# dalla stessa parte del tavolo



## tu6perme

Qualcuno sa se esiste un'espressione idiomatica per " ci sediamo dalla stessa parte del tavolo"  in inglese.  
Frase: Se vuoi che ci sediamo dalla stessa parte del tavolo allora dobbiamo condividere per tempo i contenuti.

Literal translation:

If you want that we sit down at the same side of the table we must share beforehand the subject matter.  



Grazie in anticipo.


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## NagiMahori

Sincerily, I never heard of "sedersi dalla stessa parte del tavolo" and I judge it very awful!!

I know "dalla stessa parte della barricata"....Bah....Business people always think to be so deep in WAR.


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## elfa

How formal is this? We use expressions such as 

"to sing from the same hymn sheet"
_
If you want us to sing from the same hymn sheet, we'll have to share the contents [of X] beforehand._


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## NagiMahori

elfa said:


> How formal is this? We use expressions such as
> 
> "to sing from the same hymn sheet"




THIS is an expression (!!!!!!!) I would like to remember......


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## Alessandrino

elfa said:


> _If you want us to sing from the same hymn sheet, we'll have to share the contents [of X] beforehand._


This makes me think to something like:

_If you want us to sing from the same hymn sheet, we'll have to learn to sing along beforehand.

_Far too many metaphors?


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## NagiMahori

Alessandrino said:


> This makes me think to something like:
> 
> _If you want us to sing from the same hymn sheet, we'll have to learn to sing along beforehand.
> 
> _Far too many metaphors?



Far too beautifull this too!!! But we could roll over _ad libidum!_


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## elfa

Alessandrino said:


> _If you want us to sing from the same hymn sheet, we'll have to learn to sing along beforehand.
> 
> _Far too many metaphors?



Nice , but the meaning isn't very clear, I'm afraid.


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## tu6perme

elfa said:


> How formal is this? We use expressions such as
> 
> "to sing from the same hymn sheet"
> _
> If you want us to sing from the same hymn sheet, we'll have to share the contents [of X] beforehand._



Elfa, I have never heard this expression before.  I know there is one but it does not come to mind.  I think yours may be a bit informal and flowery for a bunch of business men and lawyers!   Actually, one just came to mind... if you want to sit down and put our heads together (to come up with a solution).  This might work.  What do you all think?  BTWBy the way, I wanted to thank you all for all your assistance


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## NagiMahori

tu6perme said:


> if you want to sit down and put our heads together (to come up with a solution).



For my Italian head, it sounds well!


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## Alessandrino

Also: _if you want to play on the same/our team._


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## elfa

tu6perme said:


> Actually, one just came to mind... if you want to sit down and put our heads together (to come up with a solution).



"*put* our head together" sounds odd to me.

_If you want to sit down and get our heads together..._ might work better. This is still relatively informal though - though not as informal as the one I suggested


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## tu6perme

elfa said:


> "*put* our head together" sounds odd to me.
> 
> _If you want to sit down and get our heads together..._ might work better. This is still relatively informal though - though not as informal as the one I suggested



Actually the expresssion is let's put our heads together (used when we want to work together and come up with a solution) Also, this is used in Canadian Eng not sure other Eng though.  More and more I hear it the better it sounds and I think fits perfectly here.   It is put our heads because it is the act of sitting side by side and working things out, put our heads together.  Elfa take a look below.  Last one


*Idioms: **have a big/swelledhead*To be overly self-confident or conceited.

*head and shoulders above*Far superior to: head and  shoulders above her colleagues in analytical capability.

*head over heels**1. *Rolling, as in a somersault: tripped and fell head over heels.
*2. *Completely; hopelessly: head over heels in love.

*keep (one's) head*To remain calm; remain in control of oneself.

*lose (one's) head*To lose one's poise or self-control.

*off**/out of* *(one's)  head*Insane; crazy.

*on (one's) head*As one's responsibility or fault: If this project fails, it's on your head.

*over (one's) head**1. *Beyond one's comprehension.
*2. *Beyond one's financial means.

*put heads together**To consult and plan together: Let's put our heads together and solve this problem.*


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## elfa

That may be so, but here, in this particular context, it sounds like two people banging their hands together!  Your call...


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## gandolfo

Ciao a tutti

I think "put your heads together" is quite common for looking for a solution

Isn't, and I may be wrong: "get our heads together" more like we need to start/begin to think clearly?  could well be appropriate here


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## NagiMahori

gandolfo said:


> Ciao a tutti
> 
> I think "put your heads together" is quite common for looking for a solution
> 
> isn't and I may be wrong




Sorry Gan I don't understand this phrase....Am I so Dumb?


