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Italian: far parlare di se`

English translation: speaks for itself







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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:far parlare di sè
English translation:speaks for itself
Entered by:Parrot
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3:19am Aug 20, 2000Login or register (free) for more options.
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Italian term or phrase: far parlare di se`
un prodotto che e` buono e si diffonde la notizia
a product which is good
Paola
speaks for itself
Explanation:
I can find no idiomatic phrase exactly the same, this is the closest.
Selected response from:

Parrot
Spain
Note from asker to answerer
Thank you. I liked your answer best.

Paola
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
naCara Paola --Heathcliff
na... gets promoted by word of mouth...
two2tango
na"causes itself to be talked about"Heathcliff
navedi sotto
Ilde Grimaldi
naspeaks for itself
Parrot


  

Answers

1 hr
speaks for itself

Explanation:
I can find no idiomatic phrase exactly the same, this is the closest.

Parrot
Spain
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 11
Note from asker to answerer
Thank you. I liked your answer best.

Paola

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Heathcliff
-32 min
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2 hrs
vedi sotto

Explanation:
qualche modesta proposta:
people will talk about it;
people will speak well of it;



Ilde Grimaldi
Italy
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Heathcliff
-53 min
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2 hrs
"causes itself to be talked about"

Explanation:
The clue here is the verb construction "far[e] parlare," in which the main action (here, "parlare") is caused to happen.

Putting together the pieces, "un prodotto che è buono e si diffonde la notizia fa[r] parlare di sè" becomes, in a literal translation, "A product that is good and for which the news is widespread causes itself to be talked about," or, more fluently and more concisely, in standard business English, "A good product with good press gets itself talked about."

(Here, of course, the word "press" refers to general news coverage and to opinions about the product expressed in print.) Hope this helps...



    Harrap-Zanichelli, _English-Italian / Italian English Dictionary_ (2nd ed., Prentice-Hall, 1990)
Heathcliff
United States
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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4 hrs
... gets promoted by word of mouth...

Explanation:
Not very literal, but I feel this is the intented meaning.
Auguri!

two2tango
Argentina
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Heathcliff
-24 min
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23 hrs
Cara Paola --

Explanation:
With all due respect to you and to Parrot, the answer that you liked best and selected is, unfortunately, not the right one. If the product did indeed "speak for itself," the Italian phrase would be "parla per sé," not "far parlare di sé" -- which has quite a different meaning, namely, "to cause or generate talk ABOUT itself, by other entities." Surely you understand this distinction, particularly in the context of a document in the marketing or advertising field, whose entire purpose is to cause favorable talk about particular products. It would be a shame if your client were to receive an incorrect translation of this text. -- With all best wishes, H.C.

(PS -- If your e-mail address had been available, I would have sent you this note privately.)

Heathcliff
United States
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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