KudoZ home » English to Spanish » Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

schmalance

Spanish translation: ¿equilibrio? ¿pa' qué? ¿a quién le importa?

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs
(or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	balance / schmalance
Spanish translation:	¿equilibrio? ¿pa' qué? ¿a quién le importa?
Entered by:	Will Matter

Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

09:33 Jul 15, 2004

English to Spanish translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / idioms

English term or phrase: schmalance

This idiom "balance, schmalance" seems to refer to the fact that actual balance does not exist or something similar, but I\'ve been unable to find either a definition. Can you help me with it, please? I thik it is an north-american idiom. I\'ve found also \"non-schmalance\", but no definition.

xavier

comes from Yiddish

Explanation:
This is, as mentioned above, a "derisory prefix". Usually the speaker is making a negative comment about something, i've never heard it used in a positive way, usually followed by a derisive or disparaging statement about the thing being talked about.

Selected response from:

Will Matter
United States
Local time: 08:42

Grading comment

Thank you very much to everybody there!!! You've been really helpful!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +5

comes from Yiddish

Will Matter

5 +1

¿qué más da? / ¿a quien le importa?

moken

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

31 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +5

comes from Yiddish

Will Matter
United States
Local time: 08:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 3

Grading comment

Thank you very much to everybody there!!! You've been really helpful!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Andy Watkinson: Yiddish, schmidish

26 mins

-> nice one! My Bubbi said we'd invite you for coffee if you weren't in Spain ;)

neutral

sassa: I totally agree with your explanation, however xavier is looking for a translation in Spanish.

41 mins

-> actually, he appears to be looking instead for an explanation of the usage of this phrase as clearly indicated by his comments above.

agree

rdom: I suggest: Equilibrio ¿de dónde? It´s quite colloquial.

1 hr

-> I agree and if he does, in fact, want this translated this is a good one, thanks for the 'agree'.

agree

Maisar: "Ma, the psychiatrist says I´ve got an Oedipus complex." "Oedipus, schmoedipus, who cares as long as you love your mother?"

3 hrs

-> hard to use this pattern with either 'translate' or 'interpret' ..... sigh. Thanks for the 'agree'.

agree

moken: everybody is right, but why does nobody offer a translation? :O) :O)

4 hrs

-> because, really, you can't "translate" this, you can only explain it and let the asker figure out how they wish to express it. The cultural nuances surrounding the use of this type of expression are, essentially, untranslatable, IMHO.

agree

kellyn: and I also like rdom's idea of "equilibrio, ?de donde?"

4 hrs

-> me too, muchisimas gracias for the 'agree'.

4 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

¿qué más da? / ¿a quien le importa?

Explanation:
hola xavier,

ya te han dado muchas explicaciones, incluso significados. pero como nadie puso lo que podría ser un equivalente en español, pues ahí está, a mi manera de entender

kudoz-schmudoz....

suerte y sonrisas,

álvaro :O) :O)

moken
Local time: 16:42
Native speaker of: Spanish
PRO pts in category: 44

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

Overview

Latest translation questions

Ask a translation question

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations

schmalance

Spanish translation: ¿equilibrio? ¿pa' qué? ¿a quién le importa?

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

Answers

Sign in to your ProZ.com account...

Or create a new account

ProZ.com ideas

KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

schmalance

Spanish translation: ¿equilibrio? ¿pa' qué? ¿a quién le importa?

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

Answers

Sign in to your ProZ.com account...

Or create a new account

ProZ.com ideas

KudoZ™ translation helpThe KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

KudoZ™ translation help
The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.