Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

A mí no me la das con queso

English translation:

Don\'t try to pull the wool over my eyes!

Added to glossary by Rachel Freeman
May 6, 2012 09:26
12 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Spanish term

A mí no me la das con queso

Spanish to English Other Poetry & Literature Idioms and Sayings
Hi everyone. I have another saying I need to translate. This is from a Spanish anthology of plays. The author wants a universal English. In this play, which takes place in the 10th century, a nun who has dedicated her life to helping the lepers has just died and it was revealed that she was working in the leper colony as penance for an offence against the King.

Monk 1: Acaso cuando te lavaba las heridas y limpiaba tu pus y tus heces, preguntó quién eras tú y qué habías hecho ¿.No actuaba acaso con virtud? Ella amaba a los enfermos y erais sus amigos no solamente de palabra sino por sus servicios. Su entrega no era una apariencia falsa de sus sentimientos, ni una necesidad de amar y ser amada por vosotros.

ENFERMO 1 *A mí no me la das con queso*, se entregaba a su trabajo como un pasatiempo. No dejaba de ser la dama noble que juega a ser caritativa y así pasa el tiempo sin aburrirse.

I get the idea: I don't believe it, what nonsense, etc. I need a good expression in English to communicate this. Any ideas? Thank you all so much for your help!

Discussion

Charles Davis May 6, 2012:
I agree, Carol If you made it literally tenth-century (which only a handful of experts would be capable of pulling off), no one would understand a word of it anyway.
Carol Gullidge May 6, 2012:
the other problem with Shakespearean English is that modern audiences would probably soon switch off. I had this dilemma recently with a text where the (modern-day) author wanted the dialogue and descriptions to sound 13th century, and I did in fact wonder just how many people would actually end up buying the book - either in the original French or the translated version, despite the fact that it was a cracking story.
Rachel Freeman (asker) May 6, 2012:
The play was written last year Although the play is set in the 10th century, it was written last year and I must agree it does not sound like Spanish from that time period. I think it is more important to the author to communicate his ideas through this platform than to remain true to the speech of the period. I agree that it is not practical to reproduce everything in Olde Speake, especially since the original is not written that way. I am just trying to get a good approximation.
Carol Gullidge May 6, 2012:
but it would be interesting to hear Rachel's translation strategy in this regard (or any other, e.g., required register, etc)
Carol Gullidge May 6, 2012:
sounds very Shakespearean, Wendy! The trouble with trying to reproduce olde speake throughout a whole anthology is that it would be extremey hard indeed to keep it up - making it sound authentic - all the way through - even, I suspect, for a 10th-century language expert! Which of course predates Shakespearean English and even Chaucer by several centuries. I'm no expert, but I'd guess it would be some sort of Anglo-Saxon, but please don't quote me on that! In any case, almost impossible to reproduce for a whole anthology.

So, I feel that the best one can do is to use fairly neutral language throughout, and avoid any obvious anachronisms.
Wendy Streitparth May 6, 2012:
The Spanish seems a little unusual for the 10th century. I would've thought it should be in a similar vein to "wilt thou make me (out) a fool?!
Carol Gullidge May 6, 2012:
depending on how emphatic you wish to be, "balderdash!" has a nice antiquated ring to it
Rachel Freeman (asker) May 6, 2012:
Thanks everyone, these are good suggestions. Carol, anachronisms are indeed lovely :-)

Proposed translations

+5
7 mins
Selected

Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes!

Given the context, anything resembling "Who are you trying to kid!" or "Pull the other one!" would be far too modern

You could also consider "Don't give me that nonsense!"

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Note added at 9 mins (2012-05-06 09:36:38 GMT)
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of course "Bullshit", whilst lovely, would also be totally anachronistic :D
Peer comment(s):

agree franglish
57 mins
many thanks franglish!
agree Yvonne Gallagher
58 mins
many thanks gallagy!
agree Letredenoblesse
1 hr
Many thanks Agnes!
agree Marian Vieyra
3 hrs
many thanks Marian!
agree James A. Walsh : Love your suggestion of 'balderdash' in the discussion too - very fitting!
5 hrs
many thanks James :-D ... !
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you!"
16 mins

You can't fool me

I think this works perfectly in the context.

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Note added at 18 mins (2012-05-06 09:45:21 GMT)
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Or perhaps the older-sounding 'You do not fool me'
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2 hrs

"Pull the other one!" or "Are you pulling my leg?"

Some other suggestions. Or "Are you taking the micky/p...?" It all depends on the tone of the rest of the translation. How idiomatic do you want it to sound?
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4 hrs

You can't pull the wool over my eyes

Literally. I'm fussy. No, not "Shakespearian," it would work onstage, though...
Best wishes.
Peer comment(s):

neutral Carol Gullidge : erm, scuse me for being thick, but is this sufficiently different to my posting to warrant a separate entry?
1 hr
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