# If anything



## Petradakia

Come si dice "if anything" in italiano?

L'esempio e':

I've had too much to drink? If anything I've had to much to eat!

Grazie!


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## MünchnerFax

_Semmai.
_
_Ho bevuto troppo? Semmai ho mangiato troppo!_


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## Petradakia

Funziona lo stesso nel seguente modo:

Le assomiglio? Semmai lei assomiglia a me!


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## MünchnerFax

Certo. Eventualmente si può modificare la costruzione della frase italiana per renderla più incisiva:

_Semmai è lei che assomiglia a me!
Semmai è lei ad assomigliare a me!
_


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## raffavita

Ciao a tutti,


Riapro il thread perché ho un problema simile, ma non uguale.

Una tipa dice:

"I admit that I'm not the most book-learned person in the world, but *if anything*, I had good instincts."


Secondo me qui, "semmai" non ci azzecca proprio.

Vuol dire altro???
Grazie mille a tutti.

 Raffuzza

EDIT: "ma quanto meno"????


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## TimLA

...not the most book-learned person in the world, but at least, I had good instincts.
...not the most book-learned person in the world, but if anything is true, I had good instincts.

almeno? per lo meno?


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## underhouse

Se non altro?


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## raffavita

Ciao Super Tim!!

Could it be "ma di sicuro" avevo un buon istinto??

I'm also puzzled by the shift of tenses!

Present in the first, past in the second. How come???

I would have agreed had it been "but I've always had (up to now), but this way, I find it pretty misleading.


Grazieeeeee!!


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## Shootingsp

I would say "se non altro"


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## raffavita

"Ma se non altro".

Perfect!

Grazie mille ragazzi!
Vi amo!


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## Shootingsp

Magari non mi amerai, MA SE NON ALTRO sono stato utile


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## Zainyx

Greetings fellow forumites,

I'm trying to translate the phrase "  If anything, it’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the falling US dollar currency!" into Italian.

The bit that I'm finding tricky is the "if anything" part: I can't think of an equivalent Italian expression. I know I could use other phrases like "è senz'altro il periodo migliore per...", but I wondered if there was anything closer to the original meaning.

Thanks!


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## Citrinette

I'm not sure it fits properly, you might want to wait for a mother-tongue Italian, but what about "se mai..."?


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## Marco3

Zainyx said:


> Greetings fellow forumites,
> 
> I'm trying to translate the phrase _"_ _If anything, it’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the falling US dollar currency!" _into Italian.
> 
> The bit that I'm finding tricky is the _"if anything" _part: I can't think of an equivalent Italian expression. I know I could use other phrases like _"__è __senz'altro il periodo migliore per..."_, but I wondered if there was anything closer to the original meaning.
> 
> Thanks!


Hi!! You might translate if anithing with "almeno".
"Almeno, è senzaltro il periodo migliore per....."
Or 
"Dopotutto, è senzaltro il periodo migliore per....

I hope it hepled.


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## coeurdenids

Do you mean, *semmai*, Citrinette?

Or else, *in ogni caso*


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## Citrinette

coeurdenids said:


> Do you mean, *semmai*, Citrinette?
> 
> Or else, *in ogni caso*



Ahh yes, I did, I didn't know it was spelled all together!  thanks!

Would that work in this context?


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## Marco3

coeurdenids said:


> Do you mean, *semmai*, Citrinette?
> 
> Or else, *in ogni caso*


Semmai doesn't fit, in ogni caso seems quite good.


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## Zainyx

Thanks for the help guys, in the absence of an exact equivalent I think I'll go with 'in ogni caso'.


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## Marco3

Zainyx said:


> Thanks for the help guys, in the absence of an exact equivalent I think I'll go with 'in ogni caso'.


Even though i believe the best way is "almeno".


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## Zainyx

You sure Marco? I thought 'almeno' might give the impression that, despite other negative factors, it's the best time to take advantage of the falling dollar. The original is trying to say that this is the case among other advantages. Would 'almeno' still fit?

