...algo no limpio

English translation: ... things became less straightforward

06:54 Feb 18, 2019
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Sports / Fitness / Recreation / Sports
Spanish term or phrase: ...algo no limpio
This is from an interview with football player, talking about a previous manager. I'm struggling to work out what the "algo no limpio" means in this context. Would be great to hear your thoughts:

"Para mí, es uno de los mejores entrenadores del mundo. Por como entrena, por cómo ve los videos, por como lo hace. Pero en el grupo se había generado algo... estaban todos con la duda de si jugaban, yo también, que sí, que no. Y ya el jugador pierde la confianza. Cada jugador había perdido la confianza. Después se formó algo no limpio. A veces estaba jugando bien, hacía un gol y me sacaban. Y yo amo el fútbol, desde los cinco años que juego al fútbol, y si a mí me dejan sin el balón es como que pierdo mi alegría".

Thanks,
Ciarán
Ciaran Simpson
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:55
English translation:... things became less straightforward
Explanation:
I'd prefer if possible to retain the element of murkiness, but there are several other possibilities that I feel could also work here:

... an element of uncertainty crept in

... then the waters were muddied

... then things began to go downhill


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Note added at 10 hrs (2019-02-18 17:15:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Ciaran: I'm thinking more murky/nasty, although I'm not discounting the "clear" theme'..

Even proposing st along the lines of:

THEN THINGS STARTED TO GET SOMEWHAT DIRTY/GRUBBY

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Note added at 10 hrs (2019-02-18 17:19:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... but, having seen the Reference note, I feel less sure about my interpretations!

HOWEVER, not am I sure I'd with "healthy" either! Seems a slightly odd choice...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2019-02-18 17:32:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... although "unclear/uncertain/confusing" idea is perhaps not such a bad one in retrospect.

Since they never knew where they were standing (figuratively!) :- you never knew whether or not you'd be picked (literally!) to play, regardless of your current form. You couldn't depend on anything any more...

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Note added at 2 days 16 hrs (2019-02-20 23:12:06 GMT)
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OR (but possibly a bit too harsh?): THE ROT SET IN ...[as in something something rotten in the state of Denmark...,
Selected response from:

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:55
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2it turned sour
Charles Davis
3 +2... things became less straightforward
Carol Gullidge
Summary of reference entries provided
English translation found online
James A. Walsh

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
it turned sour


Explanation:
One suggestion; I hope there will be others.

I agree that it's not easy to pin down exactly what he means by this. I feel that at least part of what "no limpio" means is "not fair", but I'm not sure it's only that. I think he's describing the relationship going wrong because of resentments and lack of confidence (and that feeling of unfairness). So there's an element of "unhealthy" in "no limpio", I feel. All in all, I think "turned sour" is something he might have said in this context in English.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2019-02-18 09:21:03 GMT)
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As I say, I'm attracted to this because I find it natural in the context. However, on reflection, if you think the essential idea is unfairness (and I agree with that up to a point), you might say "there was something unfair about it", for example.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2019-02-18 11:48:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On further reflection I would stick with my first suggestion, particularly considering which manager he is talking about (I won't say who it is but anyone interested can find out in a moment by googling this phrase). Suffice it to say that it is a highly successful manager notorious for high-handedness and vindictiveness towards players he regards as disloyal. The player plainly feels aggrieved at being dropped after scoring, he feels it's unfair, but more than that, I think, he is describing things turning nasty: "no limpio" is a discreet way of expressing dirty dealing, underhandedness, dishonesty or deceitfulness (as Chema suggested).

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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-02-18 13:08:02 GMT)
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(Not saying anything for or against the published English translation, but I'm glad I didn't see it before thinking about it, because once you've seen how somebody else did it you can't get it out of your head.)

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Note added at 6 hrs (2019-02-18 13:09:05 GMT)
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You could tone it down a touch by saying "turned a bit... sour", for example.

Charles Davis
Spain
Local time: 16:55
Does not meet criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 115
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Charles. The use of no limpio is definitely a little ambiguous in the source, but I like your suggestion.

Asker: Yes, I can totally understand that :)


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Sergio Kot: IMHO your second suggestion - "not fair" - or something along those lines ("an unfair attitude...") would be closer to the original intention.
34 mins
  -> As I say, I do think the idea of unfairness is in there, but I prefer to put it like this because I think he's talking about the effect of the perceived unfairness, and also, frankly, because I think it's more idiomatic here than any synonym of "not fair"

agree  Robert Carter: Agree, though I think you're closer to it with "underhandedness" here. "It all got a bit... underhand" maybe?
18 hrs
  -> Thanks, Robert. Maybe, yes. I do think "not straightforward", perhaps ulterior motives, is an element in the mix.

agree  James A. Walsh: Looking at this again, I like your "turned a bit... sour" option (the ellipsis evoking "shall we say" or similar). Works well.
2 days 13 hrs
  -> Thanks a lot, James ;-)
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
... things became less straightforward


Explanation:
I'd prefer if possible to retain the element of murkiness, but there are several other possibilities that I feel could also work here:

... an element of uncertainty crept in

... then the waters were muddied

... then things began to go downhill


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2019-02-18 17:15:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi Ciaran: I'm thinking more murky/nasty, although I'm not discounting the "clear" theme'..

Even proposing st along the lines of:

THEN THINGS STARTED TO GET SOMEWHAT DIRTY/GRUBBY

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2019-02-18 17:19:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... but, having seen the Reference note, I feel less sure about my interpretations!

HOWEVER, not am I sure I'd with "healthy" either! Seems a slightly odd choice...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 hrs (2019-02-18 17:32:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... although "unclear/uncertain/confusing" idea is perhaps not such a bad one in retrospect.

Since they never knew where they were standing (figuratively!) :- you never knew whether or not you'd be picked (literally!) to play, regardless of your current form. You couldn't depend on anything any more...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days 16 hrs (2019-02-20 23:12:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------


OR (but possibly a bit too harsh?): THE ROT SET IN ...[as in something something rotten in the state of Denmark...,

Carol Gullidge
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:55
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 22
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for your input, Carol. Are you thinking clean as in clear here?

Asker: Thanks, Carol.

Asker: Thanks, Charles


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Robert Carter: I prefer "murky" though, it conveys more of the "unfair/dirty" angle.
16 hrs
  -> thanks Robert!

agree  James A. Walsh: I like your "began to go downhill" option ;-)
2 days 11 hrs
  -> thanks James!
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Reference comments


5 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: English translation found online

Reference information:
Here's an English translation of the same interview, which you may find helpful:

"I say things as they are and in my opinion, Mourinho is one of the best coaches in the world in the way that he coaches, how he studies videos, the way he goes about things."

“But then, within the group there was that feeling that you were in the team then out. Sometimes I didn't play, then I did, then I didn't and as a player you lose confidence, each player lost their confidence, do you understand?"

"And then an atmosphere was created that wasn't... healthy. Sometimes I'm playing well and I score a goal and he took me off. And I'd say, "I love football, I love football."
https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/alexis-s...

Example sentence(s):
  • Después se formó algo no limpio.
  • And then an atmosphere was created that wasn't... healthy.

    https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/alexis-sanchez-bbc-interview-man-14008736
James A. Walsh
Spain
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12
Note to reference poster
Asker: Thanks James, fully aware that this exists. Looking for a neutral view on what no limpio means here.


Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Robert Carter: I kind of imagined they were talking about him. Good sleuthing, James. Also, if that's what the asker wanted, he should have made that clear in the first place, instead of saying he was "struggling to work out" the meaning.
14 hrs
  -> Cheers, Robert!
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