se dice hacer X pero en realidad se hace algo diferente

English translation: one says one's doing X but in reality one's doing something different

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:se dice hacer X pero en realidad se hace algo diferente
English translation:one says one's doing X but in reality one's doing something different
Entered by: Bubo Coroman (X)

08:12 Dec 14, 2007
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Science - Science (general) / bioX
Spanish term or phrase: se dice hacer X pero en realidad se hace algo diferente
(...). Sin embargo, a veces se dice estar estudiando X cuando en realidad se está estudiando un sistema bien diferente.

¿Cómo se traduce esto?

Gracias
luchito
one says one's doing X but in reality one's doing something different
Explanation:
or in the example given:

"sometimes one says one's studying X when in reality one's studying a quite different system"
Selected response from:

Bubo Coroman (X)
Grading comment
Exacta, concreta y atinada respuesta.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1studing one thing, when you are ....... something different...
disatexsl
5(you/they) are allegedly studying X when (you/they) are actually doing something different
Sandra Rodriguez
4one says one's doing X but in reality one's doing something different
Bubo Coroman (X)
4however, at times one may claim to be studying one thing when in fact something entirely different..
Lydia De Jorge
3one says one's / you say you're / they say they're doing X when actually doing something different
Donald Scott Alexander


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
(you/they) are allegedly studying X when (you/they) are actually doing something different


Explanation:
Una forma de decirlo.

Sandra Rodriguez
Puerto Rico
Local time: 13:32
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
one says one's doing X but in reality one's doing something different


Explanation:
or in the example given:

"sometimes one says one's studying X when in reality one's studying a quite different system"

Bubo Coroman (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Exacta, concreta y atinada respuesta.
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
studing one thing, when you are ....... something different...


Explanation:
supongo que se podrá decir de mil maneras, todo depende del estilo que estés dando al texto... es cuetión de algo de imaginación

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Note added at 4 horas (2007-12-14 13:03:37 GMT)
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Estimados moderadores. Esta es la respuesta que el Imbécil este me ha puesto a mi intento de colaboración (desinteresa, por cierto):

"Si tenés tanta imaginación y hay miles, proponete unas cuantas, y no esa mierda de respuesta que das"

Parece ser que el señorito quiere que le hagan todo el trabajo gratis. Si veis mi respuesta le dí una alternativa. No sé a qué viene esa respuesta por mail. Espero que los demás traductores tomen nota de la actitud de este individuo y la próxima vez que pida ayuda le cobren por ello o no le hagan caso.

Señores moderadores, espero que tomen nota de la actitud de este señor.

tengo el mail guardado por si alguien lo quiere ver.

disatexsl
Spain
Local time: 18:32
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Donald Scott Alexander: Wow! Realmente te habló así? Que falta de respecto! Y tu, solo trantando de ayudar!
16 hrs

agree  Rocio Barrientos
1 day 2 mins
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
however, at times one may claim to be studying one thing when in fact something entirely different..


Explanation:
..is being studied.

Lydia De Jorge
United States
Local time: 12:32
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
one says one's / you say you're / they say they're doing X when actually doing something different


Explanation:
First you need to choose the level of formality you want to translate "se":

FORMAL: one
INFORMAL: they, you

This will depend on the rest of your context and the "register" of the overall document.

Additional variants:
(1) You could change "actually" to "in actuality" or "in reality" or "in fact"

(2) Before the second "doing" you could repeat the "one is / you're / they're." (Repeating it in this way would also be LESS formal).

So you have lots of choices (6 x 3 x 4 = 72 in all, I think!).
Here are the first six:
(1a) one says one is doing X when actually one is doing something different
(1a) one says one's doing X when actually one's doing something different
(1b) one says one is doing X when one is actually doing something different
(1b') one says one's doing X when one's actually doing something different
(1c) one says one is doing X when actually doing something different
(1c') one says one's doing X when actually doing something different

For the rest:
...substitute "one is / one's" > "you are / you're" > "they are / they're"
...substitute "actually" > "in actuality" > "in reality" > "in fact"



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Note added at 16 hrs (2007-12-15 00:54:52 GMT)
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Also you could double the number of variants because you could insert or omit "that":

one says / you say / they say [that] one is / you're / they're

Also you could use "people" instead of "one/you/they" to translate "se".

So 288 variations possible.

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Note added at 16 hrs (2007-12-15 01:01:32 GMT)
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Since, as disatexsl has noted, luchito is specifically interested in concrete examples of the "miles" of possible answers (the choice of which, as I pointed out, would depend on the "register" ie the formality of the context or overall document), I hope you (luchito) appreciate that I used combinatorics to calculate the exact number of possibilities (288!).

Of course, none of use can decide which version is best. That is up to you, luchito, based on the rest of the document you are translating.

If it is formal, use "one." If it is less formal, you could use "people." If it is very informal, use "they" or "you."

If it is more formal, do not repeat the noun/verb in the second phrase - elide it. If less formal, repeat it.

If more formal, use "in actuality" or "in fact" or "in reality." If less formal, use "actually."

I hoe this helps you choose among this embarassment of riches, luchito.

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Note added at 16 hrs (2007-12-15 01:02:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

TYPO - I "hoPe".

Donald Scott Alexander
Local time: 17:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Con tu respuesta aprendí mucho.

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