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chto tam dumat' to

English translation: i mean, duh! or what's the mystery here?

17:55 Mar 4, 2004
Russian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Russian term or phrase: chto tam dumat' to
A drug user is asked why people like him get hepatitis C.
He replies:
Nu kak pochemu, nu zagoniaesh sebe v venu, chto tam dymat' to, on zhe ochishchaetsia cherez pechen'

I don't understand how 'chto tam dumat' to' is being used here.
Emily Justice
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:37
English translation:i mean, duh! or what's the mystery here?
Explanation:
Most likely, the meaning is that it's a no-brainer, nothing to scratch your head about. You don't have to be Einstein etc. He is saying that it's self-explanatory, obvious enough.
Why? Well... er... You shoot it up your vein and... I mean, duh! It goes through your liver, doesn't it?
Selected response from:

digkam
Local time: 06:37
Grading comment
Thanks for all answers and comments.
This answer works particulary well. It is to the point and very colloquial.
I also found Kirill's explanation particularly helpful.
In any case thanks to everyone for taking the time to help me. Much appreciated as always!
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7it is n wonder
Сергей Лузан
5 +4i mean, duh! or what's the mystery here?
digkam
3 +5it's obvious, everything is clear
Kirill Semenov
4 +2Nothing Complicated About It
Shog Imas
4just like that, or ... and that's it
Max Sher
5 -2literally: there is nothing to think about there
Galina Blankenship
3nothing to ponder over
George Vardanyan


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
just like that, or ... and that's it


Explanation:
actual meaning: the answer is very easy: u shoot it up your vein and that's it, it goes through your liver

Max Sher
Germany
Local time: 05:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
it is n wonder


Explanation:
'it is little (small) wonder' is implied here, just used conversationally. Good luck, russiaconnect!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-03-04 19:58:41 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

TYPO, SORRY - it is nO wonder, OF COURSE. My fault.

Сергей Лузан
Russian Federation
Local time: 06:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexandra Rusakevich: no wonder.
14 mins
  -> Thank you for your opinion, Alexandra Rusakevich!
agree  digkam
21 mins
  ->  Thank you, digkam!
agree  Galina Blankenship: along with all others
38 mins
  -> Thank you , Galina Blankenship! In fact, I thought about your version as well & was almost to type it, just wanted to express the idea more idiomatically. It hardly deserves such a strong criticism. I find just the explanations a bit doubtful.
agree  kire (X): no wonder
1 hr
  -> Thank you for yor correction & opinion, kire! Mea culpa
agree  Dorene Cornwell
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Dorene Cornwell!
agree  Alex Zelkind (X)
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, Alex Zelkind!
agree  Alexandra Tussing
9 hrs
  -> Thank you, Alexandra Tussing!
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -2
literally: there is nothing to think about there


Explanation:
meaning "I shoot it thru vein not caring about anything (not thinking much about it) because (I know that) it gets cleansed thru liver..."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-03-04 19:16:15 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the meaning clearly depends on who the interviewee speaks about, who he implies, who he addresses to
1. if he implies the listener then he means \"come on, it is clear, don\'t you get it, there is nothing uncomprehensible about it...
2. but if he implies himself, telling about his own experience, then one can understand it as \" I don\'t think much about it...\"

to Alexandra
I guess, we all know that language, especially colloquial language, is the kingdom of ambiguity. If would be a very healthy approach, I think, for all of us to look at things from different points of view. Helps a better mental digestion, you know...

Galina Blankenship
United States
Local time: 20:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Alexandra Rusakevich: "literally: there is nothing to think about there" - this is correct. But the whole senctence is wrong.
10 mins
  -> что там думать-то!=я не думаю много, я сильно не задумываюсь (о возможных последствиях таких, как Hepatitis C), потому как я думаю (ошибочно, конечно), что он (наркотик) выйдет через печень... What is wrong here?
disagree  digkam: I have to disagree with variant 2. In my mind, if he meant "you don't usually think much" he'd likely say sth like разве об этом думаешь, когда... And experience shows long-time substance abusers are very knowledgeable about their stuff. Just an opinion
1 hr
  -> thank you, but by "I don't think much" I meant "I don't care". I would expect long-term abusers not to care much despite their knowledge... Just an opinion...:)))
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27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
it's obvious, everything is clear


Explanation:
The drug user means this is quite a stupid question, it's all too obvious and clear: since the drug goes through blood, it's liver which suffers most of all, that's why the risk of hepatitis. You may just put the two parts of the sentence in a different order:

"что там думать (очевидно, и так понятно) -- загоняешь в вену, он же проходит (очищается) через печень".

Kirill Semenov
Ukraine
Local time: 06:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 66

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexandra Rusakevich
1 min
  -> спасибо :)
agree  Andrey Belousov (X)
7 mins
  -> спасибо :)
agree  Galina Blankenship: this is one the meanings
20 mins
  -> спасибо :)
agree  Alexandra Tussing
9 hrs
  -> спасибо :)
agree  Olga Judina
14 hrs
  -> спасибо :)
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28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Nothing Complicated About It


Explanation:
Nothing Complicated

Shog Imas
Canada
Local time: 23:37
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Galina Blankenship
52 mins
agree  Alexandra Tussing
9 hrs
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
i mean, duh! or what's the mystery here?


Explanation:
Most likely, the meaning is that it's a no-brainer, nothing to scratch your head about. You don't have to be Einstein etc. He is saying that it's self-explanatory, obvious enough.
Why? Well... er... You shoot it up your vein and... I mean, duh! It goes through your liver, doesn't it?

digkam
Local time: 06:37
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
Grading comment
Thanks for all answers and comments.
This answer works particulary well. It is to the point and very colloquial.
I also found Kirill's explanation particularly helpful.
In any case thanks to everyone for taking the time to help me. Much appreciated as always!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Galina Blankenship: this is a good one too
13 mins
agree  kire (X): no-brainer, indeed :)
47 mins
agree  Dorene Cornwell: Duh! What do you think?
6 hrs
agree  Alexandra Tussing
9 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
nothing to ponder over


Explanation:
Nothing to ponder over? ... with his job... and why is jeremy london such a crappy actor???

Thoughts to ponder over... "The world is a looking glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. ... Richard Bach



    Reference: http://www.viewaskew.com/newboard/messages204/432.html
    Reference: http://elenann.euro.ru/eng/Nuggets/deep_thoughts.htm
George Vardanyan
Local time: 05:37
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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