May 1, 2014 10:38
11 yrs ago
Inglese term

Groping at straws

Da Inglese a Italiano Medico/Sanitario Modi di dire/Massime/Proverbi
Hi everyone,

I am currently translating a text extracted from a medical journal which discusses recent discoveries in medicine.
I am doing well with the specialist terminology but struggling with this idiom: "we're really groping at straws".

Here is a little bit of context, where an MD talks about using magnets to treat depression:
“One of the things that is shocking about the field is not only do we not know how to target it but we don’t know how to personalize it,” Etkin says. “We’re really groping at straws in our current method, which I think will be revolutionized by the combined TMS/fMRI.”

I have found grasping at straws (which might be similar in meaning), but I would really need a confirmation.

Thanks for your help.
Kindest Regards,
Caterina
Proposed translations (Italiano)
3 +4 le stiamo davvero provando tutte
Change log

May 2, 2014 07:39: luskie changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"

Votes to reclassify question as PRO/non-PRO:

PRO (3): Danila Moro, SYLVY75, luskie

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Proposed translations

+4
19 min
Inglese term (edited): we're groping at straws
Selected

le stiamo davvero provando tutte

Secondo me è una variante di "grasping/clutching at straws", come dicevi tu. A volte usato anche più nel senso di "arrampicarsi sugli specchi", ma qui penso che "provarle tutte" sia più adatto.

Alcuni riscontri:

"you like the others are just groping at straws, unable to prove a single passage of scripture is iin error."
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/biblical-debates/11641-...

"Perhaps we can excuse Hall and other early attempts to disgrace only children, but this recent rash of studies seems to be groping at straws particularly in light of all the examination that has proven Hall so wrong. "
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/singletons/201003/coins-...

"It is a fruitless witch-hunt now, and the lefty socialists are groping at straws to find something they use to attack us."
http://www.alipac.us/f19/anti-defamation-league-prosecute-te...

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Note added at 4 days (2014-05-06 09:47:43 GMT) Post-grading
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Figurati Caterina. Felice di esserti stato d'aiuto!
Peer comment(s):

agree dandamesh : www.wordreference.com/.../at the%2... clutch at straws v expr, informal (act in desperation), aggrapparsi a tutto vi. come apart at the seams v ...
2 min
Thanks.
agree zerlina : buono:-)
6 ore
Grazie! :)
agree Ilaria A. Feltre
20 ore
Grazie Ilaria!
agree Mariagrazia Centanni
3 giorni 16 ore
Thanks!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Caro Mirko, Ti ringrazio moltissimo per la tua risposta. La tua proposta rientra perfettamente nel contesto ed è decisamente adatta. Il fatto di trovare moltissimi esempi con "grasping at straws" mi aveva tratto in inganno facendomi pensare ad un diverso significato. Grazie ancora! Un saluto, Caterina"
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