Millrace

[JPablo]

This is a question for the best translation of "millrace'' in the following context:

Now, when a person moves in, when this person first appears, if you have somebody on a reception desk who won't handle the person's problems, then you again have this sort of a millrace.

millrace: figuratively, something that goes around and around with no forward movement. Literally, a millrace is the current of water that drives a mill wheel. The mill wheel has paddles against which the water falls, pushing the mill wheel around and around, which in turn drives the machinery of the mill.

I have 3 options, that may be more or less valid... (plus whatever options you want to give me... considering whatever water goes under the bridge, or through the mill...) Your input/feedback and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

1. Ahora bien, cuando una persona entra, cuando aparece por primera vez, si en el escritorio de recepción tienes a alguien que no resolverá los problemas de la persona, entonces tienes otra vez esta especie de noria que gira y gira sin parar sin llegar a ningún sitio.

2. Ahora bien, cuando una persona entra, cuando aparece por primera vez, si en el escritorio de recepción tienes a alguien que no resolverá los problemas de la persona, entonces tienes otra vez esta especie de rueda que gira sin parar sin llegar a ningún sitio.

3. Ahora bien, cuando una persona entra, cuando aparece por primera vez, si en el escritorio de recepción tienes a alguien que no resolverá los problemas de la persona, entonces tienes otra vez esta especie de corriente de saetín.

(saetín = en las presas de molino, canal estrecho que conduce el agua a la rueda hidráulica.)

(I have to go... but I'll see your answers tomorrow!)

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by JPablo

This is a question for the best translation of "millrace'' in the following context:

Now, when a person moves in, when this person first appears, if you have somebody on a reception desk who won't handle the person's problems, then you again have this sort of a millrace.

The previous use of the word would be helpful, because I can't tell what the intended metaphor is. To me the salient characteristic of a millrace is that it's dangerous, but that doesn't seem to be what you're understanding from it.

[Elaina]

JPablo, are you referring to millrace as a forever "revolving door" going everywhere and getting nowhere? Or are you saying that people are given the runaround?

[JPablo]

@Pjt33 & @ Elaina,
I believe the idea is a combination of both "the revolving door" and "being given the runaround". As in the guy or gal at Reception doesn't solve the problem or the question you have... and "sends you all over the place... i.e., like in a bureaucratic tangle, where they play ping-pong with you..." (That's the kind of idea I get in the context.)

I get the dangerousness of the millrace... but I believe it is more the "speed" and the "hustle and bustle" and "hecticness" if you wish... as in being "thrown into the Niagara Falls" (I am exaggerating a bit here) of a bureaucratic tangle... (Please, go to "Information" and get the form you have to fill... now you need a fiscal stamp... but you have to get these from X agency, which is 3 blocks away... make sure you bring all the data before 1 p.m., as otherwise we are closed...) (That's the kind of idea I get.)

Now, when a person moves in, when this person first appears, if you have somebody on a reception desk who won't handle the person's problems, then you again have this sort of a millrace.

(It reminds me Asterix, Legionaire = -¿La oficina de Información? -No sé, vaya a "Informaciones" y le informarán...)

[sosia]

Also in the film "Los doces trabajos de Asterix" was something like that.
then you again have this sort of a millrace
entonces tienes otra vez este tipo de noria ??
entonces tienes otra vez esta sensación de dar vueltas en círculos ??
entonces tienes otra vez este tipo de tiovivo ??
entonces tienes otra vez esta sensación de estar en un molino ??


saludos

[JPablo]

Buenas opciones, Sosia. Me gusta la noria y el tiovivo... creo que "tiovivo" es quizá lo que queda mejor en el cotnexto...
Algo como: esta especie de tiovivo que no llega a ningún sitio.
¡Muchísimas gracias a todos y en especial a ti, Sosia!

[poli]

You may want to you wild goose chase instead of millrace. I believe more people would understand you. Also: being put through the mill.

A related term is being put through a rigamorale.

A wild goose chase almost never solves anything. The other two terms
may end up positively.

[JPablo]

Hey, Poli, thank you very much for these two idioms!