Some added context, in case it helps:

_Now, more than ever, the United States government is pushing a great deal of money and resources into increasing tourism and tourist attractions within Newark by offering packages. If anything, it’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the falling US dollar currency!_


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## GavinW

Marco3 said:


> Semmai doesn't fit, in ogni caso seems quite good.


 
Sorry, Marco, semmai does fit. I actually see no justification (myself...) for your suggestion (in ogni caso).

The difficulty here is that "If anything,..." refers explicitly to the preceding _context _(my italics...!). But we don't have it. Still, I'm sure if it was supplied (maybe you can help us here, Zainyx...), then I know that everyone would have no difficulty in seeing that "if anything" fits perfectly.
;-)


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## Zainyx

Ok GavinW, here's the whole paragraph:

_Today, more than ever, is the chance of a lifetime to visit the great locations of the United States. As cheap flight tickets become more readily available, the best times to take advantage of visiting a location are during times of economic crisis. Now, more than ever, the United States government is pushing a great deal of money and resources into increasing tourism and tourist attractions within Newark by offering packages. If anything, it’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the falling US dollar currency!

_The more I look at it, the more I start to think that something like "senz'altro" really is the best phrase to substitute. To be honest, I don't think the English is that great; I personally wouldn't have used "if anything" there. Maybe "if nothing else" would have been better, in which case "se non altro" might be an adequate translation (or indeed "semmai"). Not sure though - to be honest, I'm starting to reach the brain burn-out phase from staring at this document too long...


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## Marco3

Zainyx said:


> Ok GavinW, here's the whole paragraph:
> 
> _Today, more than ever, is the chance of a lifetime to visit the great locations of the United States. As cheap flight tickets become more readily available, the best times to take advantage of visiting a location are during times of economic crisis. Now, more than ever, the United States government is pushing a great deal of money and resources into increasing tourism and tourist attractions within Newark by offering packages. If anything, it’s also an ideal time to take advantage of the falling US dollar currency!
> 
> _The more I look at it, the more I start to think that something like "senz'altro" really is the best phrase to substitute. To be honest, I don't think the English is that great; I personally wouldn't have used "if anything" there. Maybe "if nothing else" would have been better, in which case "se non altro" might be an adequate translation (or indeed "semmai"). Not sure though - to be honest, I'm starting to reach the brain burn-out phase from staring at this document too long...


Yeah now reading the whole article i realized the almeno doesn0t fit well, or at least there are other better ways to translate it. 
Maybe semmai might be a good choice, but reading the whole context i'd vote for "piu che altro".

"piu che altro , è anche il tempo ideale per..."


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## GavinW

Third time lucky, I hope.... I keep getting automatically logged out! I've written 2 unsuccessful answers, here's a summary:

"If anything" = (in this context) "E proprio vero,..." etc


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## Zainyx

Cool, glad I got prompted for the fuller context. Thanks for the help everyone!


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## coeurdenids

If anything actually has little meaning and is badly used here. It doesn't support what went before it or what follows it. Something like "as well" or "in addition" would have sufficed, for what it's worth. I also noticed "more than ever" was used twice, which is really tacky.


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## Zainyx

Couldn't agree more, coeurdenids. It doesn't seem worth translating it literally in this context, so I think I'll go for "senz'altro" or "più che altro".


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## giacinta

I think "if anything" in this context means " Apart from any other consideration" or " all other considerations apart"
So maybe "aparte altre considerazioni" o "oltre (ad) altre considerazioni" ????

Giacinta


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## rubuk

An so, after all, why not using "se non altro, è anche il momento più adatto... etc". Or, instead: "non fosse altro, è anche il momento più adatto... etc"

St.


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## runningman

*Se non altro* secondo me è il perfetto equivalente italiano.


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## kik77

hi there!
may i suggest "inoltre"??


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## L'equilibrista

I put my 2 cents for "se non altro".


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## Zainyx

Thanks for the help everyone! I ended up going with "senz'altro" in this case because, even in English, the phrase "if anything" seemed out of place in this context.

