Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
kind of Vegas on steroids.
Arabic translation:
شبيهة إلى حد ما بتلك السائدة في لاس فيغاس بصورة مبالغ بها
Added to glossary by
Ebrahim Mohammed
Mar 14, 2020 20:06
4 yrs ago
20 viewers *
English term
Egypt
ENARITCO translator +7 years exp
Native in: Arabic (Variant: Egyptian) 
Works in: Italian to Arabic, English to Arabic, Coptic to Arabic, and 4 more.
kind of Vegas on steroids.
English to Arabic
Social Sciences
Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
so their morals were kind of Vegas on steroids.
Proposed translations
(Arabic)
Change log
Mar 16, 2020 06:43: Ebrahim Mohammed Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
17 hrs
Ebrahim Mohammed
Germany
Germany
Native in Arabic
Works in field
Germany
professional and timely manner
Native in: Arabic (Variants: Tunisian, Iraqi, Sudanese, Egyptian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Yemeni, Saudi , UAE, Standard-Arabian (MSA), Moroccan, Syrian, Libyan, Kuwaiti, Algerian, Jordanian)
Works in: English to Arabic, German to Arabic, Arabic
Related KudoZ points
:
13
Selected
شبيهة إلى حد ما بتلك السائدة في لاس فيغاس بصورة مبالغ بها
on steroids (idiomatic, informal) (usually after the name of a place or thing), to a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/on_steroids
kind of. to some extent
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/kind
their morals were kind of Vegas on steroids.
أخلاقهم إلى حد ما شبيهة بتلك السائدة في لاس فيغاس بصورة مبالغ بها
أخلاقهم إلى حد ما شبيهة بتلك السائدة في لاس فيغاس بشكل مبالغ به
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Note added at 16 hrs (2020-03-15 12:54:11 GMT)
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من وجهة نظر المتحدث , وجهة النظر الغربية, فليس بالضرورة أن يكون المعنى له دلالات سلبية , هو فقط مجرد تشبيه أخلاق أشخاص معينين بتلك السائدة في لافيغاس .....
حاليا بعض المقالات تشبه دبي بلاسفيغاس, وهذا قد لايكون بالضروة ذم بقدر ما هو تشبيه لأسلوب و نمط وديناميكية الحياة
From the speaker point of view, it doesn't necessarily has bad connotations to do wth lower morals; it could be just a comparison of some people’s morals to those prevalent in Las Vega; from a western point of view it doesn't necessarily mean that it is bad; it is just a way and style of life that is characterized by dynamic way of life, night life and gambling casinos. Some people in American and the West in general would see it as interesting and enjoyable....
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/on_steroids
kind of. to some extent
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/kind
their morals were kind of Vegas on steroids.
أخلاقهم إلى حد ما شبيهة بتلك السائدة في لاس فيغاس بصورة مبالغ بها
أخلاقهم إلى حد ما شبيهة بتلك السائدة في لاس فيغاس بشكل مبالغ به
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Note added at 16 hrs (2020-03-15 12:54:11 GMT)
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من وجهة نظر المتحدث , وجهة النظر الغربية, فليس بالضرورة أن يكون المعنى له دلالات سلبية , هو فقط مجرد تشبيه أخلاق أشخاص معينين بتلك السائدة في لافيغاس .....
حاليا بعض المقالات تشبه دبي بلاسفيغاس, وهذا قد لايكون بالضروة ذم بقدر ما هو تشبيه لأسلوب و نمط وديناميكية الحياة
From the speaker point of view, it doesn't necessarily has bad connotations to do wth lower morals; it could be just a comparison of some people’s morals to those prevalent in Las Vega; from a western point of view it doesn't necessarily mean that it is bad; it is just a way and style of life that is characterized by dynamic way of life, night life and gambling casinos. Some people in American and the West in general would see it as interesting and enjoyable....
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
28 mins
Mussab Mustafa
Spain
Spain
Native in Arabic
Works in field
Spain
Arabic Translator &Editor
Native in: Arabic (Variants: Saudi , Standard-Arabian (MSA), Sudanese)
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English
مثل تعود لاس فيجاس علي المنشطات
كناية علي تعود شخص ما علي شئ لا يمكنه التخلي عنه
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
adel almergawy
50 mins
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| agree |
S.J
2 hrs
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| disagree |
Ebrahim Mohammed
: on steroids تعني لدرجة أكبر و لا تعني المنشطات هنا . (idiomatic, informal) (usually after the name of a place or thing), to a greater degree, exaggerating the characteristics of the previously named object. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/on_steroids
3 hrs
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11 mins
Hassan Achahbar
Morocco
Morocco
Native in Arabic
Works in field
Morocco
Bridging cultures since 2009
Native in: Arabic
Works in: English to Arabic, French to Arabic, Arabic to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
2
أكثر انحطاطا من مدمني القمار
أخلاقهم أكثر انحطاطا من مدمني القمار
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Note added at 26 mins (2020-03-14 20:32:53 GMT)
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Depending on context, and Las Vegas being one of the biggest gambling centers in the world, the qualities of the people refereed to in the sentence may be decadence, instant gratification and pleasure seeking, cheating where possible...
