracias! Gracias Andres. Ahora sí todo tiene mucho más sentido. Al final voy a dejar el término como es porque sólo occure en el texto para demostrar que anteriormente existía otro término para el fenómeno de la 'marea roja'.
Andrés Martínez Aug 18, 2009:
Hay un error tipográfico, es hematotalaSia o hemotalaSia (del griego "thalassa" = mar y "hemo" o "hemato" = sangre), por la coloración roja que adquiere el mar cuando se produce la proliferación explosiva de dinoflagelados.
En este artículo que te indico se debate la necesidad de adoptar un término común para nombrar a las "mareas rojas". Lo he consultado por encima y da la impresión de ser un término arcaico o en desuso (Yo jamás lo había oído).
http://www.ots.ac.cr/tropiweb/attachments/volumes/vol51-3-4/...
Diferentes términos utilizados para describir las “Mareas Rojas”

Si no deseas suprimirlo yo optaría por su traducción literal al inglés, habida cuenta de que también contáis con ambos prefijos en vuestra lengua. Y no estaría de más acompañar el término con una breve nota etimológica sobre el origen de la palabra.
Espero que sea de ayuda
Claire Culliford (asker) Aug 18, 2009:
Complete Spanish phrase The complete phrase (in which the term occurs) is as follows:

La presencia de coloración en el agua no está asociada necesariamente con la presencia de toxinas en los moluscos. Este tipo de fenómenos se conocen vulgarmente con el nombre de purga de mar y aparece citado en algunos trabajos científicos antiguos como hematotalaxia.

Proposed translations

+1
19 mins

HAB (harmful algal bloom)

Scientists are leaving behind references to the 'redness' of algal bloom. Not always so. Also, not always harmful

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Note added at 25 mins (2009-08-18 12:56:46 GMT)
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http://www.cdc.gov/hab/redtide/

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-08-18 13:38:10 GMT)
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So you don't want the modern term, but quite the opposite! I have the feeling that it's probably the same (or haematotalaxia) but I haven't been able to find it - probably too 'antiguo'. Maybe try Latin. Best of luck!
Note from asker:
Thanks Chriswa. I can't help but feel that in the text I'm translating an English equivalent of the Spanish 'technical' term would be the best option. Any ideas?
Peer comment(s):

agree Andy Carr : HAB would seem to be the term you're looking for. We seem to like TLA's instead of flowery words...
37 mins
Thanks, Andy
Something went wrong...
9 hrs

[omit phrase] or "(historically referred to as 'hematotalaxia' in Spanish)"

I'm guessing that the literal meaning is 'blood-tinged Thalassia sea grass" (see my comment under Discussion above).

I searched every possible combination of prefixes signifying 'red' plus Thalassia or thalassis. The term may not exist in English, so I think it would be appropriate to omit the entire clause - or else:
- Include a clarifying note embodied in the tex in parenteses, as above, or
- Add a footnote

The choice would depend on the document's overall tone/register, format, and/or level of technical sophistication.
Note from asker:
Thank you very much indeed for this Muriel :-) I really like your suggestion. I've explained my ultimate solution in the 'Discussion' section above, but think that in certain other contexts your suggestions would have been the most appropriate.
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