другое дело

• ДРУГОЕ <ИНОЕ> ДЕЛО

[NP; these forms only]

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1. [subj-compl with быть (subj: usu. это or a clause); often preceded by тогда, теперь]

⇒ that changes (or would change) the situation:

- that's another (a different) story (altogether);

- that's (quite) another (a different) matter;

- (now) it's (very <totally>) different;

- things are (will be) different;

- that's different (something else altogether);

- [in fut and condit clauses] things (everything) will (would) be different.

     ♦ ... Как можно управлять таким способом неодушевлённым предметом? Если внутри предмета человек находится, тогда другое дело: он исполняет указания - делай так, делай этак (Айтматов 2). How on earth could you control a soulless object in that way? If there was a man inside that object, then that was another story - he would carry out the orders, do this, do that, as he was told (2a).

     ♦ "Ну, прикажут тебя тронуть - другое дело, я присягу давал или не давал?" (Владимов 1). "Of course, if I'm ordered to lay hands on you, that's another matter. I took the oath of allegiance when I joined the army, didn't I?" (1a).

     ♦ ...Она едет в Крым ради него, он просил ее, она согласилась поехать, но ни на что другое согласия не давала... Другое дело, если бы она влюбилась... (Рыбаков 2). She was going to the Crimea for his sake-he had asked her and she had agreed, but that was all she had agreed to. ...It would be different if she were in love with him... (2a).

     ♦ "Да вы освободите меня от марксизма-ленинизма, тогда другое дело. А пока - мы на нем стоим" (Солженицын 2). "Well, emancipate те from Marxism-Leninism, and things will be different. Till then, it's on Marxism-Leninism that we take our stand" (2a)

     ♦ [Анна Петровна:] Как бы папенька-то твой не мотал без памяти, так бы другое дело было, а то оставил нас почти ни с чем (Островский 1). [А. P.] If only your papa hadn't spent his money like water, then everything'd be different. As it is, he left us almost nothing at all (1a).

     ♦ "Почему ж бы я мог быть известен про Дмитрия Фёдоровича: другое дело, кабы я при них сторожем состоял?" - тихо, раздельно и пренебрежительно ответил Смердяков (Достоевский 1). [context transl] "Why should I be informed as to Dmitri Fyodorovich? It's not as if I were his keeper," Smerdyakov answered quietly, distinctly, and superciliously (1a).

2. [subj-compl with быть (subj: any noun or infin)]

⇒ a person (thing etc) is very different from another person (thing etc) mentioned previously:

- X - другое дело{{}}≈ X is (that's) (quite) another <a different> matter;

- X is (it is) another <a different> story;

- X is something else (entirely);

|| одно дело... и (совсем) другое дело... другое дело it's one thing...but <and> (quite) another...

     ♦ "А я что такое? Обломов - больше ничего. Вот Штольц - другое дело: Штольц - ум... уменье управлять собой, другими..." (Гончаров 1). "But what am I? Oblomov - nothing more. Stolz, now, is another matter: Stolz has intelligence...he knows how to control himself and others..." (1b).

     ♦ "Ты знаешь: нарисовал этот Евдокимов похабную карикатуру на декана..." - "Который её заслуживал? Ну, скажи, нет! Ты ведь сам его терпеть не можешь". Игорь невольно оглянулся на дверь. "Я - другое дело, - сказал он кисло. - Не вали, пожалуйста, всех в одну кучу" (Ерофеев 3). "You know that Evdokimov drew a smutty caricature of the Dean..." "And he deserved it. Go on, deny it! You know you can't stand him yourself." Igor couldn't keep himself from glancing at the door. "What I think is something else entirely," he said in a sour voice. "Please don't put everyone in the same bag..." (3a).

     ♦ "...Одно дело попасть молотком в стекло критику Латунскому и совсем другое дело - ему же в сердце" (Булгаков 9). "It's one thing to hit Latunsky's window with a hammer, but quite another to hit the critic's heart" (9a).

3. [main clause in a complex sent, foll. by a что-clause]

⇒ it should be mentioned, however, that... (used to detract from the merit of sth. previously mentioned):

- (the fact) that...is another matter;

- ...but that's another matter <story>.

     ♦ Ляля очень хорошенькая. Другое дело, что она круглая дура. Lyalya is very pretty. The fact that she doesn't have a brain in her head is another matter.