Sayings and idioms - discuss and post your own

[Lady Vulpix]

How the idea came up:

As a non-native English speaker I sometimes find myself puzzled by some English idioms and, even more frequently, there are things that would be easy for me to say in Spanish but can't find an English equivalent. So, after all these years, I thought of making this thread.

What this thread is for:

Here you can post sayings an idioms in any language and discuss their meanings and, if you can, their origins too. If you have had any interesting experiences involving the misunderstanding of an idiom, you can also talk about them here. If the phrases are not in English, then you can also use this thread to look for English equivalents. The discussion itself must be in English, of course.


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And that's it for the introduction. Let's begin.

1. Search for English equivalent: "que te sea leve" (Spanish). It literally means "may it be light to you". The best translation I've come up with, after many failed attempts over the years, was "I hope it doesn't give you too much trouble". It's not as short and sweet, but I think it conveys the general idea. I've seen some people translate it as "good luck with that", which conveys a different aspect of the phrase but not the (in my opinion essential) aspect of the speaker knowing the other person is about to go through a hard experience or an annoying task. Do you have any better ideas?

2. Search for English equivalent: "buen provecho" (Spanish) or "bon appetit" (French). Yes, one of the very few things I know how to say in French. I quickly resorted to translating this as "enjoy your meal", but is there an actual English idiom for this?

3. Search for English equivalent: "cola de paja" (Spanish). It literally means "straw tail". Applied to people who are easily "burned" by things others say, even if the others were not referring to them at all. These people are usually known for crying out "I didn't do it" when no one was even thinking of them, or for suspecting that every negative remark anyone makes is directed at them. I have yet to find an English equivalent for this. Can you think of one?

And I could make comments about my experiences with the words "snappy" and "sure", but I'd like to see someone else post first.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

2. Search for English equivalent: "buen provecho" (Spanish) or "bon appetit" (French). Yes, one of the very few things I know how to say in French. I quickly resorted to translating this as "enjoy your meal", but is there an actual English idiom for this?

This. Asked so many people from different countries, but there's no proper translation in english I think. Please someone invent a word!

I call 'enyoma'.

[Oslo]

2. Search for English equivalent: "buen provecho" (Spanish) or "bon appetit" (French). Yes, one of the very few things I know how to say in French. I quickly resorted to translating this as "enjoy your meal", but is there an actual English idiom for this?

You could actually make an argument that the English equivalent of "bon appétit" is, in fact, "bon appétit." The phrase is a loanword that's commonly used by English speakers, which is why it appears in most English dictionaries. On the other hand, "buen provecho" doesn't enjoy the same sort of use among English speakers.

[DarkestLight]

When I think of an english equivalent of bon appetit, I think "Eat up!" Or something to the effect of "Get to eating that which lies in front of you." Its like "Salud!" Many people say "Cheers!" matches it, but Cheers and Salud have such a different connotation behind them.

[Asilynne]

3: I like that, straw tail, I've never heard of that one. In English we usually just say they're defensive lol

I have a lot of sayings but I just woke up so give me a bit lol

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Here in Finland, we use "bon appétit" as well, or "hyvää ruokahalua". The latter means literally "good desire of food".

We have lots of equivalents to 'Cheers!' used when drinking like "Kippis!" or "Hölkynkölkyn!" or "Pohjanmaan kautta!".

[Master Rudy]

Heh.....here's the first thing that came to mind when I read the first post of the topic:

sjdDIhG5WvU

LV=Ziva David XD

[Lady Vulpix]

That was funny, Master Rudy. Where is she from?

Speaking of toast phrases, I find it curious that each language has one, but they have different meanings.

In English you say "cheers".

In Spanish you say "salud" (health).

In Hebrew you say "le chaim" (to life).

In Chinese you say "gan bei" (empty glass). We have an equivalent idiom in Spanish ("fondo blanco", literally meaning "white bottom"), but it is only used at informal friendly gatherings, while the Chinese use it all the time.

Someone told me the Hungarian toast phrase once, but she didn't know what it meant and it was long and complicated. I just remember it had a lot of E's.

So, about "snappy" and "sure"...

The night before yesterday I was chatting with some friends and we started reminiscing about an old chat. I said that one of my friends had said something nice about me, and he said "it was just a snappy remark". So I told him "you can be nice even when you're being snappy". Then he went on to explain that his "snappy" had meant "quick", not "mean". Which, to me, was clear from context anyway, but I found it weird that we had both used the same word, I was quoting him when I used it, and he still assumed I had used it with a different meaning.

