Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
tener medias tintas
English translation:
to be straightforward
Added to glossary by
Mijo Schyllert
Sep 26, 2004 02:08
19 yrs ago
8 viewers *
Spanish term
Swift and accurate professional service
Native in: English 
, Swedish
Works in: English to Swedish, Swedish to English, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
medias tintas
Spanish to English
Other
Other
Venezuelan again - is it that he can see clearly?
Sentence: Además, no tiene medias tintas.
Sentence: Además, no tiene medias tintas.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +5 | to be straightforward |
David Russi
|
| 5 | wishy - washy |
Ana Gioino Blythman
|
| 4 | half heartedly |
claudia16 (X)
|
Proposed translations
+5
19 mins
David Russi
United States
United States
Native in Spanish
&
English
United States
30+ years, stopped counting...
Native in: English , Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
169
Selected
to be straightforward
Una posible traducción, si se refiere a una persona.
Oxford:
tinta f
a (Art, Impr) ink; debes escribir con tinta you must write in ink; cargar las tintas to go too far;
medias tintas: no me gustan las medias tintas I don’t like half-measures, I don’t like things to be halfhearted; políticos de medias tintas wishy-washy politicians; déjate de medias tintas stop
being so vague o wishy-washy; saber algo de buena tinta to have sth on good authority; sudar tinta to sweat blood
b (del calamar, pulpo) ink; calamares en su tinta squid in ink
Oxford:
tinta f
a (Art, Impr) ink; debes escribir con tinta you must write in ink; cargar las tintas to go too far;
medias tintas: no me gustan las medias tintas I don’t like half-measures, I don’t like things to be halfhearted; políticos de medias tintas wishy-washy politicians; déjate de medias tintas stop
being so vague o wishy-washy; saber algo de buena tinta to have sth on good authority; sudar tinta to sweat blood
b (del calamar, pulpo) ink; calamares en su tinta squid in ink
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
maca12
: This is correct, i.e.to avoid beating around the bushes.or using euphemisms
58 mins
|
| agree |
Luis Rey Ballesteros (Luiroi)
: Yes, this is the right register
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Javier Herrera (X)
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Marina Torroja
: in this context, it´s the right choice
18 hrs
|
| agree |
Nuin
: It must be clearly stated that "to be straightforward" means "NO tener medias tintas". The way the question and answer are formulated (question: 'medias tintas', answer: 'to be straightforward') is confusing.
4805 days
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
1 hr
Ana Gioino Blythman
Native in English
Also a writer,teacher and journalist!
Native in: English
Works in: English to Spanish, French to Spanish, English, and 2 more.
wishy - washy
"Face-to-face, he is not wishy-washy."
This would be the rendition proposed to the last note made by Mijo.
Another option would be to use a positive and say:
"Face-to face, he is dead clear (or dead honest).
It would be necessary to know if the lack of clarity refers to lack of honesty or lack of determination or lack of intellect.
This would be the rendition proposed to the last note made by Mijo.
Another option would be to use a positive and say:
"Face-to face, he is dead clear (or dead honest).
It would be necessary to know if the lack of clarity refers to lack of honesty or lack of determination or lack of intellect.
17 hrs
half heartedly
doesn't do things or doesn't act half....
Discussion