# servidor para valuar la propuesta



## tomstaph

Hay alguien que me pueda ayudar en traducir la frase siguiente en ingles?

"Hemos tenido una reunión los directivos de la empresa y un servidor para valuar la propuesta

Particularly, where the use of the word "servidor" comes into play.

Thanks!

Tom


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## Gudiz

La verdad no puedo entender en este contexto a que se refiere con la palabra servidor, por que en este caso parece referirse a una persona. Tal vez si das el pais donde lo escuchaste alguien de ese pais te pueda ayudar.


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## tomstaph

Es de un cliente en México


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## K-Milla

Hello!

Yes, "servidor" means a person in this case. 

"Hemos tenido una reunión los directivos de la empresa y un servidor para valuar la propuesta"
"We had a meeting, the company managers/directors and me...."


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## Eye in the Sky

tomstaph said:


> Hay alguien que me pueda ayudar en traducir la frase siguiente en ingles?
> 
> "Hemos tenido una reunión los directivos de la empresa y un servidor para valuar la propuesta
> 
> Tom



When they say "y este servidor" (this servant), it means "me", but "un servidor"... is very ambiguous. It doesn't say "servidor público", either.  Maybe it could be understood as "un servidor de la compañía", so that would be a meeting between the company's directors and a company officer (or official).


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## tomstaph

So servidor means "me?"  I've never heard that before!  Is that common?  Is that only in Mexico?


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## tomstaph

What does "servidor publico" mean?  This is very interesting to me.  Is is a title of respect for someone else?  Like I am "serving" you.


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## stranger_08

No será:

"Hemos tenido una reunión los directivos de la empresa y *su* servidor para *e*valuar la propuesta."

In that case, "su servidor" would refer to oneself, meaning "your humble servant."


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## loladamore

_Servidor_ means "me" in this kind of context. The first part of the sentence means "I met with with the bosses/executives" (we had a meeting the management and I).
Sometimes it gets translated as "your truly". 
There are other threads on _servidor_ and _su servidor_ with this meaning. Why don't you have a look at some of them?


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## K-Milla

Ok.. I don't know if I could explain that properly, but I'll do my best.

"...estabamos en la mesa mi hermana, su novio, Pepe y su servidor"
"...we were at the table my sister, her boyfriend, Pepe and me"

"Actualmente estoy trabajando como *servidor público*" = "Estoy trabajando para el *gobierno*"


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## tomstaph

I will.  I guess I would have understood our client better had he used "su" instead of "un."  Why did he use "un?"


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## Metztli

Yes, this is a very Mexican expression and comes all the way back from the Colonial times.

For some strange reason, it is believed that saying "The director and me" is inappropriate and rude... or saying "My name is Ana" is not polite unless it goes with the "su servidora".

It is, whenever you are talking about you, you never say me, I, myself, but "un servidor", "una servidora" and it always refers to the person speaking, the very polite person speaking. 

It does not mean "your servant" but more something like "at your service"... in Mexico it's so common we don't even notice it anymore.

Tu servidora hopes it helps!


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## Lyapunov

Tomstaph, in Spain we would use the same expression. You can say "un servidor" as well, it's a more devious way to express "myself".


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## Metztli

tomstaph said:


> I will. I guess I would have understood our client better had he used "su" instead of "un." Why did he use "un?"


 
It is not necessary to use "su servidor", actually "un servidor" is more common. There's no rule about what to use and when. 

At the end it's the same and makes no difference... both forms are ridiculous and archaic... I don't know why we keep on using them. I use it all the time


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## tomstaph

This really is fascinating since no one would dream of referring to themselves as "your humble servant," or "yours truly" in an American business setting where equality and informality are the norm.  I'm glad I learned this now because many of our clients are Mexican.  Thanks for all your help!


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## Metztli

tomstaph said:


> This really is fascinating since no one would dream of referring to themselves as "your humble servant," or "yours truly" in an American business setting where equality and informality are the norm. I'm glad I learned this now because many of our clients are Mexican. Thanks for all your help!


 
Let me tell you something, if your clients are Mexican executives, please keep in mind they don't take any informality in business... (the smaller the firm the more formal they act, funny, right?) So, if you want to make them "happy" use expressions as "it's my pleasure", "I do appreciate your kindness".