What happened with "sure" was an actual misunderstanding caused by my ignorance of the usage of the word. It was many years ago (around the time when I joined TPM), and I was talking to someone on IM. I'm afraid I don't remember all the details, but he told me something and I replied "sure". I meant it in the positive sense, as in "yes, for sure", or "I'm sure that is so" but he understood the opposite and thought I didn't believe him. We finally cleared out the misunderstanding, and that was when I learned that the word "sure" in English is normally used ironically.

[Asilynne]

Actually its used in both ways but it depends on the context, over the net its hard to see how its meant. I will reply in the affirmative almost always as 'sure' but I really mean it as 'yes' or 'ok'. If you say it like suuuureeee.... then most people will think that you are disbelieving of them, but usually if I'm asked a yes or no question I'll just say sure as yes :)

Also with the cheers thing, in irish gaelic its sláinte mhaith (good health) :D

[Magmar]

The word "Wicked" has never left the Rhode Island vernacular. In our context, it's a word that adds emphasis to the next one. "Wicked awesome", "Wicked badass", etc. Not sure why wicked was the word of choice there.

Time to add a few more random ones... There are funny ones to say that someone has died. Other than "He died", "she passed away", "We lost our auntie" you could also say... "She kicked the bucket," "He bought the farm", "She croaked", and so on. Some of them are pretty silly!

[Lady Vulpix]

Oh, thanks, Asi! That was helpful. :)

We have a funny one for that too, Magmar. "Estiró la pata" (she stretched her leg, wherever did that come from?). "Pata" means leg but it's normally used for non-human legs (dog legs, table legs, etc.) and only used very informally for human legs, as in this case.

There's also an even more informal one about defecating fire. And I've heard "se mudó para arriba" a few times (s/he moved upside). And we also have the slang verb "espichar" which means "to die" but few people use it and I have no idea where it came from.

Oh, and if you want to say "you're pulling my leg" in Spanish, you'll have to say "me estás tomando el pelo" (you're taking my hair). Two weird phrases involving grabbing body parts with the same meaning... and in neither case do I know their origin.

[shazza]

Your blood is worth bottling, The Pokemasters.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Finns have some euphemisms to dying too.

potkaista tyhjää
to kick the empty

nukkua pois
sleep away

This reminds me of a story. In Finnish, the word "pois" can be used in a surprising context, like when someone sees a bucket of fruits and asks for one apple, the answer might be:

Syö pois.
Eat away.

Or when you want to take a photograph of someone, the person may say:

Ota pois.
Take away.

Anyway, a friend of mine was sleepy, so her very own friend said to her:

Nuku pois.
Sleep away.

[Magmar]

Finns have some euphemisms to dying too.

potkaista tyhjää
to kick the empty

nukkua pois
sleep away

This reminds me of a story. In Finnish, the word "pois" can be used in a surprising context, like when someone sees a bucket of fruits and asks for one apple, the answer might be:

Syö pois.
Eat away.

Or when you want to take a photograph of someone, the person may say:

Ota pois.
Take away.

Anyway, a friend of mine was sleepy, so her very own friend said to her:

Nuku pois.
Sleep away.

With regards to the photograph and the apple example, one might say in English, "Feel free" which more or less means, "You have my consent" or, perhaps more closely, "Go right ahead". On that same note, you could also say "Go for it", which also means, in other context, "Keep on working towards some goal."

"Go right ahead" could also mean, in a driving situation, to take a right turn in a little while, probably at some easily identifiable point.

Instead of sleep away, we would usually say in English to sleep well, or "sweet" dreams.

On the note of death, you could say that your acquaintance has passed away.

[Uraziel]

Oooh, idioms, love that.

Especially since I, too, have been wondering for a long time how to find an elegant substitution for the clumsy "enjoy your meal". (In German, that would be either "Guten Appetit" or, shorter, "Mahlzeit".)

There's a lot of, um, interesting phrases to point out someone's dead in German, too. At least, in Austrian-German - I don't actually know how many of these would be understood in Germany as well. Except for a whole lot of dialect expressions which carry "dying" as a second meaning (and which I could impossibly translate, but those don't really count as idioms, do they?). The ones I can right now think of would be "to yield one's spoon", "to exhale one's spirit", "to bite the grass", but I'm quite confident there are many more.
(It might tell much about Viennese humour that there is an actual song, about four or five minutes long, consisting of nothing but slang-expressions or idioms for dying.)

I also wonder why it is that there are so many similar idioms in different languages. The phrase "to look after something like after one's own eyeballs", for instance, exists in both German and Russian. And I cannot imagine that this phrase is older than the actual languages...

