Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

(llegar) con el pan bajo el brazo

English translation:

to stand on their own two feet, to bring home the bacon

Added to glossary by María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Apr 3, 2019 20:50
5 yrs ago
8 viewers *
Spanish term

con el pan bajo el brazo

Spanish to English Other Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
I'm translating a newspaper article from El Salvador about the recent announcement made by the US Government that it will cut the economic aid it sends to the Northern Triangle countries (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala).

And I'm stumped by the meaning of this phrase in this particular context. I know the usual equivalent of "nacer con el pan bajo el brazo" is "to be born with a silver spoon" but that would be the opposite of this situation, no? Since the article is talking about people fleeing from violence in their country and migrating to the US looking to have a better life... And it points out that these migrants are hard-working and contribute to the US economy.

Thanks in advance!

"Que salvadoreños bien nacidos entren o intenten entrar a Estados Unidos no debe tomarse como una agresión, sino como la consecuencia de guerras y desórdenes de los que el país no ha podido reponerse. Para el caso, la violencia y toma de territorios por pandilleros en el interior del país sólo se explica por la supresión de un cuerpo especializado como fue la Guardia Nacional.

Los salvadoreños que escapan de la violencia son personas trabajadoras, responsables y amigables, que **** literalmente llegan con el pan bajo su brazo, **** que no le quitan nada a nadie y que, por el contrario, agregan al bienestar general."
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 stand on their own feet

Discussion

neilmac Apr 4, 2019:
Equivalence I'd say the expression "(llegar) con el pan bajo el brazo" roughly correspònds to "bringing home the bacon" (and similar idioms) in English.
Noni Gilbert Riley Apr 4, 2019:
Literally Since we can't translate literally, given that there is neither the same expression in English nor a direct equivalent which would work, the word literally will have to be ditched.

Proposed translations

+3
1 hr
Selected

stand on their own feet

valerse por sí mismo

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-04-03 21:53:34 GMT)
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Entiendo que quiere decir que los salvadoreños nos caracterizamos por saber defendernos y salir adelante frente a toda circunstancia adversa.

"Salvadoreños bien nacidos" puede interpretarse como: "salvadoreños bienintencionados".

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Note added at 1 hr (2019-04-03 22:04:35 GMT)
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...who can literally stand on their own feet...
Peer comment(s):

neutral Thomas Walker : I agree that "stand on their own feet" is a good English equivalent for "llegan con el pan bajo su brazo". But in the ST here, the phrase is preceded by the word "literalmente". Maybe it should be "literally arrived with their food under their arms"?
1 hr
agree Andy Watkinson : I believe the author is merely using "literally" as an intensifier (even accepted as such by the OED if I'm not mistaken).
4 hrs
agree neilmac : This work nicely in the context IMHO.
10 hrs
agree Amy Moreno : I think this is a neat way to convey the message.
19 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks very much, everyone, for your contributions."
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