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Note added at 1 hr (2020-03-14 21:15:09 GMT)
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A less dramatic translation:
أخلاقهم تشبه أخلاق رواد لاس فيغاس بل تزيد عليها
On steroids is an idiom, it has nothing to do with actual steroids. It just means something has more of a quality, is more intense or prevalent
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Note added at 26 mins (2020-03-14 20:32:53 GMT)
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Depending on context, and Las Vegas being one of the biggest gambling centers in the world, the qualities of the people refereed to in the sentence may be decadence, instant gratification and pleasure seeking, cheating where possible...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-03-14 21:15:09 GMT)
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A less dramatic translation:
أخلاقهم تشبه أخلاق رواد لاس فيغاس بل تزيد عليها
On steroids is an idiom, it has nothing to do with actual steroids. It just means something has more of a quality, is more intense or prevalent
1 hr
سبقوا لاس فيجاس في الفساد
something on steroids
American English informal used to say that something is much bigger, stronger, more impressive etc than something else that is similar to it – used humorously
Here speaking of morals it's good to use سبقوا to indicate that they're like them and more.
And I think no problem in leaving لاس فيجاس in the translation since it's rebutation is well known for all.
Like this
Dubai is like Las Vegas on steroids
American English informal used to say that something is much bigger, stronger, more impressive etc than something else that is similar to it – used humorously
Here speaking of morals it's good to use سبقوا to indicate that they're like them and more.
And I think no problem in leaving لاس فيجاس in the translation since it's rebutation is well known for all.
Like this
Dubai is like Las Vegas on steroids
1 hr
Yassine El Bouknify
Morocco
Morocco
Native in Arabic
Morocco
Literature,Marketing & Legal Translation
Native in: Arabic (Variants: Moroccan, UAE, Kuwaiti, Najdi, Standard-Arabian (MSA), Hassaniya) , Berber (Other) (Variants: Standard Moroccan Tamazight, Tarifit , Tashelhit , Riffian, Central Atlas Tamazight, Tamazight ) 
Works in: English to Arabic, French to Arabic, Arabic to English, and 21 more.
مدينة المتعة والخطيئة
so their morals were kind of Vegas on steroids.
فأصبحت بذلك أخلاقهم شبيهة بمدينة المتعة والخطيئة
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Note added at 1 hr (2020-03-14 21:40:12 GMT)
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It is recommended to identify which city through putting it between brackets because Arab readers may not know that Vegas is called مدينة المتعة والخطيئة
. [فأصبحت بذلك أخلاقهم شبيهة بمدينة المتعة والخطيئة [لاس فيغاس
أسطورة لاس فيغاس مدينة المتعة والخطيئة
Here is the link for more information:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/...
فأصبحت بذلك أخلاقهم شبيهة بمدينة المتعة والخطيئة
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Note added at 1 hr (2020-03-14 21:40:12 GMT)
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It is recommended to identify which city through putting it between brackets because Arab readers may not know that Vegas is called مدينة المتعة والخطيئة
. [فأصبحت بذلك أخلاقهم شبيهة بمدينة المتعة والخطيئة [لاس فيغاس
أسطورة لاس فيغاس مدينة المتعة والخطيئة
Here is the link for more information:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/...
7 hrs
ولا حتى قوم لوط
I see no harm in the two approaches exemplified by the answers provided so far. They are of two kinds:
1. Trying to incorporate the allusion to Las Vegas in one way or another; and
2. Totally doing away with the Vegas notion, and focusing instead on the
meaning behind it.
They are both legitimate approaches. I would like to try one more approach by substituting a parallel metaphor.
In the Judaeo-Christian tradition, the notion of Sodom and Gomorrah is very well known. These are two cities mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. In the Islamic tradition, this notion is referred to as قوم لوط (Lot's people), mentioned multiple times in the Quran. Both the Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah and قوم لوط are commonly used as exemplars of the lowest morals.
In formulating the expression ولا حتى قوم لوط, I tried to imitate the informal style of the source text which is obvious from the expression "kind of." The expression ولا حتى indicates that the people being criticized are even worse than قوم لوط.
I hope this provides an alternative that might be useful.
1. Trying to incorporate the allusion to Las Vegas in one way or another; and
2. Totally doing away with the Vegas notion, and focusing instead on the
meaning behind it.
They are both legitimate approaches. I would like to try one more approach by substituting a parallel metaphor.
In the Judaeo-Christian tradition, the notion of Sodom and Gomorrah is very well known. These are two cities mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. In the Islamic tradition, this notion is referred to as قوم لوط (Lot's people), mentioned multiple times in the Quran. Both the Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah and قوم لوط are commonly used as exemplars of the lowest morals.
In formulating the expression ولا حتى قوم لوط, I tried to imitate the informal style of the source text which is obvious from the expression "kind of." The expression ولا حتى indicates that the people being criticized are even worse than قوم لوط.
I hope this provides an alternative that might be useful.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Yassine El Bouknify
: you're absolutely right, but it's very old dated use of language. Many readers prefer to read easy language
11 hrs
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'Many readers"? How many? Did you mean "non-readers"? "Old dated use of language"? The expression is as current today as ever, both the Biblical version and its Quranic counterpart. "Easy language"? What's easier than ولا حتى قوم لوط?
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Discussion