Does anyone of you know how country-specific idioms are in English? Since that language is pretty much spread over all continents, are there phrases you'd us in one country or another? I know about some words being used differently, but might it be different with idioms?

[Magmar]

Uraziel, I live in a region with a very specific dialect. Folks unfamiliar with the R.I. accent would be unlikely to understand much of what we talk about here.

Another silly example is the use of "that's so dollar tree" (something is cheap), or perhaps, most famously, the Rhode Island-specific use of the term "Bubbler" to identify a water fountain (aka waaadda' fount'in, the aaa sounding more like "oa" in "oar").

We also use lav instead of bathroom.

"Missaz Simpson, can I go du tha lav in use tha bubbla?" (aka, "Mrs. Simpson, can I go to the restroom and use the water fountain?)

the future of tomorrow, kids.

[shazza]

Can you pass the dead horse, Magmar?

[Zak]

In Hebrew there actually is a regularly used word equivalent to "bon appetite" and that's "B'te'avon!". In English that would translate to "with appetite!" But yeah, it's weird how there isn't a word for in modern English. One time my friend in Israel said "with appetite!" while eating with Americans and everyone chuckled.

Also, one thing that I always found odd. "Mazal Tov", as some of you may be familiar with, is like saying "congratulations". However, what it literally translates to is "Good luck!". It's generally used to congratulate someone on accomplishing something, and like on weddings and birthdays. I guess loosely it would be like saying "hope it's a lucky one" or "wow, you got really lucky".
But, oddly it is never ever used to wish someone "good luck" like when they are about to do or start something tough and challenging. Instead, for "good luck" you say "B'hatslacha" which literally translates to "with success!"

Also, not really an "idiom" per say, but a funny misconception. In Hebrew, the verb word for "to order" like at a restaurant, is the same as the word for "to invite", like to a party. So I remember my Hebrew teacher telling us one time about how the first time she was in the states, she said she wanted to "invite two hamburgers" or something.

I'm sure there are more I'll think of later... will post if so.

[Asilynne]

Np Gabs :) Ooo I think I realised an English version for bon appitit, "Dig in" or "lets dig in!", said right before eating hehe

[Master Rudy]

That was funny, Master Rudy. Where is she from?

The character is Agent Ziva David from the TV series NCIS (the actress is Coté de Pablo). In the show she's a former Israeli Mossad agent. Eventually she is sworn in as a US citizen and joins the team outright. While NCIS can be a fairly serious show a good portion of the comic relief comes from her screwing up American idioms since she's not originally from the United States.

As soon as I saw this topic it was the first thing that came to mind :P

[Magmar]

Can you pass the dead horse, Magmar?

Is this the "beat a dead horse with a stick" aka "I rant about R.I. dialect too much?" spiel? :P

One funny thing my boyfriend came up with last night to share... the English expression "For shits and giggles", which kind of means "for the hell of it", or "just because"... "Because I can"... or "just because there is nothing preventing me from doing the action described, and there is no relevant reason to either do or not do what I am about to do."

Example: "I went to Starbucks for a coffee, then stopped at the pawn shop and browsed for shits and giggles."

[ChobiChibi]

Or if you're really lazy, you call it shiggles :3

[Lady Vulpix]

Here's another one: what do you understand when you say something and someone replies "those are big words". Because when I said that to someone years ago, he thought I didn't understand what he was saying. -.- But I've seen that phrase used in different ways, including the sense I really meant to convey.

[Magmar]

Big words... Usually it means that the speaker has chosen to use more complicated, slightly more obscure verbage from the English lexicon to describe something or convey an idea than necessary.

I thought of another expression we use a lot at least here in the States: "Early Bird". An "Early Bird" is someone who wakes up earlier than absolutely necessary to begin preparing for the day, -or- shops/uses services around the time they first open for the day. There are often "early bird" specials at restaurants, and "early bird" discounts at, say, parking lots.

The expression's origin: "The early bird gets the worm", that is, "First come, first serve" (common) or "If you are first, you will be rewarded." (literal)

Other idioms:
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." --> "I'll make a decision when it becomes necessary."

"Water off a duck's back." --> "What has been said or done (usually negatively towards the speaker) does not affect me." (the speaker)

"Squeaky-clean" --> A bit of an onomatopoeia for the "squeaky" noise one hears when rubbing a finger along clean glass, rather than the "squeaky" noise one hears when a machine needs oil. It means cleaner than usual, like one might feel after using exfoliating bath soap.

