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  3. Poetry & Literature

Main cocok-cocok saja.

English translation: You keep saying \'exactly\', \'exactly\', but just because the pieces seem to fit doesn\'t prove it\'s true.

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Indonesian term or phrase:Main cocok-cocok saja.
English translation:You keep saying \'exactly\', \'exactly\', but just because the pieces seem to fit doesn\'t prove it\'s true.
Entered by: Catherine Muir

06:09 Mar 25, 2012
Indonesian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / early 20th Century Indonesian novel
Indonesian term or phrase: Main cocok-cocok saja.
Context: a longstanding mystery has been resolved and the people involved are just finding out about it, as a letter is being read to them. The head of the household wants absolute proof and says, "Tuan ini bagaimana? Main cocok-cocok saja. Astaga! Suratnya bagaimana bunyinya."

Please suggest a translation for 'main cocok-cocok saja' in this context.

Many thanks.
Catherine Muir
Australia
Local time: 19:52
Just because the pieces seem to fit, [that] doesn't mean it's true.
Explanation:
The speaker is questioning the truth of the matter.
Pieces of the puzzle are being disclosed, and someone comments "Cocok, cocok "("That fits").
However, there might be another explanation-- yet to be discovered-- to solve the mystery.
Selected response from:

Budi Suryadi-
Indonesia
Local time: 16:52
Grading comment
All of the answers were helpful but this one best captures the sense of the text. I have actually translated it as "You keep saying 'exactly', 'exactly', but just because the pieces seem to fit doesn't prove it's true.'
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5You just carelessly say "Everything fits in with the mystery".
Rosmeilan Siagian
4You just always say, Exactly.
Wiyanto Suroso
4Just because the pieces seem to fit, [that] doesn't mean it's true.
Budi Suryadi-
3Confirmation doesn't work like that.
ria ulfah ardhiyani
3You're only fitting the facts carelessly
Ikram Mahyuddin
3you're assuming things prematurely
ErichEko ⟹⭐
3Don't just take things at face value.
David Andersen
3that's just circumstantial evidence
Edward Thornton


  

Answers


56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
You just always say, Exactly.


Explanation:
Saya rasa bahwa seseorang yang disebut oleh kepala rumah tangga dengan "Tuan" itu selalu atau sering mengatakan "Cocok" atas setiap kalimat dalam surat yang dibacakan. Oleh karena itu, kepala rumah tangga tersebut mengatakan, "Main cocok-cocok saja", karena agak sebal. Ungkapan ini masih dipakai hingga waktu ini.

"Cocok" dalam hal ini berpadanan dengan 'exactly' atau 'correctly'.
Oleh karena itu, terjemahannya antara lain ialah: "You just always say, Exactly." Atau, terjemahan yang semakna dengannya.

Wiyanto Suroso
Indonesia
Local time: 16:52
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in category: 30
Notes to answerer
Asker: All of the suggestions are very helpful but I think you are closest to the mark. He does keep saying 'Cocok! Cocok!' repeatedly, then his wife finally says, 'Main cocok-cocok saja." I think I will use "Why do you keep saying 'Exactly! Exactly!'? For God's sake, don't jump to conclusions. What else does the letter say?"

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Confirmation doesn't work like that.


Explanation:
The speaker implies that the investigators just agree that the letter matches everything they have so far investigated without checking further the message. In the later sentence the speaker demands them to check what it says.
Perhaps there is better expression for the sentence, however. Hope this helps figure out.

ria ulfah ardhiyani
Australia
Local time: 19:52
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian, Native in JavaneseJavanese
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Ria. Yes, this does help.

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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
You just carelessly say "Everything fits in with the mystery".


Explanation:
I think the head of the household wanted to warn the other man that it was not easy to resolve such a longstanding mystery. Since further investigation is required, that other man could not just carelessly conclude that "everything fits in with the mystery" or "all the signs fit in with the mystery".

The full sentence of the head of the household might be: "Anda (sembarangan/asal) main (bilang) cocok-cocok saja". "Sembarangan/asal" here means "careless", "without thinking".


    Reference: http://bahasa.kemdiknas.go.id/kbbi/index.php
Rosmeilan Siagian
Indonesia
Local time: 16:52
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Rosmeilan. I appreciate your help very much.

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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
You're only fitting the facts carelessly


Explanation:
imho

Ikram Mahyuddin
Indonesia
Local time: 16:52
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in category: 17
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Ikram, for your suggestion.

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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
main cocok-cocok saja
you're assuming things prematurely


Explanation:

main in this context means at will, summing up arbitrarily. The phrase is for sure used mostly in conversation, and almost always for expressing grudge or resentment.

main cocok-cocok saja then means concluding hurriedly that things fit into a theory or an opinion of the person being resented.

My translation, though, does not offer the resentment. :!

ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Local time: 16:52
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in category: 48
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16 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Don't just take things at face value.


Explanation:
According the the other helpful answers, the speaker is protesting that the other man is agreeing too easily with the facts found in the letter. This would be a natural way of expressing that meaning.

David Andersen
Australia
Local time: 19:52
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, David. I want to retain the sense of 'cocok, cocok'. Have a look at my reply to Pak Wiyanto. Cheers!

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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
that's just circumstantial evidence


Explanation:
<>

Edward Thornton
Local time: 16:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Just because the pieces seem to fit, [that] doesn't mean it's true.


Explanation:
The speaker is questioning the truth of the matter.
Pieces of the puzzle are being disclosed, and someone comments "Cocok, cocok "("That fits").
However, there might be another explanation-- yet to be discovered-- to solve the mystery.

Budi Suryadi-
Indonesia
Local time: 16:52
Works in field
Native speaker of: Indonesian
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
All of the answers were helpful but this one best captures the sense of the text. I have actually translated it as "You keep saying 'exactly', 'exactly', but just because the pieces seem to fit doesn't prove it's true.'
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you, Budi. Very helpful explanation.

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