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English translation: the sanctions are not voluntary

12:12 Jul 23, 2008
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics
English term or phrase: anything but
As such, banks from around the world refer to the Treasury Department
designation list, which exists not only for Iran-related targets, but also for ter¬
rorists, drug traffickers, and other rogue actors, and implement U.S. unilateral sanctions voluntarily. As a result, according to the department, U.S. unilateral sanctions are “anything but.”

=====================
What does "anything but" mean here?

Thank you!
Waleed Mohamed
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 15:16
Selected answer:the sanctions are not voluntary
Explanation:
The sanctions are 'anything but' unilateral. This denounces the statement/report that sanctions are voluntary.
Selected response from:

Demi Ebrite
United States
Local time: 06:16
Grading comment
Thanks all!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +6the sanctions are not voluntary
Demi Ebrite
4 +5not unilateral
Liam Hamilton
4 +3are everything else but not .....
Ellen Kraus
3 +2not unilateral de facto
ErichEko ⟹⭐


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
the sanctions are not voluntary


Explanation:
The sanctions are 'anything but' unilateral. This denounces the statement/report that sanctions are voluntary.

Demi Ebrite
United States
Local time: 06:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks all!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Enza Longo: it's for emphasis - meaning not at all what they say they are
14 mins
  -> Thank you Enza
neutral  kmtext: The other banks could choose not to support the Treasury Department if they wanted to, so the sanctions are not unilateral but are still voluntary.
40 mins
  -> Thank you for the clarification, kmtext!
agree  BdiL: Absolutely so. True what Enza Longo stessed: omitting the comparative term adds emphasis. Maurizio
2 hrs
  -> Thank you bdiL!
agree  John Alphonse (X): This is its usage here. I'd probably add "in fact" in front of "not unilateral" or "anything but".
2 hrs
  -> Thank you John!
agree  Jack Doughty
4 hrs
  -> Thank you Jack!
agree  Madeleine MacRae Klintebo
4 hrs
  -> Thank you Madeleine!
agree  Phong Le
13 hrs
  -> Thank you phonicehcmc
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
are everything else but not .....


Explanation:
provided of course there is no fullstop in the original text after the word <but>

Ellen Kraus
Austria
Local time: 13:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: but there is already a full stop.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BdiL: They do not repeat the second term of comparison **voluntary**. Maurizio
1 hr
agree  John Alphonse (X): Agree this is the definition of the term, and Demi's usage here is appropriate. This answer explains the term; Demi shows how it would be used in this situation.
2 hrs
agree  Tania McConaghy
4 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
not unilateral de facto


Explanation:
Everybody joins US voluntarily; so it is not unilateral anymore. It becomes a multilateral action to boycott Iran.

You can rephrase the sentence like this: US unilateral sanctions are anything a sanction can mean, except it is being unilateral.

ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Local time: 18:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
21 mins
  -> Thanks NewCal!
agree  ricochu0311
4 hrs
  -> Have a good day ricochu0311!
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
not unilateral


Explanation:
I think it means that "unilateral" sanctions become sanctions adopted by others, as a result of using the US Treasury list

Liam Hamilton
Bulgaria
Local time: 14:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Max Nuijens: yes, it focuses on unilateral.
19 mins
agree  Ghyslaine LE NAGARD
20 mins
agree  Demi Ebrite
24 mins
agree  ricochu0311
4 hrs
agree  David Sirett
1 day 7 hrs
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