Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
la rebaja del tío Paco
English translation:
too good to last
Added to glossary by
DLyons
May 28, 2014 20:27
10 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term
United States
Specializing in academic translations
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: Spanish to English, Italian to English
la rebaja del tío Paco
Spanish to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
This is from a philosophy book, but the phrase in question is a colloquialism:
Y es entonces, al buscar la coherencia de esas intuiciones primeras, cuando aparece la crítica, que afecta a la fase racional, lógica: es el descubrimiento de escollos, de dificultades. Pero la crítica estaría mal planteada si fuese, por así decir, *la rebaja del tío Paco*, o si se dejara atrapar por el estupor.
The writer is a Spaniard.
Y es entonces, al buscar la coherencia de esas intuiciones primeras, cuando aparece la crítica, que afecta a la fase racional, lógica: es el descubrimiento de escollos, de dificultades. Pero la crítica estaría mal planteada si fuese, por así decir, *la rebaja del tío Paco*, o si se dejara atrapar por el estupor.
The writer is a Spaniard.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | a short-lived wonder |
DLyons
|
| 4 | (if it served merely) to puncture illusions |
Charles Davis
|
Change log
May 29, 2014 22:57: DLyons Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
34 mins
Selected
a short-lived wonder
El conocido dicho castellano hace referencia a que las personas o cosas que en un momento nos parecen singulares o excesivas acaban por volver a su auténtica dimensión. En El porqué de los dichos, José María Iribarren dice que el Tío Paco es un "famoso personaje proverbial, en quien representamos la experiencia, el desencanto y el desengaño".
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Note added at 37 mins (2014-05-28 21:05:17 GMT)
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http://www.fundacionlengua.com/es/ya-vendra-tio-paco-rebaja/...
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Note added at 38 mins (2014-05-28 21:06:35 GMT)
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Con esta expresión indicamos que de lo que se ha dicho o ha ocurrido habrá que descontar o reducir algo, quedándose todo en algo más coherente y realista, en ocasiones de forma no prevista y, por lo tanto, perjudicial para quien lo sufra.
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Note added at 37 mins (2014-05-28 21:05:17 GMT)
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http://www.fundacionlengua.com/es/ya-vendra-tio-paco-rebaja/...
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Note added at 38 mins (2014-05-28 21:06:35 GMT)
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Con esta expresión indicamos que de lo que se ha dicho o ha ocurrido habrá que descontar o reducir algo, quedándose todo en algo más coherente y realista, en ocasiones de forma no prevista y, por lo tanto, perjudicial para quien lo sufra.
2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Gracias por tu respuesta, muy aclaratoria."
1 day 36 mins
(if it served merely) to puncture illusions
There are many variants of this expression, and it's used in a number of ways which will call for different translations, but it's always basically a question of bringing things down to earth. The idea is that "tío Paco" with his "rebaja" points out the drawbacks of something, reducing inflated expectations or valuations, bringing you down to earth with a bump. There an element of cynicism or pessimism about it sometimes, the idea of a reality check.
There's a really excellent page about the expression here; it focuses on Spanish-German, but it really clarifies the meaning and contains many examples:
"Con esta frase se significa que las cosas, en el momento de la verdad, no serán tan buenas y favorables como se imaginaba en un principio y que el tiempo - el tío Paco - las colocará en su verdadero sitio."
http://www.hispanoteca.eu/Foro-preguntas/ARCHIVO-Foro/Tío Pa...
In Collins Dictionary, by the way, "ya vendrá el tío Paco con la rebaja" is translated as "they etc will soon come down to earth with a bump"
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/spanish-english/...
Oxford, on the other hand, gives "this won't last forever" or "it's too good to last"
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/es/traducir/espanol-ingles...
So there are many possibilities. I wondered about "wet blanket", for example. But I think "puncturing illusions" could be a way of expressing the idea in your text. I sense that what it's saying is that criticism makes you conscious of difficulties, it brings you face to face with reality and shows you that things were not as easy and straightforward as they seemed, all of which is good, but it shouldn't just be negative.
So it's not a short-lived wonder; it's a voice that tells you that the wonder will be short lived (so to speak).
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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2014-05-29 22:29:37 GMT) Post-grading
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No problem, Erik (about the points, I mean). But if I may, I'd advise you not to translate this as "a short-lived wonder", because that's not what it means at all.
There's a really excellent page about the expression here; it focuses on Spanish-German, but it really clarifies the meaning and contains many examples:
"Con esta frase se significa que las cosas, en el momento de la verdad, no serán tan buenas y favorables como se imaginaba en un principio y que el tiempo - el tío Paco - las colocará en su verdadero sitio."
http://www.hispanoteca.eu/Foro-preguntas/ARCHIVO-Foro/Tío Pa...
In Collins Dictionary, by the way, "ya vendrá el tío Paco con la rebaja" is translated as "they etc will soon come down to earth with a bump"
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/spanish-english/...
Oxford, on the other hand, gives "this won't last forever" or "it's too good to last"
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/es/traducir/espanol-ingles...
So there are many possibilities. I wondered about "wet blanket", for example. But I think "puncturing illusions" could be a way of expressing the idea in your text. I sense that what it's saying is that criticism makes you conscious of difficulties, it brings you face to face with reality and shows you that things were not as easy and straightforward as they seemed, all of which is good, but it shouldn't just be negative.
So it's not a short-lived wonder; it's a voice that tells you that the wonder will be short lived (so to speak).
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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2014-05-29 22:29:37 GMT) Post-grading
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No problem, Erik (about the points, I mean). But if I may, I'd advise you not to translate this as "a short-lived wonder", because that's not what it means at all.
Note from asker:
| Sorry about not giving you any points, I was trying to divide the 4 points between you and another answered, since both entries were helpful. Unfortunately Proz won't let me divide points between two answerers. |
Reference comments
30 mins
Reference:
It's from Enrique Gaspar, but I'm not sure what the significance is.
¿Qué oigo? ¡Pobre don Silvestre!
Señora, eso no es ser justo;
ya que sólo hacen un busto,
que le hagan un busto ecuestre.
(Como hablando con el difunto.)
Al principio va lo ves,
te querían sobre un jaco;
pero vino el tío Paco
con la rebaja después.
¿Qué oigo? ¡Pobre don Silvestre!
Señora, eso no es ser justo;
ya que sólo hacen un busto,
que le hagan un busto ecuestre.
(Como hablando con el difunto.)
Al principio va lo ves,
te querían sobre un jaco;
pero vino el tío Paco
con la rebaja después.
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