"Slow as molasses" --> "Too slow." Molasses is a sweet syrup, thicker than maple, usually used in baking.

Bonus Slang: A "tool shed" is someone who seems predictable and stupid, but tries to present (usually himself) as desirable. You can easily substitute the words "bro" and "tool shed" when describing one of these gentlemen. :)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Xjk-rlIqpQw/TVCWYMh1pCI/AAAAAAAAAUc/uwVuWEWaT5s/s1600/Massive+Tool.jpg
exhibit A: a tool shed.

[Asilynne]

Hey Barry don't forget wicked souped lol or souped like campbells chicken noodle XD

[Lady Vulpix]

The expression's origin: "The early bird gets the worm", that is, "First come, first serve" (common) or "If you are first, you will be rewarded." (literal)
I knew that one. I also knew the one about the bridge, and "squeaky clean", but this one has a Spanish equivalent: "al que madruga, Dios lo ayuda". It literally translates to "God helps he who gets up early".

[Lady Vulpix]

Here's a Spanish saying which came up in a conversation with DarkestLight at the Dragon Tamers Battle Range: "a quien roba a un ladrón, cien años de perdón".

Literal translation: "to him/her who steals from a thief, a hundred years of pardon/forgiveness".

Is there an English equivalent for this?

[Asilynne]

Other than "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" I don't know anything else close to that :3

[Magmar]

"Knock on wood" -- this one surprisingly has many multilingual equivalents. Saying "knock on wood" after a statement is your way of saying that you hope something does or does not come true.

"I bought ten lottery tickets this week, hopefully I'll make some money, knock on wood"
or
"We're having a party Saturday, and it is supposed to snow, knock on wood it won't."

Another one we use: "You hit the nail on the head", that is, "What you just said describes something perfectly."

example: "Evan got into a car accident and sprained his wrist this morning. It's always something with Evan."
"Evan has problems every week, and now he finally is in some real trouble. I just don't have the energy to be sympathetic this time."
"Wow, you hit the nail on the head. I'm tired of it, too."

Note: "It's always something with Evan" means "Evan always has a story to tell" or "Evan always has drama".

Finally, a response to someone who is nervous and stuttering (having trouble articulating/speaking) could be: "Cat got your tongue?"

Oh, Gabi! In response to your query, one somewhat similar expression comes from the old fable of Robin Hood, who was a "noble thief": "He robs from the rich and gives to the poor," that is, a crime done to someone who behaves unethically with positive reciprocation to others in need is more noble than the other way around. Conversely, you could "call the spade a spade," which would indicate that thievery, even from the rich and giving to the poor, is just thievery and is inherently wrong. Not the same meaning as your expression, but ties into the idea of noble theft!

I don't know if this one was brought up, but if "the pot calls the kettle black," then the "pot" is being a hypocrite for criticizing the "kettle" when the "pot" engages in the same or similar poor behavior.

Example (unrealistic): Lady Vulpix: "I can't stand Gavin Luper, he's a troll."
Shazza: "That's the pot calling the kettle black." (Shazza is inferring that yes, you may be correct in your assumption, but you, too, are a troll and should not be judging another user's trolling behavior.)

One more: You can "compare apples to oranges" or "apples to apples" (a popular subjective-adjective matching card game is called Apples to Apples here). Comparing apples to apples would be: comparing Hurricane Camille to Hurricane Katrina. Comparing apples to oranges could be: comparing the government of Sweden to the civil war of South Sudan in order to draw some kind of meaningful conclusion. Relevance is key: you "can't compare apples to oranges."

[Lady Vulpix]

There is a Spanish equivalent to "knock on wood": "toco madera" (literally "I touch wood"). I wonder why so many people believe that touching wood prevents bad things from happening.

And I can compare apples to oranges, but I know the meaning of the phrase.

[Magmar]

Yes, as they are both fruits :)

Here's another: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." It implies that if things go wrong in your life, find the good things in the bad things and be optimistic.

Another phrase which makes little sense grammatically but means roughly the equivalent is "Make the most of it." (Most and host are pronounced as if they were spelled moast just as a bit of advice, whereas cost or lost have the short "o" sound.)

[Lady Vulpix]

Er... Thanks, Magmar, but I think anyone who knows enough English to understand this thread probably knows how to pronounce common English words, as irregular as English pronunciation is.

Why do you feel that "make the most of it" doesn't make much sense grammatically?

[Blademaster]

Here's another: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." It implies that if things go wrong in your life, find the good things in the bad things and be optimistic.

Well, that's how SOME people see it, anyway. Others, however... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt6iTwVIiMM)