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.
18:00 Apr 28, 2011
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
Russian to English translations [PRO] Slang
Russian term or phrase:шила в мешке не утаишь
Подобные решения, разумеется, в протокол не заносятся, но принимаются всеми членами Ринга как руководство к действию. Но шила в мешке не утаишь, и эти намерения стали достоянием спецслужб.
I think this means "they let the cat out of the bag," i.e., the information leaked out. Am I understanding this correctly?
So: "to let the cat out and let secret services know" would mean a surprise sprung on them. They didn't expect to hear or learn of that but they did.
On the other hand: "шила в мешке не утаишь, и эти намерения стали достоянием" means that there was no chance of keeping them secret. The services in question were bound to find out that sort of common knowledge thing.
I don't think "cat out of the bag" has quite the same meaning. I always thought it has a strong element of surprise in it (the cat version I mean). A quick check shows that on-line references support that:
- "to reveal a secret or a surprise by accident" (the free dictionary);
- "to tell something that is a secret, often without intending to".
The Russian version on the contrary - implies that it's an open secret. Something so obvious, it is impossible to keep secret. So, to me at least, those two proverbs are almost opposite in meaning!
... so you can take it or leave it. "Professional business audiences" are often dull and boring, and deserve to have their lives spiced up by some nice proverbs, of whatever provenance.
After thinking about it, I don't think it would be appropriate for the translation to sound like a proverb, since it is for a professional business audience. Based on all of your submissions, I'm currently thinking of translating it as below (but welcome any smoother sounding suggestions):
But these intentions weren't easy to hide and they fell into the hands of the intelligence agency.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
6 mins confidence:
cat out of the bag
Explanation: Your understanding is correct, and I'd use the car version myself.
Mark Berelekhis United States Local time: 21:23 Works in field Native speaker of: Russian, English PRO pts in category: 99
6 mins confidence:
The day has eyes, the night has ears
Explanation: -- The meaning is that you can't hide what is obvious
Andrei Yefimov Ukraine Local time: 04:23 Works in field Native speaker of: Ukrainian, Russian
Notes to answerer
Asker: I've never heard this expression. Is it British?
Explanation: This is how it's told in the Information Age, with a touch of irony. :)
But I'd also like "the cat is out of the bag" (without "they let" because there is no obvious "them" in the immediate context) meaning that the leak had already been done and now the intelligence is aware.
The translation workplace 
