4

There is a process in Brazil called 'desmobilização' and I would like to know how to properly translate this term to the English language. So let me give an example:

Imagine a company having a few cars that their employees use. Now these cars are getting old and the company wants to sell it to buy new cars. This sale is exactly what we call 'desmobilização' in Brazil (I wouldn't say in Portuguese because I don't know if they use the same term in other countries that speak Portuguese).

This term would be literally translated as demobilization (as per Google Translate), but after a little research I could see that 'demobilization' is not used in the same manner as I want.

In Brazilian Portuguese, 'demobilization' means remove ('de') money that is "stuck" ('mobilized') in cars. This last explanation is not very good but I guess you guys will understand it.

Bruno Krebs
  • 151
  • 6
    An English term meaning to get money back out of something by selling it is: liquidate. We liquidated the old cars so we could buy new ones. But it can be used for anything- not just cars. – Jim Jul 25 '16 at 23:12
  • 1
    I'm surprised you guys have a word for such a specific process. Is this word widespread, or is it just business argot? – DyingIsFun Jul 25 '16 at 23:14
  • Well, Silenus, 'desmobilização' have indeed other meanings, but in a business context means getting money back from some product that you are using in your business (like a car, other machinery, furniture, and so on). I guess 'liquidate' as @Jim would apply then. – Bruno Krebs Jul 25 '16 at 23:24
  • The cars could be "retired" - I've also seen the word "obsoleted" - which is a bit made up! – Vérace Jul 25 '16 at 23:47
  • I guess this is not correct, @Vérace. Retired and obsoleted don't illustrate the act of selling the assets to get the money back from it. They sound more like throwing something away (garbage). – Bruno Krebs Jul 25 '16 at 23:50
  • @Centaurus, não estou usando isso numa situação corriqueira e sim em um contexto específico onde pessoas da área vão saber do que se trata. – Bruno Krebs Jul 25 '16 at 23:51
  • @Centaurus, 'venda de ativos' e 'desmobilização de ativos' são sinônimos mas pelo que vejo 'desmobilização' é mais utilizado, pelo menos na área de atuação específica do negócio em questão. – Bruno Krebs Jul 25 '16 at 23:53
  • "sell off" is the usual English expression - "the company sold off its old vehicles". – Stuart F Jun 26 '23 at 12:35

1 Answers1

10

'liquidate' works very well here. However you may (or may not) find that some people associate that particular word with businesses that are in trouble. (It doesn't mean that... But businesses that are in trouble do have "liquidation sales" and "liquidity problems" so there is a degree of mental association.)

Another very appropriate word is divest.http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/divest

Which has a nice balanced feel to it; you invest when you buy and divest when you sell.

H.R.Rambler
  • 1,588