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AP
Jan 18, 2011 14:45
13 yrs ago
Spanish term

Son cosas de (nombre propio)

Spanish to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
En un documento de la República Dominicana:

En un texto me he encontrado con lo siguiente:

En la grabación dice claramente que pedir un soborno "son cosas del Señor XXX".

Mi intento para "son cosas de...":

"Mr. XXX´s business".

"Has to do with Mr. XXX"

¡Agradezco cualquier ayuda!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +6 That's the kind of thing that X would do.
4 +4 is Mr. X's business
4 +2 affairs
4 +1 is Mr XXX's business
4 +1 That's Mr. X's department / speciality
3 ... is a matter for Mr XXX; ... is Mr XXX's concern
3 is the style/ the way of Mr. X

Discussion

Bill Harrison (X) Jan 18, 2011:
This reminds me... ... of Silvio Rodriguez, in a song which goes on about 'son cosas de el'. Wouldn't dare to venture an answer though. Since we are supposed to be in a literary/poetry context.
Bubo Coroman (X) Jan 18, 2011:
puedes usar "Mr. XXX's business" si... estás hablando de cosas que le corresponden hacer de oficio digamos, que sea en su trabajo o... (planificar las vacaciones empresariales...), pero pedir un soborno entra en una categoría distinta, supongo que tendría el significado de "es muy característico del Sr. X", por eso optaría por una traducción similar a la de Robert

Proposed translations

+6
4 mins
Spanish term (edited): Son cosas de Sr. X
Selected

That's the kind of thing that X would do.

Or, if X (Trujillo?, Balaguer?) is dead:

That's the kind of thing that X used to do/would have done.
or
That's how X operates.
That's how X used to operate.
etc.

Suerte.
Peer comment(s):
agree Bubo Coroman (X) : or: the kind of thing that X would get up to (implying some kind of mischief)
25 mins
Thank you, Deborah. This is how I read it, although other responders clearly read it differently. :)
agree jacana54 (X) : Creo que quisieron decir esto.
40 mins
Gracias, Lucia!
agree JaneTranslates : Or, if the speaker is protesting his own innocence, "that was all Mr. X's doing." Without more context it's hard to supply a perfect translation, but your suggestions are all excellent, in my opinion. And I agree with Deborah's discussion entry.
44 mins
Thank you, JT!
agree schevallier : Yes! to you and Deborah :)
1 hr
Thank you, Chevallier.
agree Mónica Algazi : With Jane.
1 hr
Thank you, Moni.
neutral Kate Major Patience : I posted this possibility above! // True - I said the same. I agree with you that without more context it's not possible to be sure...
1 hr
Sorry for not seeing this, Kate. If the Asker goes with that particular option, you should get the points. I also did make a number of other suggestions, however. The reality is that this is a wild goose chase, give the lack of context....
agree Mónica Hanlan
2 hrs
Thank you, Moni.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+4
2 mins

is Mr. X's business

I think I agree with you, although there's the possibility that they mean "that's the sort of thing Mr. X would do" (more context might help with that).
Peer comment(s):
agree Tatiana Voloshchuk
6 mins
Thanks! :)
agree Evans (X) : yes, "the kind of thing Mr X would do", or "typical of Mr X" or even "that's just like Mr X"
2 hrs
Thank you Gilla! Saludos. :)
agree franglish
2 hrs
Thanks Franglish! :)
agree Robert Forstag : Agree with your secondary suggestion here.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
3 mins

is Mr XXX's business

this is the usual way of saying it.
Peer comment(s):
agree Magali Bramon
20 mins
Something went wrong...
28 mins

... is a matter for Mr XXX; ... is Mr XXX's concern


You have to see/approach Mr XXX if you want a bonus/rise (etc)

ie, it is Mr XXX who deals with that sort of thing
Something went wrong...
43 mins

is the style/ the way of Mr. X

Should work here. :)
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

affairs

another option
Peer comment(s):
agree JaneTranslates : This actually might work quite well, and cover more than one of possibilities left ambiguous by lack of context. But I would use a singular construction: "That's Mr. X's affair." To me, this gives quite a different tone than "business," in this usage.
1 hr
We are thinking alike JaneTranslates.Thanks!!!
agree Bill Harrison (X) : Agree entirely with "That's Mr. X's affair."
3 hrs
That's it Bill!Thanks!!!!
Something went wrong...
+1
5 hrs

That's Mr. X's department / speciality

How I would say it! With an element of irony if we are really talking about bribery.
Peer comment(s):
agree JaneTranslates : I like it! It's ambiguous enough to be interpreted in more than one way, but it does the job: it dissociates the speaker from that set of actions, and places it on Mr. X. BTW, I prefer "department." Quite colloquial and natural.
30 mins
Thanks Jane - and nice argument!
Something went wrong...
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