You're right though, I think "se non altro" would be the best literal equivalent, which was after all my original question.


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## Danieloid

coeurdenids said:


> Do you mean, *semmai*, Citrinette?


It probably doesn't fit here, but _se mai_ is perfect Italian!


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## effeundici

runningman said:


> *Se non altro* secondo me è il perfetto equivalente italiano.


 
Concordo!


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## Odysseus54

In ritardo, ma anche per me "se non altro" e' la traduzione migliore


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## Citrinette

what's the difference between semmai and se mai?


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## Odysseus54

Stylistic preference, I believe.  Semmai being slightly more 'literary'.


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## Citrinette

Gotcha! Thanks!


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## effeundici

Odysseus54 said:


> Stylistic preference, I believe. Semmai being slightly more 'literary'.


 
I'm sorry but I have to disagree

_Semmai ci vedremo in futuro ==> In case, we will meet in the future_

_Se mai ci vedremo in futuro ==> If we never meet in the future_


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## Odysseus54

effeundici said:


> I'm sorry but I have to disagree
> 
> _Semmai ci vedremo in futuro ==> In case, we will meet in the future_
> 
> _Se mai ci vedremo in futuro ==> If we never meet in the future_




Giusto - ma qui stai usando "se mai" as "if ever".  E' un'altra espressione, diversa da se mai = semmai, es.

" Se mai, ci vediamo domani " = "Semmai, ci vediamo domani" = " Eventualmente, ci vediamo domani".

D'accordo ?


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## effeundici

Odysseus54 said:


> Giusto - ma qui stai usando "se mai" as "if ever". E' un'altra espressione, diversa da se mai = semmai, es.
> 
> " Se mai, ci vediamo domani " = "Semmai, ci vediamo domani" = " Eventualmente, ci vediamo domani".
> 
> D'accordo ?


 
mmmhh, direi di no;ho il sospetto che tu abbia sempre detto _semmai _pensando di scriverlo _se mai. _Per me _se mai _vuol dire solo _if ever._

Potremmo aprire un thread nelforum solo Italiano.


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## federicoft

_Semmai_ si può benissimo scrivere _se mai_, come la maggior parte delle congiuzioni composte.
È meno comune di altre, forse a causa del raddoppiamento fonosintattico, ma _nevertheless_ si può!


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## effeundici

federicoft said:


> _Semmai_ si può benissimo scrivere _se mai_, come la maggior parte delle congiuzioni composte.
> È meno comune di altre, forse a causa del raddoppiamento fonosintattico, ma _nevertheless_ si può!


 
Hai qualche fonte?

A orecchio direi che quando è sinonimo di _casomai _si scrive _semmai. _Però magari è soltanto il mio idioletto.


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## federicoft

effeundici said:


> Hai qualche fonte?



Un qualsiasi vocabolario ad esempio. 

*semmai*
o se mai, _cong_. nel caso che, qualora (con valore ipotetico, introduce un verbo al congiunt.): _semmai tu non potessi venire, avvisami _

(Garzanti)


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## Odysseus54

effeundici said:


> Hai qualche fonte?
> 
> A orecchio direi che quando è sinonimo di _casomai _si scrive _semmai. _Però magari è soltanto il mio idioletto.



Qui ho trovato una citazione da Sciascia :

" Se mai, uno dei due, il capo dei vecchi o il capo dei giovani, cadra dopo il patto, dopo la pacificazione: nel succhio dell' amicizia. "

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=587335


Mi prendi un po' di contropiede - per me e' pacifico che semmai si puo' scrivere anche come "se mai" .  Credo che sia una espressione ellittica che sottintende qualcosa come "se mai accadesse" - penso che prima viene "se mai", e poi "semmai" come evoluzione eufonica.


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## effeundici

Bene, ho imparato una cosa nuova anche se scrivendola staccata secondo me si presta ad equivoci.

Tipo, appunto: *se mai ci vedremo in futuro*


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