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## tu6perme

So I think I will say: 


If you want we can putour heads together but we must share the subject matter beforehand.  or We can put our heads together but we must share the subject matter beforehand.


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## gandolfo

NagiMahori said:


> Sorry Gan I don't understand this phrase....Am I so Dumb?



No you're not dumb, my formatting of text is though



Frankly I think either "get" or "put" are fine it depends on what message you want to give. To me it's not that clear whether what they have to discuss is a problem, is a thing that has to be clarified, is a thing that merely has to be discussed or something that has to be formulated.

Some context would help


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## tu6perme

gandolfo said:


> No you're not dumb, my formatting of text is though
> 
> 
> 
> Frankly I think either "get" or "put" are fine it depends on what message you want to give. To me it's not that clear whether what they have to discuss is a problem, is a thing that has to be clarified, is a thing that merely has to be discussed or something that has to be formulated.
> 
> Some context would help



Definitely discuss problems.  This is why they must put their heads together.

Made a couple of changes..

If you want to put our heads together, we must share the subject matter beforehand.  
or

If you want to sit down and put our heads together, we must share the subject matter beforehand.  

Which sounds best?


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## elfa

tu6perme said:


> Definitely discuss problems.  This is why they must put their heads together.
> 
> Made a couple of changes..
> 
> If you want to put our heads together, we must share the subject matter beforehand.
> or
> 
> If you want to sit down and put our heads together, we must share the subject matter beforehand.
> 
> Which sounds best?



If you want to use this phrase, tu6perme, then it would be better to say

If you want *us* to sit down and put our heads together...

I'm afraid the last part of your sentence is very far from idiomatic  which is why I suggested changing it a while back


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## You little ripper!

I'm not really sure that I understand what you're trying to get across, Carmelina, but an alternative to elfa's 'hymn sheet' analogy is _to be on the same page._

_If you want us to be on the same page........_


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## gandolfo

Tu6

If you want to put our heads together, we must share the subject matter beforehand.  It doesn't make sense

If = possibility/suggestion here so it strange to hear must(obligation) later in the phrase

Share isn't the same as discuss and you said it was to discuss It sounds wrong to mix put heads together and share, it's mixing ideas to me it's the same as:
"If you want to discuss the matter we can sit down and share the subject matter beforehand" Do you see what I mean? 

So simply:

If you want, we can sit down together and discuss the matter before(hand) (before the meeting or whatever beforehand is referring to)
or
If you want we can get  together and discuss the matter before(hand)


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## Anja.Ann

Ciao a tutti  

I may be wrong but, to me, the Italian sentence means "Se vuoi che ci capiamo/intendiamo, è necessario che ..." meaning "If you want that we share the same idea ... " and that's why I think that  "If you want us to be on the same page ..." by Charles works pretty fine here


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## tu6perme

Anja.Ann said:


> Ciao a tutti
> 
> I may be wrong but, to me, the Italian sentence means "Se vuoi che ci capiamo/intendiamo, è necessario che ..." meaning "If you want that we share the same idea ... " and that's why I think that  "If you want us to be on the same page ..." by Charles works pretty fine here



Yes Ann this is the meaning.  
What Charles said might work.  Beforehand is a meeting in NYC and the subject matter is the business plan. So they want to sit down and put their heads together (or be on the same page) before the meeting and share their thoughts on the subject and work together before the meeting.  This is why condividere (share our info together) and per tempo is an expression early, beforehand,as soon as possible, on time so I chose beforehand  and i contenuti (subject matter - on wordreference.com) It actually makes sense that they  want to share the subject matter of the meeting beforehand.  So they can put their heads together or get on the same page works here.  Is this clearer now?


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## Anja.Ann

Thank you so much for taking the time Tu6  
Actually it was quite clear since the beginning, but, I am sorry, I didn't understand that you had already picked Elfa's proposal (# 19) then, because it is the only one that, using the words you have chosen, conveys the same Italian meaning


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## tu6perme

Anja.Ann said:


> Thank you so much for taking the time Tu6
> Actually it was quite clear since the beginning, but, I am sorry, I didn't understand that you had already picked Elfa's proposal (# 19) then, because it is the only one that, using the words you have chosen, conveys the same Italian meaning



Thanks Ann.  At times I'm not sure why something seems unclear to others when it is perfectly clear to me


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## Anja.Ann

No worries  , Ann must admit, sometimes, experiences the same situation


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## Giorgio Spizzi

Ciao, tu6.

