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Imagine you are discussing about a matter and someone else interferes and takes the side of the second person you were discussing with. Although it would be blunt, but I need to know the precise equivalent of this in English. Here are some translations of mine:

  • You don’t have a voice in this matter.

  • You don’t have the right to an opinion in this matter.

Both of them get any specific hit rate neither in Google nor Ngram.

The second one is exactly what we say in our language.

So are they correct and natural in English so that I can substitute them with a better alternative?

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6 Answers 6

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Both are acceptable, though the first one has connotations that might make it not work in this context. If someone says they "don't have a voice" in a matter, the implication is that this is a bad thing. The person being shut out of this conversation would probably phrase it that way, or someone who feels that their government or employer doesn't listen to them. A more common way to phrase it, as the person who is shutting them out, would be

You don't have/get a say in this.

Another would be

This is none of your business.

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  • 5
    For what it's worth, a slightly politer form of It's none of your business would be It's not your concern / It's none of your concern.
    – flith
    Feb 2, 2017 at 7:39
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    ..or simply "mind your own business"
    – JavaLatte
    Feb 2, 2017 at 14:11
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If you need to explicitly tell the person their opinion is not wanted, you might use

Thank you for your thoughts, but we need to decide this on our own.

with emphasis on "we" and "our own", is a way of saying other opinions are not wanted or sought.

You might also just say

Thank you for your opinion/ideas, we will keep it in mind.

and just ignore the rest of it.

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I think it depends on if you are trying to be polite or matter-of-fact.

If you were talking to your boss, or a respected elder, or good friend, neither of those work. Both are grammatical and fine for every other purpose. For anyone who I wanted to stay happy with me, it could be considered to be unfriendly or disrespectful.

If it was my boss or friend, how about: "I'm sorry, but this time the choice is mine/ours to make."

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My mother, British English, would say in this situation:

"Don't put your oar in!"

Meaning, I assume, "we're arguing perfectly well without your input" or more simply and rudely "shut up!"

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    OP should be aware that this is a relatively rare idiomatic expression. I think it would be readily understood by any native English speaker, and it might even be a good option to use, because it would be slightly humorous and help defuse tension in the situation. But this is not a standard, universally-used English phrase.
    – bjmc
    Feb 2, 2017 at 9:50
  • @bjmc: "Putting one's oar in" isn't that rare. Feb 2, 2017 at 22:09
  • I did say "relatively" rare. It may be more common in UK English than US English. At any rate, it's an idiomatic phrase.
    – bjmc
    Feb 3, 2017 at 20:50
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I think regardless of whom this statement is directed to, being direct is the best way to go.

"I must be direct with you in this matter and tell you: Your thoughts or opinions are not welcome in this context. If you would like to discuss it with me at another time, that can be arranged."

I find this content neither rude nor unclear. And it is a closing to further discussion at that time. You needn't say 'at another time' if you are not willing to have that discussion, but it does open the possibility that you will talk about it later.

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"Who asked for your opinion?"

"If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask you for it|I'd give it to you"

"And you are...?"

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  • This actually constitutes an answer to the question, so I don't think removing it is necessary. If you don't like the answer, downvote it.
    – M.A.R.
    Feb 2, 2017 at 15:54

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