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Glossary entry

español term or phrase:

si la Guaira es lejos, es porque ya he ido

inglés translation:

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

Added to glossary by Mauricio Martinez
Nov 16, 2020 21:10
3 yrs ago
34 viewers *
español term

si la Guaira es lejos, es porque ya he ido

español al inglés Arte/Literatura Folklore
Estoy traduciendo un libro lleno de refranes en donde aparece esto que usamos mucho en Venezuela para decir que si "digo que esto es así, es porque tengo evidencia". La Guaira es una ciudad costera a 1 hora de Caracas y los caraqueños la utilizamos mucho en este sentido. Ahora, quisiera conocer la opinión de ustedes con mis propuestas y, si tienen una propuesta más exacta, pues bienvenida sea. Trato de buscar un equivalente en inglés a modo de refrán que sea comprensible y que no deje al lector más confundido. Pensé en colocar a modo más general "if I say China is far, is because I have been there", o también parafraseando otro dicho venezolano / colombiano que reza "If I say the donkey is black is because I have its hairs in my hand", pero creo que esta opción podría ser igualmente confusa y no transmitirá la idea directamente.

¡Agradezco de antemano sus contribuciones!
Proposed translations (inglés)
4 +3 If I say so, it's because I've already been there
3 +4 If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.
4 +3 and I know my onions
5 +1 Been there, done that, got the t-shirt
4 If La Guaira seems far away, it's because I've already been there.
Change log

Nov 21, 2020 10:20: Mauricio Martinez Created KOG entry

Discussion

Mauricio Martinez (asker) Nov 21, 2020:
Hello! It is a book written by a Venezuelan that tells her stories since childhood, and she uses this expression which doesn't need too much context, it is very clear and it has been well answered by the the kind contributors.
philgoddard Nov 17, 2020:
Mauricio Help us out! :-) What does your text say?
Carol Gullidge Nov 16, 2020:
I just assumed that "refranes" indicated sayings or quotes that sound idiomatic...
philgoddard Nov 16, 2020:
Could it mean "I know what I'm talking about"? ¿Y cómo sabes tú que La Guaira es lejos?
La Guaira es una ciudad de Venezuela, cercana a Caracas. Aunque actualmente hay vías de comunicación, antes solo había una carretera difícil de transitar. Cuando te hagan esta pregunta, lo que en realidad quieren saber es cómo puedes dar muchos detalles de un sitio o de algo que supuestamente no conoces. O quizás no quieran saberlo… sino solo informarte que no confían mucho en tu opinión.
http://matadornetwork.com/es/frases-que-los-venezolanos-siem...
philgoddard Nov 16, 2020:
Yes I'm not totally sure what "un libro lleno de refranes" is.
Carol Gullidge Nov 16, 2020:
@Phil Good point, although “a modo de refrán” might suggest otherwise - at least, this is what I was working on!
philgoddard Nov 16, 2020:
If this is just a list of sayings, it should be left in Spanish with a fairly literal translation, and then followed by an explanation. Is that the case?

Proposed translations

+3
1 hora
Selected

If I say so, it's because I've already been there

"Been there" doesn't have to be a physical place. See the song: "Been there; done that!" and the following definition:

been there, done that - Urban Dictionarywww.urbandictionary.com › define › term=been there, ...
An expression used to say that one has been in the situation or experienced that which another is talking about. It is usually a negative scenario that is being ...

I think this solution fully captures your explanation of the idiom without going too far fetched--which I understand was your concern.
Peer comment(s):
agree Carol Gullidge : yes, or possibly even (and along the same lines) "...already been down that road"
43 minutos
Thanks, Carol! I love your added piece. Very nice.
agree Jacqueline Lamb
10 horas
Thank you, Jacqueline!
agree Michele Fauble
20 horas
Thank you, Michele!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Excellent, Muriel. This fully captures the idea without making it too complicated for the reader. Thank you for the suggestion!"
4 minutos

If La Guaira seems far away, it's because I've already been there.

I see nothing wrong with translating it literally, to get across the idea.
Note from asker:
Thank you very much for the suggestion!
Something went wrong...
+4
37 minutos

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

A well-known and fairly self-explanatory English idiom, conveying a similar idea: it IS a duck, because all the evidence points to this...
Note from asker:
Thank you, Carol! This is a very useful option for this context that I will keep in mind. Maybe a little bit long for putting it in the book but definitely helpful to keep it in the glossary.
Peer comment(s):
agree David Hollywood : nice
6 horas
thanks, David!
agree Natalia Pedrosa
10 horas
thanks Natalia!
agree Shilpa Baliga : Nice, but a bit long?
12 horas
thanks Shilpa! Yes, I'd have preferred a shorter quote, but there is usually some translation loss with metaphors, etc, and one has to prioritise. Perhaps "Facts is facts' would be better, possibly from Dickens, but I can't find any proof!
agree Haleigh Lecklitner : I agree with this statement, this is a very famous saying in English.
19 horas
Many thanks, Haleigh!
Something went wrong...
+3
7 horas

and I know my onions

idiomatic rendering

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Note added at 7 hrs (2020-11-17 04:25:45 GMT)
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What's the meaning of the phrase 'Know your onions'?. To be experienced in or knowledgeable about a subject.

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Note added at 7 hrs (2020-11-17 04:27:07 GMT)
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and you could add "on that score"

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Note added at 7 hrs (2020-11-17 04:27:42 GMT)
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meaning "in that regard"

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Note added at 7 hrs (2020-11-17 04:41:35 GMT)
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depends on how idiomatic you want to be in this context
Note from asker:
Thank you very much, David! This option would work well in this context too.
Peer comment(s):
agree Jacqueline Lamb
3 horas
thanks Jacqueline
agree Shilpa Baliga : Nice!
6 horas
thanks Shilpa
agree Carol Gullidge : ye, i.e., "I know what I'm talking about"
8 horas
thanks Carol
Something went wrong...
+1
11 horas
español term (edited): Si la si la Guaira es lejos, es porque ya he idoGuaira es lejos, es porque ya he ido

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

This means that a person knows something from personal experience
Example sentence:

It isn´t easy to bring up five children on a very small income

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

Note from asker:
This is actually a very accurate idiomatic expression which I did not come across in my head before for unexplainable reasons. Very evident. Thank you very much for your suggestion.
Peer comment(s):
agree Aída Pacheco
11 horas
Something went wrong...