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con el pan bajo el brazo

English translation: to stand on their own two feet, to bring home the bacon

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:(llegar) con el pan bajo el brazo
English translation:to stand on their own two feet, to bring home the bacon
Entered by: María Teresa Taylor Oliver

20:50 Apr 3, 2019
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Spanish term or phrase: con el pan bajo el brazo
I'm translating a newspaper article from El Salvador about the recent announcement made by the US Government that it will cut the economic aid it sends to the Northern Triangle countries (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala).

And I'm stumped by the meaning of this phrase in this particular context. I know the usual equivalent of "nacer con el pan bajo el brazo" is "to be born with a silver spoon" but that would be the opposite of this situation, no? Since the article is talking about people fleeing from violence in their country and migrating to the US looking to have a better life... And it points out that these migrants are hard-working and contribute to the US economy.

Thanks in advance!

"Que salvadoreños bien nacidos entren o intenten entrar a Estados Unidos no debe tomarse como una agresión, sino como la consecuencia de guerras y desórdenes de los que el país no ha podido reponerse. Para el caso, la violencia y toma de territorios por pandilleros en el interior del país sólo se explica por la supresión de un cuerpo especializado como fue la Guardia Nacional.

Los salvadoreños que escapan de la violencia son personas trabajadoras, responsables y amigables, que **** literalmente llegan con el pan bajo su brazo, **** que no le quitan nada a nadie y que, por el contrario, agregan al bienestar general."
María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Panama
Local time: 23:12
stand on their own feet
Explanation:
valerse por sí mismo

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-04-03 21:53:34 GMT)
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Entiendo que quiere decir que los salvadoreños nos caracterizamos por saber defendernos y salir adelante frente a toda circunstancia adversa.

"Salvadoreños bien nacidos" puede interpretarse como: "salvadoreños bienintencionados".

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-04-03 22:04:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...who can literally stand on their own feet...
Selected response from:

Wilsonn Perez Reyes
El Salvador
Local time: 22:12
Grading comment
Thanks very much, everyone, for your contributions.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3stand on their own feet
Wilsonn Perez Reyes


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
stand on their own feet


Explanation:
valerse por sí mismo

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2019-04-03 21:53:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Entiendo que quiere decir que los salvadoreños nos caracterizamos por saber defendernos y salir adelante frente a toda circunstancia adversa.

"Salvadoreños bien nacidos" puede interpretarse como: "salvadoreños bienintencionados".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2019-04-03 22:04:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...who can literally stand on their own feet...

Wilsonn Perez Reyes
El Salvador
Local time: 22:12
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thanks very much, everyone, for your contributions.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Thomas Walker: I agree that "stand on their own feet" is a good English equivalent for "llegan con el pan bajo su brazo". But in the ST here, the phrase is preceded by the word "literalmente". Maybe it should be "literally arrived with their food under their arms"?
1 hr
agree  Andy Watkinson: I believe the author is merely using "literally" as an intensifier (even accepted as such by the OED if I'm not mistaken).
4 hrs
agree  neilmac: This work nicely in the context IMHO.
10 hrs
agree  Amy Moreno: I think this is a neat way to convey the message.
19 hrs
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