A man at the end (bis)

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eBrain User Posts: 613

The man at the end
How do you translate "man" in the following sentence:
J.H. observes: The government has become blatantly anti-union, man.?
Added: 04/18/2011 - 09:23 AM By Sunny19 Reply w/Quote

your question is what some people call double bind:
- if I answer to you and translate it I will use french or german, or italian..., and here we must use only english...it's a fault.
- and if I don't answer, I'll feel guilty for giving no answer to a friendly question.

I think that is the reason why nobody answered.
But I must say I am very pleased to find your question because I am fed up with this May Day on top of the topics.

Thank you for your bright question, Sunny19

Added: 2 years, 1 month
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AhQ User Posts: 2581

As Sophie rightly noticed, it was a double bind question, I won't try and give any translation, but another word instead of 'man'.
By saying, 'man', we guess the person being spoken to is not higher than the speaker on the social ladder.
Let's suppose it's a friend of the speaker:
The government has become blatantly anti-union, pal.
The government has become blatantly anti-union, buddy.
The government has become blatantly anti-union, bro.
Let's state it's not a friend:
The government has become blatantly anti-union, guys.
We can just swear that the person being spoken to is male.

Added: 2 years, 1 month
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Spoiler User Posts: 496

Somebody has already put his (her) best foot forward in this double bind (maybe it is a double bind). Hence, I shall not make bones about my thoughts about this matter. I hope this will not appear saucy.

Maybe, the 'man' at the end of the setence is to put an angry emphasize on what it to say, presumably because the other people, that is the person spoken to, doesn't catch the meaning or has doubts:

'Don't you see? The government has become blatantly anti-union, man!'

That is, 'man' with the meaning of an exclamation mark, but far more colloquial, between (as Sandy expounded it) two persons on the same social level. (=peers)

Added: 2 years, 1 month
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eBrain User Posts: 613

Shall we consider we are peers on this forum which gives us a good chance of being able to communicate :), otherwise it'd be orders :(

Added: 2 years
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Gwendy User Posts: 247

I just think that it's an expression ended a phrase, 'man' , to emphazise, which is not, very smart ; at least, it's what people said to me when i was a student in London, so , i got used to be careful when using "man" at the end of a phrase.
nb : i 'am a simple mind.
Vic.

Added: 2 years
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AhQ User Posts: 2581

Simpletons are widespread in London schools, gal.

Added: 1 year, 12 months
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Spoiler User Posts: 496

You are damn right, man. ;)

Added: 1 year, 12 months
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eBrain User Posts: 613

simpleton ? what does it mean :(?

Added: 1 year, 12 months
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Spoiler User Posts: 496

I don't know. I am a simpleton myself :p
But simpletons don't realize they are simpletons.
But I realize it. Ergo, I can't be a simpleton

Hmmmm

Added: 1 year, 12 months
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eBrain User Posts: 613

well, this is just an assumption which must be proven,
but perhaps, you are bipolar, with
one phase simpleton :p
and another phase optimistically realistic :)
ergo altogether whacky ? ;)

Added: 1 year, 12 months
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