# ... que vinguin a treballar



## louhevly

Hello everyone:

I'd like some opinions on the following sentence, especially the second part:

No m'oposo que vinguin estrangers, però que vinguin a treballar.

It seems to me that English lacks this kind of expression.  The best I can do at the moment would be to translate it:

I don't object to foreigners coming, but they should come to work.

Can anyone offer a better idea?

Here's another that has just occurred to me:

Filla (abans d'un dinar familiar): No beuràs gaire vi, pare, oi que no?

Fill (adreçant-se al pare): Ha!  Que no begui ella!

How would you translate the son's comment? 

Thanks in advance,

Lou


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## Mei

Hi:

How about: it will be better for her not to drink!! 

Wait for other opinions. 

Salut!

Mei


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## Antpax

Hola louhevly:

Altra opció podria esser "I am not against foreigners coming, as long as they come to work", però potser que sigui menys forte que el original en Català.

A ver que diuem els altres.

En la segona no te puc ajudar, no la entenc.

Salut.

Ant


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## TraductoraPobleSec

How funny that you brought this up, Lou, because ever since Laporta cried out *"Que n'aprenguin!"* I've been wondering how it could be said in English... any ideas?

As for your sentence, it sounds good to me, and so does Antpax's! (though I am not a native...)

Bye for now!


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## louhevly

Perhaps I should make clear that the second phrase, "Que no begui ella!", was a translation of a conversation in Spanish, but I think the meaning is the same in Catalan.  The daughter is concerned her father might have a bit too much wine at lunch, so she says to him "No beuràs gaire, oi?"  But her brother's comment to their father, "Que no beba ella!" was meant to humorously mean "Who is she to tell anyone not to drink?  If she's so concerned about it then she should not drink herself, but she should leave the rest of us in peace." 

And I, impressed that Spanish (and I assume Catalan as well) could get so much meaning and humor into 4 little words, asked myself, in vain, how I would express this in English.

I guess you could say "She should mind her own business", but this is offensive, whereas the original isn't.

Lou


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## louhevly

TraductoraPobleSec said:


> How funny that you brought this up, Lou, because ever since Laporta cried out *"Que n'aprenguin!"* I've been wondering how it could be said in English... any ideas?



I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with this quote; what was the context?

Lou


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## TraductoraPobleSec

To be honest, I don't remember why he came up with that. But his "Que n'aprenguin" has made it into history.

It had something to do with Real Madrid, I should think (being these the ones who should learn!) Maybe someone here will remember...

I'd love to find the English rendering for that.


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## ajohan

The son's remark could be "She could talk!", once again meaning "who is she to telll someone not to drink after the amount she drank last time". In Spanish they often say "¡Mira quien ha ido a hablar!" so I suppose (not sure about this) that Catalans also say "Mira qui ha anat a parlar!" Perhaps not but my native intuition makes me quite sure about the "she could talk" bit.


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## ajohan

I mirant a Google, he vist que Laporta va dir allò quan va fitxar a Edgar Davids i l'equip anava fatal. Crec que volia dir alguna cosa com "Let's hope they learn something from him". Una mica llarg, oi?


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## TraductoraPobleSec

ajohan said:


> I mirant a Google, he vist que Laporta va dir allò quan va fitxar a Edgar Davids i l'equip anava fatal. Crec que volia dir alguna cosa com "Let's hope they learn something from him". Una mica llarg, oi?


 
Yes, not as nice as in Catalan: "Que n'aprenguin!" és tan contundent!

Thanks, Ajohan!


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## louhevly

ajohan said:


> The son's remark could be "She could talk!", once again meaning "who is she to telll someone not to drink after the amount she drank last time". In Spanish they often say "¡Mira quien ha ido a hablar!" so I suppose (not sure about this) that Catalans also say "Mira qui ha anat a parlar!" Perhaps not but my native intuition makes me quite sure about the "she could talk" bit.



This must be a difference between BrE and AmE, because "She could talk" makes no sense to me ("Podria parlar"?).  In AmE it would have to be "She should talk" or perhaps "Look who's talking!". But, as you say, this is more in the "pot calling the kettle black" sense, which is not the case I'm interested in.  She doesn't drink at all, or very little, and is taking it upon herself to influence her father to drink less. And her brother is saying something similar to "C'mon, get off your high horse, don't be a wet blanket, moderate your own intake if you like but don't tell us what to do." However, with infinitely more "gràcia" than in English.

Lou


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## ajohan

Yep, that's it. I agree with all that Lou. "You could talk" to me in this context (as a Brit) is the same as "You should talk" or "Look who's talking", but the "podria parlar" bit is just as literal and  strange to a Catalan speaker as "you should talk" (hauries de parlar).
The Spanish have a nice little word for word translation, mind you, for "Look who's talking" with "Mira quien fue a hablar".
And talking about Spanish and this habit people have of thinking everyone is like them, I've always liked the refrain about thieves "El ladrón piensa que todos son de su condición" Any Catalan equivalent anyone? I doubt it somehow because it wouldn't rhyme.


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## ernest_

ajohan said:


> I mirant a Google, he vist que Laporta va dir allò quan va fitxar a Edgar Davids i l'equip anava fatal. Crec que volia dir alguna cosa com "Let's hope they learn something from him". Una mica llarg, oi?



No ben bé. Era un missatge per a la oposició, em sembla. He meant that his enemies (the opposition) should learn from him (the president), he having pulled off such a master stroke. Que n'aprenguin! It is such a display of arrogance that makes it so funny.


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## ampurdan

louhevly said:


> Filla (abans d'un dinar familiar): No beuràs gaire vi, pare, oi que no?
> 
> Fill (adreçant-se al pare): Ha!  Que no begui ella!



Perhaps: SHE's the one who should not drink!


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## megane_wang

Els meus suggeriments:



> Filla (abans d'un dinar familiar): No beuràs gaire vi, pare, oi que no?
> Fill (adreçant-se al pare): Ha! Que no begui ella!


 
Son (to his father): Bah! Tell her to mind her own business!!
or
Son (to his sister): Hey, you'd better mind your own business!!

Pel que fa a la primera frase, estic d'acord amb Ant: 
No m'oposo que vinguin estrangers, però que vinguin a treballar.
"I am not against foreigners coming, as long as they come to work"

*"Que n'aprenguin!!",* pel que fa a en Laporta, és una mostra d'arrogància a la catalana contra la seva oposició o el seu etern rival. Crec que es fa difícil de sintetitzar en altres idiomes ... 

A veure els "natives" i millor angloparlants, com ho veurien així: *"You'd better learn that(, now)!!"*


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## ajohan

Crec que Laporta ho va dir en tercera persona.
Suposo que jo diria alguna cosa com "Let's see if they learn something, then". La part "from that" queda entés i la frase és bastant arrogant.


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## megane_wang

Tens raó, ajohan: en qualsevol cas hauria d'haver estat tercera persona: "They'd better learn that!" 

Gràcies pel suggeriment: "Let's see if they learn something, then" (HA!  )


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