Breakdown of O sindicato não aceita isto. Posto isto, o impasse continua.
isto
this
não
not / no
aceitar
to accept
continuar
to continue
o sindicato
the union
posto isto
having said that
o impasse
the deadlock
Questions & Answers about O sindicato não aceita isto. Posto isto, o impasse continua.
How exactly does posto isto translate to 'having said that'?
Posto is the irregular past participle of the verb pôr (to put). Literally, posto isto means 'this having been put' or 'this laid out'. In Portuguese, starting a sentence with a past participle creates an absolute clause that sets the background for the main action. Here, it functions as a fixed discourse connector meaning 'given this' or 'having said that'.
Could we use sendo assim in this sentence instead of posto isto?
Yes, they are very similar, but have a slight difference in nuance. Sendo assim (literally 'being like this') usually means 'since that is the case' and focuses on a logical consequence. Posto isto focuses on moving the conversation forward after a fact has been firmly established. Both work perfectly here to connect the union's refusal to the continuing deadlock.
Why does the second sentence use isto rather than isso? Can we say posto isso?
You can absolutely say posto isso, which translates more directly to 'that being said'. Using isto (this) just makes the established fact feel more immediate or present to the speaker. Here, since the first sentence just ended with isto, repeating it in posto isto creates a strong, immediate rhetorical link.
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