There's no translation to English for "su servidor", you don't have to worry about using it, but make sure you say "thank you" (gracias) when the other person uses it in front of you.

And remember, if they are talking about the house where they live, they will say "su casa" as in "my house is your house", ok? It's very confusing for foreigners to hear that in a conversations, but it's very common and "polite".

Hope it helps!


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## tomstaph

That's VERY good to know and I appreciate that cultural insight.  
Actually, this particular firm is the largest within its industry for all of Latin America - so generally-speaking, they are huge.  An Argentine co-worker here did say that Mexicans are known for their formalities throughout Latin America.  Again, very interesting and very helpful.


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## Fernando

As said before, it is also used in Spain, though it is (slightly) old-fashioned and alternatively, very formal or used for kidding.

Anyhow, many times it is considered rude to say "me" and substitued by:

- Un servidor = Your servant
- Su seguro servidor = Your trustful servant. This is completely old-fashioned.
- "nosotros" = "we"/"us" (even when it is clear it is only one person).
- "el que suscribe" = "the person who signs before" (used in documents).


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## cmongeoro

tomspah, I'm guessing you're young. If you weren't you would know that it was not that long ago that US english had the expression your humble servant. Things are more informal in the US now than in most places, but don't forget that where most of the world is now is where the US was, no more than fifty or so years ago.


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## Fernando

In this particular point, I would like US would be in fifty years where "most of the world" is now (or, sadly more precise) where most of the world was 20 years ago.


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## Eye in the Sky

If you say "un servidor" here, it's hard to understand. The expression here is "este servidor" (this humble servant).


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## tomstaph

Yes. From what I understand, these formalities have long since gone out of style.  Before it was very different.


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## cmongeoro

I think I get what you mean. But the world can not go backward peacefully. It would be better for the US to wait for the rest of the world the catch up in a sustainable manner. Let's hope we don't turn the world into a dust bin by then.


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## Metztli

cmongeoro said:


> It would be better for the US to wait for the rest of the world the catch up in a sustainable manner.


!

The rest of the world?

That's a little pretentious, isn't it?

It may be the rest of America and some other countries, but believe me there are many European countries ahead of the US in many different aspects. We need to catch up with them, and we better hurry!


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## Aponte

Hi! Just to say that in Barcelone where I live if you go to a shop and you ask who is the last one( I don't know to say that in english :-(  ) if a person who anwer you is ...hummmm....about 70 or 80 years of age, and women (curios eh? , but I have just listened that by women)  they usually say "servidora" 
I guess that was very common years ago. 
"that's the humble opinion of a "servidora"


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## K-Milla

Yeah! That's right. I agree with Meztli and Aponte.

My dad and mum said "su servidor/a" but I just can't... very old fashionable for me I'm afraid.


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## Idiomático

tomstaph said:


> Hay alguien que me pueda ayudar en traducir la frase siguiente en ingles?
> 
> "Hemos tenido una reunión los directivos de la empresa y un servidor para valuar la propuesta
> 
> Particularly, where the use of the word "servidor" comes into play.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Tom


 
A meeting was held between the company executives and _yours truly_ for the purpose of evaluating the proposal


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## Metztli

Idiomático said:


> A meeting was held between the company executives and _yours truly_ for the purpose of evaluating the proposal


 
I'm sorry Idiomatico, but in this case you're not totally right. 
As you can see in the above posts, "servidor" in this context means "myself".


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## Idiomático

Metztli said:


> I'm sorry Idiomatico, but in this case you're not totally right.
> As you can see in the above posts, "servidor" in this context means "myself".


 
Yes, Metztli, _myself_ is exactly what _yours truly_ means when used colloquially.


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## Fernando

Thank you, Idiomático. I was fully unaware of that expression.


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## loladamore

Idiomático said:


> Yes, Metztli, _myself_ is exactly what _yours truly_ means when used colloquially.


Exactly. Did anyone read this 20 posts ago? A lot of what is being said has already been said in other threads. Have a look at some of these (the ones that aren't to do with computers or government officials), for example, de un servidor.

Saludos.


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## Metztli

Idiomático said:


> Yes, Metztli, _myself_ is exactly what _yours truly_ means when used colloquially.


 
Thanks a lot idiomatico and sorry about the correction, my bad!
I didn't know either... 

Then it is "correct" to say, "The board of directors and yours truly were in a meeting". Am I right?


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