так-то так, но

• ТАК-ТО (ОНО) ТАК, НО <A, ДА>... coll

[a clause in a compound sent + conj; fixed WO]

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⇒ (used when the speaker basically agrees with what has just been stated but wants to qualify it, single out an exception, voice an objection to a specific point etc) all of this is correct, true, but...:

- that's all well and good, but...;

- that's all very well, but...;

- that may (very well) be true, but...;

- that may (well) be, but...

     ♦ Пиши, что в голову взоредёт. А в Органах сами разберутся, какими методами ты руководствовался. Так-то оно так, сказал Двурушник. Но мне бы не хотелось идти дорогой Правдеца (Зиновьев 1). "Just write what passes through your mind. The secret police will work out for themselves the methods you've used." "That's all very well," said Double-dealer. "But I don't want to go the same way as lYuth-teller" (1a).

     ♦ "Для них [хозяев] для всех авторитет возможен только на страхе. Значит: дави, сажай, стреляй!.." - "Так-то оно так, но с международным положением считаться надо" (Копелев 1). "For all of them [the bosses] the only possible authority is based on fear. That means: suppress, send up, shoot!..." "That may be, but you have to take the international situation into account" (1a).