Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
legitimacy
English answer:
his right to be there/qualifications
Added to glossary by
Steffen Walter
Feb 8, 2008 13:53
16 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
legitimacy
English
Art/Literary
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
"That person can just say, "I work at Goldman Sachs" without that admission sparking a conversation about his legitimacy."
What does "legitimacy" refer to in this context?
What does "legitimacy" refer to in this context?
Change log
Feb 9, 2008 12:09: suezen Created KOG entry
Feb 11, 2008 08:07: Steffen Walter changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/82300">suezen's</a> old entry - "Legitimacy"" to ""his right to be there/qualifications""
Feb 11, 2008 08:07: Steffen Walter changed "Term asked" from "Legitimacy" to "legitimacy"
Feb 11, 2008 08:49: writeaway changed "Field (specific)" from "Linguistics" to "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters"
Responses
1 hr
Selected
his right to be there/qualifications
to me, this conjures up a situation where the person speaking is having problems justifying his right to be doing his specific job, for whatever reason it may be. He suggests that iff you say you work at GS, no one will question your qualifications for the job.
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "I agree with you. You are to the point. Many thanks."
7 mins
Jeanette B.
Native in: Norwegian (Bokmal) 
Works in: Norwegian to English, English to Norwegian, Polish to English, and 1 more.
authenticity /genuineness
;)
+2
25 mins
Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Translator since 1953
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, German to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
370
birth within wedlock
I'm not at all sure about this, but perhaps Goldman Sachs has such a hard reputation that anyone working there is thought sure to be a "bastard", in the sense in which this word is used as a term of abuse,
and "legitimacy" here deliberately brings in the original true meaning of bastard as someone born to people not married to each other.
In other words, in spite of the fact that he wroed at Goldman Sachs, people would not automatically think that this made him a "bastard".
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Note added at 6 hrs (2008-02-08 19:59:58 GMT)
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In penultimate line: should read "...he worked at..."
and "legitimacy" here deliberately brings in the original true meaning of bastard as someone born to people not married to each other.
In other words, in spite of the fact that he wroed at Goldman Sachs, people would not automatically think that this made him a "bastard".
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Note added at 6 hrs (2008-02-08 19:59:58 GMT)
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In penultimate line: should read "...he worked at..."
Note from asker:
| Thank you for your answer. It also helps. |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Derek Gill Franßen
: Very creative! But it is hard to say without more context to glimpse the tone. :)
2 hrs
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Thank you. Yes, it's a bastard, isn't it?
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| agree |
V_Nedkov
: I like the logic :) but again this is only a guess...
5 hrs
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Thank you.
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