English to Spanish Social Sciences Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

I have decided to compile a somewhat thorough English-Spanish glossary, a long-standing goal I have had for many years but never actually done. In approximately 10% of the cases, I am recurring to you, my colleagues on Proz, to ask you to help me get appropriate translations into Spanish of a number of idioms.

I want to assure everyone that ALL TRANSLATIONS WILL BE SHARED on the open forum we have in Proz. The way I guarantee this is by choosing “one answer” to which I incorporate many of the other answers, and then I click to save the question and answer on the open Proz forum.

Selection criteria: 1) extensive usage throughout the Spanish-speaking world. I am counting on your help, and since usually colleagues simply agree without adding where they know the translated term to be used, I am not able to specify this in the answers. This is not a commercial enterprise, but rather an informal exercise for the benefit of all of us. 2) Many times there are really creative idioms that are used which, although not used necessarily throughout the Spanish-speaking world, would be readily understood by all. I am particularly happy to include these in the open forum so that we can all enjoy them in our use, whether literally, or perhaps with an adaptation to the degree that each translator deems appropriate for that particular target population.
Please, when you agree with an answer, mention the countries in which you know such idiom to be used, if not already mentioned by another colleague. Since this project is so time-consuming and endless, and since, like you, I have such a heavy load of translations and interpreting jobs to do and cannot spend umpteen million hours on it, I must count on your help. And although simply listing countries because another translator says so is in no way scientific, at least it is an interesting start.

Finally, I know context is everything. Quite often I will give the meaning(s) in which I am interested, and I will attempt to include a sample. Some sources, such as the Random House Dictionary, already have an example, so there is no need for me to do this, since time is of essence.

Thank you for your help.

definition: a person or thing displaying impressive and stylish excellence.

example:

By the time Bob Schieffer finished his first official newscast as Dan Rather's replacement on the CBS Evening News three things were abundantly clear:



He is a class act.

He runs a more interactive newscast, with conversations with reporters in the field and more in-studio reports.

CBS bigwigs are probably thinking about what might have been, since once again Schieffer showed that idea of an anchor that can be perceived as being above it all is not an idea whose time has passed.


Perhaps in the end — with the growth of politics as a kind of professional wrestling verbal sport via talk radio, polarization of the electorate, plus the explosion and growing influence of weblogs — the Edward R. Murrow/Walter Cronkite era of World War II-style journalists would be on the wane by now anyway....but Schieffer showed tonight that the concept is still alive and kicking (as Brian Williams shows every night as well).

The proof of the pudding will be this: will CBS see a slow growth in the ratings that eroded under Rather's controversial tenure?

In case you missed it, here's Schieffer's classy and classic closing
comments to viewers on his first official night as anchorman:

Finally, tonight we begin a new chapter at CBS News.

Only a very few people have held this job, among them Walter Cronkite, who was my hero when I was a young reporter — and Dan Rather, my friend for 40 years.

It is an honor to be asked to follow them.

Dan will be remembered for the remarkable body of work he has compiled over four decades, but I'll remember him for his love of the news and the fierce determination and courage to go wherever the news was breaking. I wish him the very best. This is a daunting assignment, but I accept it because we have a proud tradition and a terrific news team.

My friend, the great Watergate reporter Bob Woodward was asked the other day what his mindset was when he and his partner, Carl Bernstein, embarked on covering that important story.

Woodward said, "we didn't have an agenda and we didn't know how it would end. We were just trying to find out what happened."

That's what we'll try to do — find out what happened and tell you about it in clear and concise language.

If we do that — and do it well — you'll take it from there.

I'm not exactly a new face. Many of you have known and trusted me over the years. I take that as a high compliment and I promise you this, I'll never take that trust for granted.

That's the news. We'll see you right here tomorrow.

Prediction: CBS is already on the mend.

UPDATE: A Washington Post columnist suggests that Schieffer's comments about Cronkite are a THANK YEW for Cronkite favoring him over Rather and even making the job harder for temporary anchor Schieffer's replacement:


He named Walter Cronkite — aka the guy who savaged Rather and gave Schieffer a big wet kiss on CNN this week, saying that Rather should've been replaced a year ago and that when the permanent replacement comes in he'll have a hard time not following Rather but following Schieffer. Nice guy. Schieffer called Cronkite "my hero when I was a young reporter."


What's the big deal about Cronkite's comment? The fact is: Schieffer HAS set the bar higher now for whoever takes over the CBS Evening News permanently. (TMV is available and has a dummy. Well, maybe CBS doesn't want to another Geraldo Rivera...

UPDATE: I got an email from a friend who closely follows the TV news business and knows a lot about it. He disagrees with my post — and since I highly value his opinion, I'm publishing it here totally unchanged for our readers' consideration:


sorry, joe, i disagree this time.
in terms of looks, schieffer looks like death warmed over. he needs about three facelifts, i'm afraid.
he's exactly the wrong guy if CBS is hoping to attract some younger viewers.
and that story about the privatization of retirement in chile was woefully inadequate. i've read some on the subject, and it's been disastrous for a lot of people there, and the CBS report played like an infomercial for the bush administration.
really a lousy piece.
Related Posts (on one page):

CBS's Bob Schieffer: A Class Act
Dan Rather Goes Proudly And Gently Into The Night
Cronkite: Picking Rather Was A Poor Choice