Io credo che tu ti riferisca alla stessa parte del tavolo di contrattazione (esempio: industriali da una parte, rappresentati sindacali dall'altra).

Non credo che ci sia niente di particolarmente idiomatico in inglese, ma che dovrai usare parole come "negotiating table", "confrontation", ecc.

Quanto alla condivisione dei "fondamentali", questo vale ovviamente per entrambe le "parti".

Saluti cari.

GS


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## Giorgio Spizzi

Ciao, tu6.<br><br>Io credo che tu ti riferisca alla stessa parte del tavolo di contrattazione (esempio: industriali da una parte, rappresentati sindacali dall'altra).<br><br>Non credo che ci sia niente di particolarmente idiomatico in inglese, ma che dovrai usare parole come "negotiating table", "confrontation", ecc.<br><br>Saluti cari.<br><br>GS


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## Giorgio Spizzi

Ciao, tu6.

Io credo che tu ti riferisca alla stessa parte del tavolo di contrattazione (esempio: industriali da una parte, rappresentati sindacali dall'altra).Non credo che ci sia niente di particolarmente idiomatico in inglese, ma che dovrai usare parole come "negotiating table", "confrontation", ecc.
Naturalmente la condivisione dei "fondamentali" vale per entrambe le parti.

Cari saluti.

GS


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## tu6perme

Giorgio Spizzi said:


> Ciao, tu6.
> 
> Io credo che tu ti riferisca alla stessa parte del tavolo di contrattazione (esempio: industriali da una parte, rappresentati sindacali dall'altra).Non credo che ci sia niente di particolarmente idiomatico in inglese, ma che dovrai usare parole come "negotiating table", "confrontation", ecc.
> Naturalmente la condivisione dei "fondamentali" vale per entrambe le parti.
> 
> Giorgio, esatto però in inglese ci sono due espressioni per spiegare questo.
> 
> 1.  Let's put our heads together
> 2.  To be on the same page.
> 
> I chose #1 to explain the negotiations.
> 
> Grazie Giorgio
> 
> Cari saluti.
> 
> GS


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## london calling

_Se vuoi che ci sediamo dalla stessa parte del tavolo allora dobbiamo condividere per tempo i contenuti.
_
Just a few thoughts.  As Giorgio says, here we're talking about a  "tavolo di contrattazione" , so they're saying that if they are to face the "enemy"  together as allies (sedersi dalla stessa parte del tavolo) they have to come to an agreement as to their line (as allies) beforehand (condividere i contenuti per tempo.).

By the way, I like Elfa's (and Charles') suggestions, I must say.

Anyway, my (loose, as ever) try:

_If we're going into this_ _together, we need to make sure that we'll be singing from the same hymn sheet.
_
Otherwise, I don't see why we can't use a fairly literal "if we're going to be sitting on the same side of the negotiating table...." and hope the table isn't round!


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## You little ripper!

london calling said:


> _Se vuoi che ci sediamo dalla stessa parte del tavolo allora dobbiamo condividere per tempo i contenuti.
> _
> Just a few thoughts.  As Giorgio says, here we're talking about a  "tavolo di contrattazione" , so they're saying that if they are to face the "enemy"  together as allies (sedersi dalla stessa parte del tavolo) they have to come to an agreement as to their line (as allies) beforehand (condividere i contenuti per tempo.).
> 
> By the way, I like Elfa's (and Charles') suggestions, I must say.
> 
> Anyway, my (loose, as ever) try:
> 
> _If we're going into this_ _together, we need to make sure that we'll be singing from the same hymn sheet.
> _
> Otherwise, I don't see why we can't use a fairly literal "if we're going to be sitting on the same side of the negotiating table...."


I like that one, Jo! 



> and hope the table isn't round!


And where is King Arthur going to be sitting?


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## tu6perme

Charles Costante said:


> I like that one, Jo!
> 
> And where is King Arthur going to be sitting?



Charles another good possibility but the hymn sheet quote might not go over well in a room full of business men and lawyers!!!  As for the table, knowing the full story behind these negotiations, the table better be big and long because it might get heated and the further the distance the better


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## You little ripper!

tu6perme said:


> Charles another good possibility but the hymn sheet quote might not go over well in a room full of business men and lawyers!!!


I was referring to  "if we're going to be sitting on the same side of the negotiating table....", Carmelina; I should have deleted the rest of the quote.


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