4 ms·

In the UK we have "right, I'll let you get on" like you are doing them a favour.

blatherard 12y ago
Its not just a Britishism. Its identified in the master's thesis linked to in the article [1] as a form of "turning the table" which "seem[s] to place the onus of ending the conversation on the conversational partner." (pg 63) [1] http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4055&context=etd_theses&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar%3Fstart%3D0%26q%3D%2522conversational%2Bretreat%2522%26hl%3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%2C33#search=%22conversational%20retreat%22 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=405...
johnchristopher 12y ago
I am a french speaker and I ended up going with a slight variation : "Right|Okay, I have to leave you (now)+." In french it implies something like "I wish I could go on but alas I am obliged to take care of something else right now".
- antimagic 12y ago
  Which is why getting tone right in a foreign language is next to impossible. I'm guessing you're translating from "il faut que j'y aille" which is politer in French, thanks to the use of the subjunctive. In English though, without this grammatical tone-setter, you've basically just told someone that you have something that you consider more important than them. Sometimes that can work, especially when the other person isn't expecting your undivided attention, but other times, not so much.
  - ddebernardy 12y ago
    "Il faut que j'y aille" could translate -- very, very loosely -- as "I gotta go because I need to take care of this thing" or something to that order. It's not so bad imo -- in fact, it uses because, which is a good thing if social psychology is anything to go by (e.g. the xerox experiment).
    - antimagic 12y ago
      No, "il faut que j'y aille" has no "because" in the sentence. It translates literally to "I have to go", but it's a politer formulation that the English translation might suggest.
      - PeterWhittaker 12y ago
        One could also translate it as "ah, a duty calls me away" or "ah, I have an obligation I must attend to". I use the "ah" to try to capture the tone and gestures that usually accompany "if faut que j'y aille", a sort resignation and regret. A fiction recognized by both speakers.
  - johnchristopher 12y ago
    edit: I just realized that there might be some confusion: I would not use the English `I have to leave you now` sentence in an actual English conversation. That was an approximate translation of the French sentence I use in French conversation (I got carried away with the line of thought `oh! that's how I do it in my language` when reading `britishism`). > Which is why getting tone right in a foreign language is next to impossible. Absolutely right. This really is a blind spot that I am cruelly reminded of every time I find myself in an oral actual conversation with an English native speaker. > I'm guessing you're translating from "il faut que j'y aille" which is politer in French, thanks to the use of the subjunctive. I usually formulate it like this: Je vais devoir|dois vous laisser (maintenant). or Je vous laisse. The last one is really good when you feel the other person doesn't know how to leave the conversation. > In English though, without this grammatical tone-setter, you've basically just told someone that you have something that you consider more important than them. Sometimes that can work, especially when the other person isn't expecting your undivided attention, but other times, not so much. Indeed, the previous example I gave could also be very harsh when spoken a certain way. I sometimes add a `because|parce que` and a reason but I am more often than not under the assumption that the other person will think I am making up excuses which would be even ruder.
Swizec 12y ago
Also a Lord Vetinari trick from the Discworld universe: "Don't let me keep you." "When Vetinari considers the meeting ended, he usually dismisses his visitors with the phrase "don't let me detain you." The inherent implication being that he just might if they let him."
- TrainedMonkey 12y ago
  This begs for clarification. Lord Vetinari considered ruthless patrician and was prepared for this role at assassins school. Without healthy dose of fear and respect this phrase might come off as condescending.
zem 12y ago
that one always annoys me. i have no objection to your leaving, but don't act as though i was anxious to see you off (even if i was, i would hope i concealed it well!)

Its not just a Britishism. Its identified in the master's thesis linked to in the article [1] as a form of "turning the table" which "seem[s] to place the onus of ending the conversation on the conversational partner." (pg 63) [1] http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4055&context=etd_theses&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar%3Fstart%3D0%26q%3D%2522conversational%2Bretreat%2522%26hl%3Den%26as_sdt%3D0%2C33#search=%22conversational%20retreat%22 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=405...

johnchristopher 12y ago

I am a french speaker and I ended up going with a slight variation : "Right|Okay, I have to leave you (now)+." In french it implies something like "I wish I could go on but alas I am obliged to take care of something else right now".

antimagic 12y ago
Which is why getting tone right in a foreign language is next to impossible. I'm guessing you're translating from "il faut que j'y aille" which is politer in French, thanks to the use of the subjunctive. In English though, without this grammatical tone-setter, you've basically just told someone that you have something that you consider more important than them. Sometimes that can work, especially when the other person isn't expecting your undivided attention, but other times, not so much.
- ddebernardy 12y ago
  "Il faut que j'y aille" could translate -- very, very loosely -- as "I gotta go because I need to take care of this thing" or something to that order. It's not so bad imo -- in fact, it uses because, which is a good thing if social psychology is anything to go by (e.g. the xerox experiment).
  - antimagic 12y ago
    No, "il faut que j'y aille" has no "because" in the sentence. It translates literally to "I have to go", but it's a politer formulation that the English translation might suggest.
    - PeterWhittaker 12y ago
      One could also translate it as "ah, a duty calls me away" or "ah, I have an obligation I must attend to". I use the "ah" to try to capture the tone and gestures that usually accompany "if faut que j'y aille", a sort resignation and regret. A fiction recognized by both speakers.
- johnchristopher 12y ago
  edit: I just realized that there might be some confusion: I would not use the English `I have to leave you now` sentence in an actual English conversation. That was an approximate translation of the French sentence I use in French conversation (I got carried away with the line of thought `oh! that's how I do it in my language` when reading `britishism`). > Which is why getting tone right in a foreign language is next to impossible. Absolutely right. This really is a blind spot that I am cruelly reminded of every time I find myself in an oral actual conversation with an English native speaker. > I'm guessing you're translating from "il faut que j'y aille" which is politer in French, thanks to the use of the subjunctive. I usually formulate it like this: Je vais devoir|dois vous laisser (maintenant). or Je vous laisse. The last one is really good when you feel the other person doesn't know how to leave the conversation. > In English though, without this grammatical tone-setter, you've basically just told someone that you have something that you consider more important than them. Sometimes that can work, especially when the other person isn't expecting your undivided attention, but other times, not so much. Indeed, the previous example I gave could also be very harsh when spoken a certain way. I sometimes add a `because|parce que` and a reason but I am more often than not under the assumption that the other person will think I am making up excuses which would be even ruder.

Swizec 12y ago

Also a Lord Vetinari trick from the Discworld universe: "Don't let me keep you." "When Vetinari considers the meeting ended, he usually dismisses his visitors with the phrase "don't let me detain you." The inherent implication being that he just might if they let him."

TrainedMonkey 12y ago
This begs for clarification. Lord Vetinari considered ruthless patrician and was prepared for this role at assassins school. Without healthy dose of fear and respect this phrase might come off as condescending.

zem 12y ago

that one always annoys me. i have no objection to your leaving, but don't act as though i was anxious to see you off (even if i was, i would hope i concealed it well!)