May 7, 2017 22:48
7 yrs ago
Spanish term
Norway
El trabajo me llegaba solo.
Spanish to English
Other
Journalism
Phrase used in an interview
Hi!
I'm translating an interview with executive from a Spanish financial-services company from Spanish into British English and I'm having trouble with a turn of phrase. Please see the question and answer below for the full context:
¿Era muy diferente la compañía entonces a la [company name] para la que trabajas hoy en día?
Sí, bastante. Entré en el departamento de TI de un banco y tenía un presupuesto fijo que gastar cada año. El trabajo me llegaba solo.
Could someone help please? Many thanks!
I'm translating an interview with executive from a Spanish financial-services company from Spanish into British English and I'm having trouble with a turn of phrase. Please see the question and answer below for the full context:
¿Era muy diferente la compañía entonces a la [company name] para la que trabajas hoy en día?
Sí, bastante. Entré en el departamento de TI de un banco y tenía un presupuesto fijo que gastar cada año. El trabajo me llegaba solo.
Could someone help please? Many thanks!
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
21 mins
Cecilia Gowar
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Spanish
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
I read the Alethiometer
Native in: Spanish 
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
68
Selected
The work just kept coming
Otra opción.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Barbara Cochran, MFA
9 mins
|
|
Thanks Barbara!
|
|
| agree |
JohnMcDove
: I like this option. :-)
2 hrs
|
|
Thanks John! :-)
|
|
| agree |
Christian [email protected]
2 hrs
|
|
Thanks Christian!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
14 mins
I was getting work to do without any effort on my part (to get that work/job/tasks)
I hope this gives you the idea.
From my Spaniard viewpoint, the sentence is very clear.
That is, the guy was working, getting one task after another, without him having to "look for work", type of idea.
I don't know if there is a concise and more or less colloquial way to say that in English, but that is the idea.
Hope it helps!
From my Spaniard viewpoint, the sentence is very clear.
That is, the guy was working, getting one task after another, without him having to "look for work", type of idea.
I don't know if there is a concise and more or less colloquial way to say that in English, but that is the idea.
Hope it helps!
+2
17 mins
The work just came in, the work just flowed in
There are a few ways this could be meant/understood, but this is how I read it. It might be helpful to know the next line.
Along the lines of the work just pouring in, though it doesn't necessarily have that connotation of a large volume.
Along the lines of the work just pouring in, though it doesn't necessarily have that connotation of a large volume.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Muriel Vasconcellos
: The work just came in ('flowed in' might be a littlemore than the intended meaning'. See my post in the discussion.
14 mins
|
|
Thanks, Muriel. I think I also like "came" better, but I'm genuinely curious to know what connotation you think "flowed in" adds-?
|
|
| agree |
Marcelo González
: I agree with Muriel (in Discussion). 'The work just came in' sounds good to me.
3 days 23 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Marcelo. I agree with you and Muriel.
|
29 mins
David Hollywood
Native in English
worked for int. orgs (IMF, OAS, IDB)
Native in: English
Works in: Spanish to English, German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
27
Didn't have to worry about the work, it came/was there anyway.
I would suggest
30 mins
Marcel Gomez
Peru
Peru
Native in Spanish
Peru
12-year-experienced, graduated in Japan
Native in: Spanish (Variants: Mexican, Latin American, Peruvian, Latin American, Peruvian) 
Works in: Japanese to Spanish, Japanese to English, Chinese to Spanish, and 2 more.
Door was knocking on my door everyday.
This is a bit more colloquial
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Note added at 32 mins (2017-05-07 23:21:07 GMT)
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Oh! I am sorry!!
I meant!
WORK was knocking on my door everyday
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 32 mins (2017-05-07 23:21:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Oh! I am sorry!!
I meant!
WORK was knocking on my door everyday
19 hrs
Andre Borges
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
United States
Medical and Scholarly Lit. Translation
Native in: English (Variant: US) , Spanish (Variant: Chilean)
Works in: Spanish to English, Chinese to English, Chinese to Spanish
solo
The work came to me all by itself.
This sounds strongly to me like a Chilean way of phrasing how something happens all by itself, of its own accord, or in a way wrapped up inimically with the actions of the subject (not the case here, but in some cases it is used this way).
This sounds strongly to me like a Chilean way of phrasing how something happens all by itself, of its own accord, or in a way wrapped up inimically with the actions of the subject (not the case here, but in some cases it is used this way).
Discussion
As I mentioned in my comment to Muriel below, I'm genuinely interested in knowing what association you think "flowed" has. Not defensive at all or particularly attached to it, I promise :)
Also, I'm sorry, but I don't think I've ever heard or read "anyway" used the way you used it in your suggestion. Sounds completely off to me. After the first half, I'd say "it just came/showed up/found its way to me."